Ayurveda Hospital in Chennai

Life in Ayurveda is conceived as the union of body, senses, mind and soul. The living man is a conglomeration of three humours (Vata, Pitta &Kapha), seven basic tissues (Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Meda, Asthi, Majja and Shukra) and the waste products of the body such as faeces, urine and sweat (Mala Mutra and Ssweda). Thus the total body matrix comprises of the humours, the tissues and the waste products of the body. The growth and decay of this body matrix and its constituents revolve around food which gets processed into humours, tissues and wastes. Ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and metabolism of food have an interplay in health and disease which are significantly affected by psychological mechanisms as well as by metabolic fire(Agni).

• Five Primordial elements (neer, nilam, neerupu, kattru, aagaum),

• Three Humors (Vatham, Pittham, Kabam) and

• Six Tastes (inipu, pulippu, uppu, kaippu, karpu, thuvarpu).

All objects in the universe including human body are composed of five basic elements (Panchamahabhutas) namely, earth, water, fire, air and ether (Prithvi, Jala, Agni, Vaayu and Akasha). There is a balanced condensation of these elements in different proportions to suit the needs and requirements of different structures and functions of the body and its parts. The growth and development of the body depends on its nutrition, i.e. on food. The food, in turn, is composed of the above five elements, which nourish the elements of the body after the action of metabolic fire (Agni). The tissues of the body are the structural entities whereas humours(Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are physiological entities, derived from different combinations and permutations of Panchamahabhutas.

Health or sickness depends on the presence or absence of a balanced state of the total body matrix including the balance between its different constituents. Both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors can cause disturbance in the natural equilibrium giving rise to disease. This loss of equilibrium can happen by dietary indiscrimination, undesirable habits and non-observance of rules of healthy living. Seasonal abnormalities, improper exercise or erratic application of sense organs and incompatible actions of the body and mind can also result in creating disturbance of the existing normal balance. Hence the treatment here, consist of restoring the balance of disturbed body-mind matrix by regulating diet, correcting life-routine and behaviour, administering of drugs and resorting to preventive Panchakarma and Rasayana therapy.

The basic therapeutic approach is, “that alone is the right treatment which makes for health and he alone is the best doctor who frees one from disease”. This sums up the principal objectives of Ayurveda, i.e. maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure of sickness.

Treatment of the disease consists in avoiding causative factors responsible for disequilibrium of the body matrix or of any of its constituent parts through the use of Panchakarma procedures, medicines, suitable diet, activity and regimen for restoring the balance and strengthening the body mechanisms to prevent or minimize future occurrence of the disease.

Normally treatment measures involve use of medicines, specific diet and prescribed activity routine. Use of these three measures is done in two ways. In one approach of treatment the three measures antagonize the disease by counteracting the etiological factors and various manifestations of the disease. In the second approach the same three measures of medicine, diet and activity are targeted to exert effects similar to the etiological factors and manifestations of the disease process. These two types of therapeutic approaches are respectively known as Vipreeta and Vipreetarthkari treatments.

The treatment of disease can broadly be classified as

Shodhana therapy (Purification Treatment)
Shamana therapy (Palliative Treatment)
PathyaVyavastha (Prescription of diet and activity)
NidanParivarjan (Avoidance of disease causing and aggravating factors)
Satvavajaya(Psychotherapy)
Rasayanatherapy(use of immunomodulators and rejuvenation medicines)

Panchkarma is a part of the purification therapies of Ayurveda. “Panch” means five and ‘Karma’ means actions so literally translated, it is a set of five systematic actions used for purification of the body. It is used to bring the aggravated “Doshas” imbalance in balance and to flush out the accumulated “Ama” toxins from the body using the normal modes of elimination like intestines, sweat glands and the urinary tract.

Elimination is a natural body instinct but over a period of time, and in cases of dosha imbalance these wastes are not effectively eliminated from the body. These wastes tend to stick into the minute channels of the body known as the “Srotas” and start producing disease..Panchkarma is considered to be the most radical way to cleanse the body and thereby eliminate, once and for all the disease causing doshas and the toxins.

The treatment of disease with the help of Panchkarma is made up of three steps. this consists of the following steps

Purvakarma

• Snehan (Oleation therapy): – medicated oils and ghee (clarified butter) are used. According to Ayurveda the Ghee (Clarified Butter) can travel between Cells of body very easily. Once The Ghee reaches to fine space between cells, all the fat soluble impurities are desolved in Ghee and finally the Ghee is thrown in to rectum by the body. The Ghee containing Impurities is eliminated by Virechan (Purgation). Virechan is obtained by electro-balanced purgatives, so the balance of electrolytes is maintained in body in spite of induced diarrhea.

• Sweden (Steam Bath): -The Steam of medicated water helps opening fine pores on skin allowing the natural excretion path and heat of steam dilates the blood vessels allowing more blood to pass through muscles which supplies more nourishment.

These Includes:

• Vamana: – Use of emetics – artificial vomiting is induced using herbs like, strong teas of locorice, salt and calamus. It is usually indicated for people with disorders of ‘Kapha’ (phlegm).

• Virechana: – Use of laxatives – A strong purgative like senna or rhubarb is given. It is normally used to eliminate high Pitta (fire) from its site in the small intestines.

• Basti: –Medicated enemas – cleaning enemas are primarily used to dispel high Vata (air) from the colon and to remove Doshas (Impurities).

• Nasya: – Nasal administration – medicinal oils or herbal mixtures are inhaled or pour in nose by drops (mixed with oils or ghee). This stimulates the nerve ending of nasal cavities resulting in better blood circulation in the sinuses. It is also good for balancing the ‘Pranavata’.

• RaktaMokshana: – Bloodletting – this is not much in use these a days except in oriental systems of medicine.

Paschatkarma

These Includes:

• Samsarjana karma: – On completion of Panchkarma a special diet and instructions are prescribed according to Prakruti (Constitution) and Life style. This diet helps the person to fulfill his/her calories requirement along with maintaining Doshas according to Ayurveda.

• Rasayanam / Kayakalpa: – It is a special form of tonification therapy. This is best done after the panchkarma. Special herbs are used to tone up the various systems of the body. The herbs are selected according to Prakruti and Disease

Ayurveda recommends that everyone needs the Panchakarma. Ideally it should be done three times a year, at the turn of spring, fall and winter. Today’s hectic life may not permit us such a luxury Thus it is recommended that every healthy human being should undergo Panchakarmaatleastonce a year to stay fit and healthy throughout the year.

Other Treatments Offered by Ayurveda are

• Abhyangam - Kerala Body Massage, a unique type of body massage for an hour with herbal oil / herbal cream that not only tones up your body but also improves blood circulation.

• Panchakarma Therapy - which involves 5 different therapeutic measures that are used to keep a person fit, both physically and mentally.

• Shirodhara - During this process herbal oil and herbally treated water is poured on the forehead, which assists in realizing stress, insomnia, hypertension and more.

• Kati Basti - This treatment is for servere backaches.

• Nadi Sweda - it is pain disorder treatment.

• Pinda Sweda - Neurological treatment.

• Uttara Basti - this is one effective treatment for infertility.

• Udvartana - this treatment involves skin scrubbing & other skin related treatment.

• Janu Basti - Involves treatment of arthritis.

Panchakarma treatment focuses on metabolic management. It provides needed purificatory effect, besides conferring therapeutic benefits. This treatment is especially helpful in neurological disorders, musculo-skeletal disease conditions, certain vascular or neuro-vascular states, respiratory diseases, metabolic and degenerative disorders.

(b) Shamana therapy involves suppression of vitiated humours (doshas). The process by which disturbed humour subsides or returns to normal without creating imbalance of other humours is known as shamana. This treatment is achieved by use of appetisers, digestives, exercise and exposure to sun, fresh air etc. In this form of treatment, palliatives and sedatives are used.

(c) PathyaVyavastha comprises indications and contraindications in respect of diet, activity, habits and emotional status. This is done with a view to enhance the effects of therapeutic measures and to impede the pathogenetic processes. Emphasis on do’s and don’ts of diet etc is laid with the aim to stimulate Agni and optimize digestion and assimilation of food in order to ensure strength of tissues.

(d) NidanaParivarjanam is to avoid the known disease causing factors in diet and lifestyle of the patient. It also encompasses the idea to refrain from precipitating or aggravating factors of the disease.

(e) Satvavajayam concerns mainly with the area of mental disturbances. This includes restraining the mind from desires for unwholesome objects and cultivation of courage, memory and concentration. The study of psychology and psychiatry have been developed extensively in Ayurveda and have wide range of approaches in the treatment of mental disorders.

(f) Rasayana therapy deals with promotion of strength and vitality. The integrity of body matrix, promotion of memory, intelligence, immunity against the disease, the preservation of youth, luster and complexion and maintenance of optimum strength of the body and senses are some of the positive benefits credited to this treatment. Prevention of premature bear and tear of body tissues and promotion of total health content of an individual are the roles that Rasayana therapy plays.

In Ayurveda, regulation of diet as therapy has great importance. This is because it considers human body as the product of food. An individual’s mental and spiritual development as well as his temperament is influenced by the quality of food consumed by him. Food in human body is transformed first into chyle or Rasa and then successive processes involve its conversion into blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone-marrow, reproductive elements and ojas. Thus, food is basic to all the metabolic transformations and life activities. Lack of nutrients in food or improper transformation of food lead to a variety of disease conditions.

Eventhough Siddha and Ayurveda are generally considered to be different systems of Indian medicines, when studied deep, both the systems are one and the same. Both these systems are very much holistic and aim at both preventive and curative aspects of a disease. These systems preach spiritual impacts as well as scientific impactsof health overan individual. Both systems got evolved 3000-3500years ago in India, Ayurveda in North and Siddha in South, hence the Structural, Physiological and philosophical concepts of Health and all the factors that influence health are documented in the same way but we can see certain differences between these systems on the basis of climate, culture, language plants and mineral availability in North and South India. The basic concepts like Panchamahamootas, Tridoshas, SaptaDhatus, Trimalas are same in both these systems. Most of the formulations, their raw drugs, diseases for which they are prescribed are identical.