Treatment Methods
Due to an unsuitable diet and lifestyle, the tissues in the body get vitiated. Also due to some external factors, trauma, injuries and so on or due to bacterial and viral infections, the body may acquire a disorder (disease). In these cases, a clear four-path procedure brings the vitiated dhatus back to equilibrium, normalizes malfunctioning, and restores the body to order and health. The process that restores the normalcy is ‘Treatment’. Therefore treatment denotes the ‘alleviation of disorders’. Treatments are of three types: (i) Yuktivyapasraya (Rational), (ii) Satvavajaya (Psychic), and (iii) Daivavyapasraya (Godly). (i) Yuktivyapasraya (Rational): Treatment involving a proper food regimen and medicinal substances in a planned manner is yuktivyapasraya. (ii) Satvavajaya (Psychic): Controlling the negative focus and emotions of the mind is satvavajaya (psychic) treatment. (iii) Daivavyapasraya (Godly): Treatment with the help of hymns, herbs, precious stones, ritual sacrifices, fasting and so on is daivavyapasraya.
Of these, the first and the second pertain to psycho-somatic disorders while the third one is resorted to when the other two fail altogether. Among all, rational treatment prevails as it is based on reasoning. Some recommend simultaneous use of all three on the levels of the body, mind and soul to bring about perfect recovery. 1. DIFFERENT METHODS OF TREATMENT IN AYURVEDA Ayurvedic treatments are completely different from the modern Medicine. These treatment procedures do not work directly on disorders or pathogens. Rather, they aim for overall body purification. These methods facilitate such conditions inside the body which can easily eradicate the provoked dosas, diseases and other root causes of the disease. Hence, a physician uses such a treatment procedure for strong, well-built and obese people, which can easily eliminate the accumulated dosas, vitiated dhatus and malas from the body and bring lightness to the body. There are also treatment procedures for patients who are very lean, weak and emaciated with undernourished dosas and dhatus. For them such treatment procedures are adopted which provide strength and nourishment to the dosas and dhatus. These treatments vary from one condition to other. In the case of excessive oiliness or provoked Kapha dosa, the treatment administered should be one that causes dryness (drying therapy). Whereas in excessive dryness or aggravated Vata, oleation therapy is advisable. For these therapies, medicinal herbs with multiple properties are used by a physician. All the above-said treatment modalities are basically divided in two parts. This therapy includes those medicinal herbs and applications which bring heaviness to the body. They are meant to increase the body weight. This treatment facilitates nourishment and strengthening of the body and help in body building. Such medicinal herbs, food material and other applications are predominant in earth and water elements. 2. Apatarpana cikitsa (Lightning therapy) This category includes therapies involving such medicinal herbs and resources which are meant to bring lightness to the body and reduce the body weight. The medicinal herbs, food substances and other applications used in this therapy are predominant in fire, air and space (ether) elements.
Since these five elements possess both santarpana and apatarpana properties, the material substances formed by the combination of these elements, when used in the body, produce both types of effects.
Many procedures are used in Ayurveda for the above-said two types of treatment. All these therapies have been categorized into six types: 1. Langhana cikitsa (Fasting therapy) 2. Brmhana cikitsa (Nourishing or Restorative therapy) 3. Ruksana cikitsa ( Drying therapy) 4. Snehana cikitsa (Oleation therapy) 5. Svedana cikitsa (Fomentation or Sudation therapy) 6. Stambhana cikitsa (Astringent or Binding therapy)
1. Langhana cikitsa (Fasting therapy) The treatment procedure which brings lightness to the body is called as lahghana therapy. It is of two types: (A) Samsodhana or sodhana cikitsa (Purification or Detoxification therapy): The treatment in which vitiated dosas and malas are eliminated through the excretory passages (anus, urinary tract, skin, nose and mouth) is called purification or detoxification therapy. There are five purification or detox therapies: Vamana (emesis) meaning expulsion of morbidity (mala or dosa) through the oral route via vomiting; Virecana (purgation) meaning expulsion of morbidity through the anal route via loose motions; Anuvasana basti (enema with medicated oil or ghee or other fatty substances); Niruha basti (decoction enema); and Nasya (errhine or inhalation therapy) meaning pouring medicines into nostrils and thus expelling morbidity through them. Purification therapy is a part of pancakarma therapy in Ayurveda, where oleation and sudation therapies are the purvakarmas (premonitoring procedures) of pancakarma. (B) Samana cikitsa (Palliation
or Alleviation therapy): In this treatment, without eliminating the vitiated dosas and malas from the body, procedures are used that mitigate the dosas and malas and bring them back into equilibrium. This is palliation or alleviation treatment. It includes: (i) Dipana smdpacana (stomachic and digestive): These drugs are used to improve the digestive power, increase
the appetite and improve the digestion of food. This quickly alleviates dosas and malas. (ii) Ksutnigraha or upavasa (fasting): This includes starving or fasting or the intake of very light food. It quickly facilitates the expulsion of toxins. (iii) Pipasa nigraha (thirst): To remain thirsty or to keep control over thirst is beneficial in water retaining and kidney disorders. (iv) Saririka vyayama (physical
exercise): Physical fitness, yogasanas and so on reduces obesity and bring the aggravated dosas back to equilibrium, strengthens the body and develops immunity. (v) Atapa and maruta (sun and air):
Exposure to sun and inhalation of fresh air is beneficial in obesity and skin-related disorders. If this therapy is used for weight reduction, it should be practiced on people who are stout, obese and capable of withstanding the therapy, and it can also be used on patients suffering from diseases generated by Vata vitiation along with excess of Kapha, Pitta, blood and morbidity in the body.
If vomiting, diarrhea, cholera, fever, constipation, heaviness in the body, belching, nausea, anorexia and so on are caused by provocation of Kapha and Pitta and if these diseases are in their moderate form (neither very acute nor very low), they are initially treated with medicines capable of increasing the digestive power. But if these diseases are in their mild form, then treatment includes fasting and control over thirst.
If a strong person is suffering from these diseases in a mild and moderate form, then the treatment adopted should be physical exercises and exposure to sun and air. In lahghana therapy, medicines used are light, hot, penetrating, non-slimy, dry, rough, minute, liquid and hard in quality. (Excerpted from the book ‘A Practical Approach To Th Science Of Ayurveda: A Comprehensive Guide For Healthy Living’ authored by Acharya Balkrishna)