Indian Herbal Medicine: Ayurveda - Essay Example

117671 Ayurveda is the Indian herbal medicine, practised both in India and Sri Lanka, a complete alternative medical system that emphasizes a lifestyle with spiritual concept. It is the traditional healing system, an ancient medicinal system practised in India, much before the birth of Buddha. "It can guide every individual in the proper choice of diet, living habits and exercise to restore balance in the body, mind and consciousness, thus preventing disease from gaining a foothold in the system," http://www.ayurveda.com/panchakarma/pk_intro.pdf It concentrates on nutrition and lifestyle and on living as one with the nature. After identifying the dosha in the person, herbs, roots and spices are mixed and given as medicines in Ayurveda. At the same time, Ayurveda has many treatments that include therapies, massages, and other connected ways of treating that can effectively cure many ailments. Out of all these therapeutic treatments, Panchakarma is the most interesting and effective part of Ayurveda. Panchakarma, considered to be a unique treatment in Ayurveda, is a concept in which preventive and healing therapies with connecting rejuvenation and purification methods are emphasised. It is one of the ancient methods of body cleansing and detoxifying. According to Ayurveda, this therapy is particularly beneficial in treating hemiplegia. Pakshaghata is a stroke, also called hemiplegia, where half of the body gets paralysed and the affected person finds it impossible to move any limb of that side. Usually an incurable and debilitating disease, leaves the patient stricken for life, taking away the patient's dignity, as it forces him to depend on others. Mostly the speech gets impaired and this makes it very difficult for the person, not being in a position even to express himself and here Panchakarma could be very useful. "The very important branch of Ayurvedic medicine called panchakarma focuses upon detoxification and uses steam baths, oelation (oiling), enemas and emesis (therapeutic vomiting), plus fasting," (Morningstar, 1999, p.11). Ayurveda reiterates that Panchakarma can improve the condition of the patient in many ways. In Sanskrit, Panch is five and Karma is doing a work, here it is referred to five types of therapeutic measures. In Ayurveda, purification is necessary before any other therapy is done on the patient. "The logic being that as a cloth needs to be purified or cleaned of impurities and dust before it can be permeated with a new color, similarly the body needs to be purified before it can be permeated with new colors of youthfulness, health and vigor etc. http://chakrapaniayurveda.com/panchakarma2.html Main intention of the therapy is go bring out the toxic materials collected in the body, due to various reasons, like food habits, usage of toxic and chemical materials and allopathic medicinal intake. The patient will find immediate relief after this treatment and the muscles will be relaxed. There are many ways of doing it, like steam bath, herbal massages, medicinal oil application, and medicated enemas, which are called Basti. Purgation with herbal medicines is called Virechana, emesis through herbs is called Vamana, oil administration through nose is called Nasya. Ayurveda says that all these methods are effective in curing all sicknesses, detected and undetected, especially hemiplegia. It is also claimed that they would help both the physical and mental health of the sufferer. "Like most complementary therapies, it is particularly helpful in treating stress, but also has a successful record with tuberculosis, arthritis, eczema, diabetes and a variety of other problems," (Jardine, 2002, p.75). After Purvakarma, a kind of pre-treatment, readies the patient for the further and main therapy of Panchakarma, which will make the body undergo a physical and spiritual change, various methods of panchakarma are applied on the patient. Releasing the toxins trapped in human body, according to Ayurveda, is one of the salient treatments. People, who have undergone panchakarma, have extolled its benefits. The three procedures advised are Paachana (Digestion), Snehana and Swedana. Snehana is the oil massage on the entire body of the patient, and the main purpose is to direct the hidden toxins towards intestinal tract and usually this is done for a week with guided movements. There are many ways of doing it, but this therapy is done using the medicinal oils under the guidance of a physician. Swedana is sweating; it is a kind of herbal steam, something like Sauna and here too, purpose is the same, removal of toxins from the body. But the two methods release toxins from different areas of the body. In addition, these therapies would change the solid toxins into liquid form and once these two are successful in releasing the toxins out of the body, they are followed by the real Panchakarma. Vamana is a therapy, rather an exhausting one and should be done only under the strict guidance of a qualified physician, and it involves induced vomiting. This is done in many ways like giving a herbal medicine to the patient, that would make him throw up on his own, or inducing vomiting by putting plume into the mouth deep inside and making the patient vomit. This particular therapy should be carefully induced and continuously monitored. Virechana is another therapy given for release of excess bile from the body, which usually accumulates in gall bladder, liver and small intestine. These residues or the toxins can create muscular malfunctioning. Pakshaghat or Hemiplegia is the paralysis of half of the body involving loss of its energy resulting in termination of any voluntary movement of the limbs of that side of the body. This could be caused by brain haemorrhage, or inflammation of brain or embolus in an artery leading to brain, meningitis, or brain tumour, and thus, it is said that Nasya (herbal inhalation therapy) would help this situation immensely. "To prevent Atherosclerosis or brittleness of the blood vessels vit. C and calcium are essential. To get this eat everyday EMBLICA OFFICINALIS, ORANGES, MANDRIN, LEMON AND GAUVA. These also contain vit. D in addition", http://baidyanath.org/ddparalysis.shtml According to Ayurveda, tomato and Barley are good in stopping bleeding as they contain Rutin; honey too is considered Ayurvedically useful for hemiplegia. The attached survey of 50 patients show how satisfyingly effective Panchakarma is in Hemiplegia. Panchakarma should not be given to very young or very old or during pregnancy and should never be exercised without the guidance of physicians. (Based on Sindyfarma website at (http://www.syndypharma.com/ckapsresearch.htm) According to Sindy farma, Panchakarma offers medicated oil massages, medicated purgation and body fomentation of medicated steam, specially created for the betterment of paralysed patients. Sindy farma advocates use of C-kaps for this ailment, which will act on neuromuscular system, and toxicological studies have proved beneficial. Highly balanced application of oil and massages is recommended. They claim that through their studies, they have established that various bhasmas and herbs combined with the panchakarma treatment have shown tremendous positive response in the patients of hemiplegia. "The Hemiplegia is the sequelae of pathological events, which take place in the central nervous system. The underlying pathology may be different such as Cerebro-Vascular Accidents (CVA), neoplasms, infections, etc. but paralysis will be a common symptom. The degree and extent of neurological deficit depend upon the location and extension of damage to the brain cells". http://www.ccras.nic.in/hemiplegia.htm Pakshaghata is the most disabling sickness that could go on for years or till death. Allopathy does not have any practical solution for the sickness. Ayurveda, though panchakarma, claims that it has a permanent cure. It argues that by removing deep-rooted toxins from the body. They also claim that the treatment never failed. "Because there are few legal requirements regarding the practice of holistic and/or complementary therapies, the door is wide open for the sort of people who are out to make a fast buck from the misfortunes of others," (Jardine, p.93). After this treatment, the patient's life style undergoes a metamorphosis. The complete valuation of this method is yet to be done. The researchers claim to have done the study on 744 patients and it was done before, during and after the study and that the usefulness of each therapy is fully verified. http://www.ccras.nic.in/hemiplegia.htm Central Council of Research for Ayurveda and Siddha also extols Panchakarma's benefits in treating the stroke stricken patient, depending upon the damage done to the brain cells, disturbance of speech and other losses of functions and working on their restoration. "The disease has been discussed in Ayurveda under Vatavyadhi neurological disorder. The terms Paksaghata, Paksha Vadha and Ekanga Vata have been used to describe hemiplegia in Ayurveda," http://www.ccras.nic.in/hemiplegia.htm There are two major approaches, Shodhana, schedule through Panchakarma, Shodhana, a general medical management. This means Snehapana, svedana, vireka, bastikarma, nasya and sirobasti with various oils of medicinal base come under Sodhana. Samana is a different therapy, where medicated oils are used along with many kinds of herbal and mineral preparations. Sastikasalipinda sweda comes under svedana therapy and its usability is yet to be established fully, though there is a possibility of it's being extremely useful in the said problem. "The results obtained from 744 patients: 1. Effect of Panchakarma treatment with Masadi yoga: 112. 2. Effect of Bhadradarvadi kasaya, Danwntarma gutika and medicated oils: 109. 3. Effect of Nirgundi taila, Sahacara taila and bhadradarvadi Taila: Comparative study: 266. 4. Effect of J.J. Taila: Internally and externally: 80. 5. Effect of Panchakarma therapy and Sirobasti with Masa taila : 66. 6. The effect of Herbo-mineral preparations (internal) and application of Sastikasalipinda sveda with Brhatmasa taila (externally) along with Panchakarma therapy 111". (based on http://www.ccras.nic.in/hemiplegia.htm Result of this therapy showed that Panchakarma was indeed helpful in curing hemiplegia. The conclusion includes: 1. "Bhadradarvadi kvatha, Dhanwantharm Gutika, Panchakarma therapy using Masa taila and Sastikasati panda sveda. 2. Sastikasali panda sveda is useful for relieving stiffness of muscles and other emaciated condition. 3. The Snehapana with the study drugs did not produce any increase in the cholesterol level of the blood pressure level of patients," (ibid). They also express the view that complete recovery from the ailment is almost impossible, even though there are very rare cases of fully back to normal. With Panchakarma, quality of life improves and it would stop further deterioration and damage to the muscles. It will not allow the unused muscles to go into a 'slumber' as usually happens to all paralytic patients. It is very important that the paralysed condition should not stagnant, because there is a very high risk of the damanged muscles and tissues and nerves going to sleep and becoming unusable. Hence, Panchakarma should be done as fast as possible. Most of the functions are usually recovered after the treatment. According to Ayurveda, Pakshaghata happens because of the toxic materials collecting in the body and creating difficult problems so that the nerve system and the blood flow do not function in the way they should. The removal of toxicity from the body should ease the neurological and muscular tension of the body and blood should be purified free of toxins and flow without hindrance, reaching all the places mutilated by paralysis. Such regions of the body become lifeless, more so, everyday, because of the lack of proper blood flow and this would definitely be restored after the treatment. As this is done naturally by beneficial and connected medicines, there are no side effects and the therapy is useful for the body. There are many schools of Ayurveda, working for the same results, but using different herbal medicines or tools for it. The Kerala Ayurveda lays stress on preventing the paralysis from coming and for this, they depend on swastha varta (personal hygiene) consisting on a regular, rather rigid dinacharya (daily routine), Ritucharya (Seasona corrections), Sadachara (correct behaviour), Rasayana and vajikarana (rejuvenation and verification) and yoga. The curative aspect of therapy include antati parimaijana (internal medicine) - consisting of samsodhana and samsamana (curative action - external medicine as massage, use of pastes and powders. The deep cleansing process will release the body from excess doshas1 and toxins from their cells or pockets and expel them out of the body. According to researchers the collected toxins reduce the natural healing power and panchakarma plays a very crucial role in the correction of body condition. "Because there are few legal requirements regarding the practice of holistic and/or complementary therapies, the door is wide open for the sort of people who are out to make a fast buck from the misfortunes of others," (Jardine, p.93). Panchakarma is recommended as a body balancing operation, much needed for curing a stroke or paralysis. It is also considered to be a seasonal treatment, absolutely effective even for those who are not unwell. "Panchakarma will stick out the excess doshas (or imbalances in the dosha) along with the sticky Ama out of your system by means of the body waste evacuation channels such as sweat glands, urinary tract, intestines, etc. Panchakarma is, thus, a balancing operation. It involves daily massages and oil baths and is extremely pleasant experience. Ayurveda recommends Panchakarma as a seasonal treatment for toning your mind body system" http://www.holistic-online.com/ayurveda/ayv-treatment-panchakarma.htm BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Jardine, Emma (2002), Holistic Medicine, A guide to Alternative Healing, Caxton Publishing Group, London. 2. Morningstar, Sally (1999), Ayurveda, Lorenz books, New York. ONLINE SOURCES: 1. http://chakrapaniayurveda.com/panchakarma2.html 2. http://baidyanath.org/ddparalysis.shtml 3. http://www.ccras.nic.in/hemiplegia.htm 4. http://www.holistic-online.com/ayurveda/ayv-treatment-panchakarma.htm 5. http://www.ayurveda.com/panchakarma/pk_intro.pdf 6. http://ayurveda-foryou.com/treat/pancha.html 7. http://ayurveda-foryou.com/treat/pancha.html 8. Read More

 

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