Panchkarma
वमनं रेचनं नस्यम निरुहस्य च अनुवासनम ऐतानी पंचकर्माणि कथितानि मुनिश्वरे
Panchakarma is the purification therapy used in Ayurvedic medicine . The word panchakarma means five actions and refers to five procedures intended to intensively cleanse and restore balance to the body, mind, and emotions. Panchakarma is used by Ayurvedic physicians as a treatment of a wide variety of health conditions and as a preventative measure.
Snehana (Oleation):
- Bahya (external) – This consists of applying medicated or herbal
oil to the skin through massage. The skin then absorbs the medicine into the bloodstream. - Abhyantar (internal) – This method is designed to stimulate the digestive system by consumption of medicated edible oil or ghee.
Swedana (fomentation):
This refers to the remedy that involves practices involving heat to make the patient sweat. Following are some types of fomentation:
- Avagaha Sweda:- Induction of perspiration by keeping the body upto 12cm above the umbilicus immersed in a decoction.
- Upanaha sweda: Induction of perspiration by application of warm paste of roots of vata mitigating drugs are macerated with a sour liquid added with salt, fats and tied on the body.
- Patra Pottali Pinda Sweda: Induction of perspiration by using a heated pack of specific herbal leaves. It is also known as ELAKIZHI.
- Shashtika shaali pinda sweda: Induction of perspiration by the use of heated medicinal rice puddings externally in the form of boluses tied up in a cotton cloth in a specific manner for specific period of time. It is also known as NAVARAKIZHI.
- Nadi Sweda: Induction of perspiration by steam generated from medicated decoction is applied on the target area with the help of a rubber tube which is joined to the swedana yantra.
Vamana (Emesis):
This term literally means to expel the vitiated doshas through the oral route. Vamana or the expelled material may consist of undigested food, kapha, and pitta. Vamana Karma is specifically indicated in Kaphaja Disorders.
Virechana (Purgation)
Literally meaning the expulsion of doshas through the anal passage, virechana is the specific therapy for pitta dosha disorders. Virechana Karma is specifically indicated in Pittaja Disorders.
Sirovirechana (Nasya):
This refers to the applications of medicines or medicated oils administered through the nasal passage spread throughout the head-and its constituent parts and influence all the doshas and the diseases situated in these parts. Nasya Karma is specifically indicated in Urdhwa Jatrugata Rogas i.e. Shirogata Rogas or ENT disorders.
Vasti (Enema therapy):
Vasti means enema therapy; Vasti is one of the treatments among Panchakarma for vata predominating disorders. It is of 2 types:
- Sneha vasti (medicated oil enema)
- Niruha vasti (cleansing enema)
Raktamokshana:
Raktamokshana is the procedure of blood letting for therapeutic purpose for removing morbid Doshas present in the blood. It is specifically indicated in blood borne, Pitta dominant or surgical diseases.
Raktamokshana is of two types:
- Shastra Visravana – It is further divided into two category-
- Pracchana: which means letting the blood passes through several incision.
- Siravyadhana: which is also known as venepuncture.
- Anushastra Visravana – It is further divided into 3 categories:
- Jalaukavacharana: which mean applying, leeches on a particular area. This is mainly done for Pitta Dosha disorder.
- Alabu: which mean creating vacuum & extracting blood through the vaccum. This is mainly done for treating the Kapha Dosha diseases.
- Shrungavacharana: which mean applying the cows horns. This is mainly used for treating the Vata disorder.
Shirodhara:
It is a classic Ayurvedic therapy, which includes pouring of warm herbal oil on the forehead in a continuous stream. Ayurvedic Shirodhara therapy is very effective in promoting sound sleep and reducing stress.
Takradhara:
It is a special Panchakarma therapy in which medicated buttermilk processed with medicinal herbs is used in the form of an external remedy. Buttermilk is poured in a continuous stream over the forehead, in a specified manner. It is useful in treating psychosomatic disorders, psoriasis, hypertension and lack of sleep etc.
The Panchakarma therapy is used mainly with following objectives:
- Preventive – Panchakarma is recommended in healthy individuals for preservation and maintenance of the positive health as a preventive therapy.
- Rejuvenation – Panchakarma is indicated as a pre-requisite in individuals where Rasayana therapy is recommended for revival, regeneration and revitalisation of all body Dhatus.
- Curative – is another very important indication of Panchakarma therapy for various diseases. It is important to remember that Panchakarmas have specific influence on different Doshas in the body. Specific karma is indicated in specific vitiated Dosha dominant diseases. Vata – Basti Karma, Pitta – Virechana Karma and Kapha – Vamana Karma.