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Guide to ayurvedic medicines & remedies

Healing Methods of Ayurveda

One of the fundamental beliefs in Ayurveda is the idea of Yukti. The process of concerted action of many factors and causes producing a result is called Yukti. The production of by the coming together of thread, shuttle, loom and weaver, at one time and one place is the outcome of yukti. Life exists because of Yukti. The coming together of body, mind and spirit at one time and place and functioning together as one unit makes life possible.

A disease is caused in the body by Yukti, i.e. the coming together of many causes at an appropriate time and place. Charaka observed that the "remedy for all miseries, is the elimination of desire". The destruction of desire thus uproots the root cause of disease. As long as we suffer from delusion, the disease will persist. It is this inner awareness which keeps our minds and thoughts healthy, which in turn reflects in our lives. Most people do not posses this inner awareness, nor do they have any realization of the existence of any such ideas. The mind thus becomes a complete skirmish, a muddled brain with muddled thoughts. Charaka called these people the "Ever Sick".

Ayurveda is distinguished from modern medicine as it favours gradual over sudden cure. Important in keeping ones health and being able to get over disease, it is vital to keep ones doshas balanced. Treatment in Ayurveda is basically determined by the doshas. Vagbhata observes that the most disturbed of the doshas should be treated first.

The general treatment of the doshas are as follows.

VATA
The main remedies for vata are the external and internal use of heat and oil to neutralize its dry and cold qualities. The best purification is the enema. When vata is aggravated, the patient requires good space in the form of free flow channels, leading to mind and body happiness.

PITTA
The methods of purification in Pitta, include purgation and blood letting. Pitta's intensity is also reduced with the use of soothing music and meditation.

KAPHA
To break up the natural inertia and lethargy of Kapha requires intensity and action. Emesis, that is therapeutic vomiting, is the main purification, though purgation is also used.

Palliation
The physician has to ascertain before the commencement of treatment, whether or not the body is filled with ama. If ama is a major factor, then fasting is recommended for a day or two before the entire ama is expelled from the body. The strength of the patient as against the strength of the disease is measured and if the patient is strong and the disease weak, active purification by the use of a method known as panchakarma is prescribed. Fasting permits the body to digest ama. Medicines are generally prescribed with an anupana, which prevents possible side effects of the medicine and encourages quick, efficient absorption. The simplest anupana is water. Other Anupana include medicinal wine, herbal decoctions, fruit juices, medicinal jams, butter, ghee, raw sugar and meat soup.

Unctuous therapy
Sneha the umbrella term for unctuous or oily matter, also means love. Unctuous therapy is prescribed for people who enjoy too much alcohol or sex, the young, the old, the very thin, the people who have lost much blood or semen and the people who have eye diseases.

Sweat therapy
After unctuous therapy, the patient should be made to sweat. There are two ways of inducing sweat, external application of heat or retention of body heat. Plants like castor root, punarnava, barley, sesame, black gram and the drumstick all encourage the body to sweat more easily. The excess sweating must be avoided in patients suffering from fainting, dizziness, nausea, fever and other ailments.

Panchkarmas
The five actions of purging the body of toxins include emesis, purgation, evacuative nasal medication, evacuative enema and blood letting. They are together known as the Panchkarmas. In emesis and purgation, vomiting is induced for the treatment of fevers and respiratory complaints due to Kapha. The most important emetic in India is known as madana. It is prepared in different ways in which the patient is to be treated.
The purgatives in Ayurveda include triphala, urine, raisins or milk for sensitive patients. One of the most regarded purgative in Ayurveda is known as Trivrt. Aragvadha is especially good for children, the aged, the weak and the delicate because of its mild nature.

Enemas
Enema is different from emesis and purgation as it does not deplete the digestive juices of the body. Enema recipes generally use herbs but meat soup, raw blood and medicinal wine is also used in enemas to create strength. Aphrodisiac herbs such as long pepper make enemas aphrodisiac while rejuvenating herbs make them rejuvenative.

Nasal medication
All the diseases of the head are cured by nasal medication, which is the preferred purification for all diseases of the head. A couple of drops of medicated oil or ghee into the nose and the massage of its mucous membrane with the little finger.

Blood-letting
Sushruta was of the opinion that all surgical problems could be cured by blood letting. But he cautioned against excessive blood flow, which might cause weakness to the patient. Blood letting should be used for abscesses and infections, for congestion of blood in liver and spleen and for chronic headaches. It can also be done on all parts of the body.

Treatment with fire
The treatment of ulcers, caseated lymph nodes, piles, new growths such as cancer, hernia, inflammation of the joints and even sinusitis have been attempted by the use of heat or alkali to brand or cauterize parts of the body, in order to avoid surgery. Branding by the method of heating is done by such substances like goat dung, cow or ox tooth, arrowpoint, metal probe or even honey, jaggery, ghee or oil for the cure of dropsy and for spurs on bones.
The treatment of gradual escalation is also tried in some cases. In the cure of chronic enlargement of the liver and spleen, sweating is tried first, then the application of alkali containing paste and the ingestion of alkali and finally the application of oil of bhallataka to blister the overlying skin.