Ayurveda is one of the oldest systems of medicines. It was preached, practiced, and documented in ancient times by omniscient sages. Ayurveda views disease as the natural end result of living out of harmony with our environment. And it emphasizes getting rid of toxins and re-establishing harmony and balance as the means of achieving optimal health in our body and mind.
Treatment Modalities of Ayurveda
The two main types of treatment modalities in Ayurveda are Samshodhan Chikitsa (cleansing therapies) and Samshaman Chikitsa (pacifying therapies).
Samshaman Chikitsa is done once the disease process has started, but Samshodhan Chikitsa starts before the disease sets foot in our body. After centuries of observation and treatment evaluations, Ayurvedic seers were able to predict the outcome of the effect of changes of season on human mind and body type. They devised the preventive procedures in the form of Panchakarma therapies so that the human body and mind can be cleansed and toxic elements removed and chances of diseases will be diminished. Panchakarma can also be used to enhance immunity and treat chronic conditions.
Panchakarma Chikitsa (Therapy)
As the name suggests, it consists of five major therapeutic procedures. They are:
- Vamana (therapeutic emesis)
- Virechana (therapeutic purgation)
- Niruha Basti (therapeutic decoction enema)
- Anuvasan Basti (therapeutic oily enema)
- Nasya (therapeutic errhine)
There may be other allied therapies.
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Purvakarma
To make the body fit for main therapy, certain preparatory procedures are done, and they are called "Purvakarma," which means "preparatory measures." They are Deepan/Pachan (digestion of Ama), Snehan (external oleation therapy), and Swedan (whole body sudation).
Mode of action
If we look at human metabolism from a modern perspective, it creates mainly three kinds of waste. They can be water-soluble, fat-soluble, or waste of a volatile nature. Volatile waste such as carbon dioxide gets removed from the body by the lungs through the process of respiration. Water-soluble waste also gets removed through renal filtration, sweat, or other bodily secretions. Fat-soluble waste is mostly the responsibility of the liver. There are increased chances that they are not completely removed and get accumulated in our bodies. This fat-soluble waste can be compared to Ama Dosha, which is the toxin formed as a result of faulty digestion. If it is not removed, it becomes the cause of diseases of body and mind. Ayurvedic detoxification procedure Panchakarma focuses on the removal of Ama Dosha and bringing balance to the other three Doshas, namely Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. At the same time, many other health benefits are achieved by Panchakarma therapy.
Deepen/Pachan
Deepen/ Pachan Aushadha act by increasing Agni i.e. they improve digestive strength. Some of the Pachan herbs described in Charak Samhita are the fruit and root of Pippali (Piper longum), Chavya (Piper chaba Hunter), Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica), roots of Shringavera (Ginger) (Zingiber officinale), fruit of Maricha (Piper nigrum), Ajamoda (Trachyspermum roxburghianum), Hingu Niryasa (Asafoetida), etc.; they are recommended as a first step of preparatory measure.
Snehan
A whole-body massage with profuse use of herbal/medicinal oils and internal administration of herbal/medicinal oil or ghee preparations during Snehan karma makes it possible for the body to eliminate the fat-soluble toxic waste by diffusion. The large surface area of skin and also the large expanse of villi and microvilli in our gastrointestinal tract provide a large exchange base and work well facilitating the process. Fat in the body is mainly stored in the abdomen around the mesenteries and also mostly under the skin. Bahya Sneh targets the subcutaneous fat, and Abhyantara Sneh targets the gut from inside.
Swedan
Hot wet steam or dry sudation is used for swedana so that the person sweats profusely. It increases the local blood circulation and further helps in this exchange. Swedan also liquefies the Doshas and clears the obstruction from the Srotas so that Doshas are mobilized and can be expelled easily. Various types of Swedish sudation have been described for local and whole-body sudation, such as Sankara Sweda, where a bolus of herbs is used for local sudation. In another type, called Prastara Sweda, a bed is prepared with pulses or grains infused with herbs such as long pepper, black pepper, or ginger or from krushra (thick gruel) or Utkarika. It is then covered with silk or wool or leaves of medicinal plants, and the person, after Snehan, is made to lie down on it for Swedan.
Paschatkarma
Bringing the body back to normal after Vaman and Virechan therapies, which are drastic alimentary purification procedures by specific dietary regimens and different medicines, is Paschat karma. It comprises Samsarjana Karma, Rasayanadi Karma, and Samana Yoga. During Samsarjan Karma, a specific kind of dietary regimen is followed using Peya, Vilepi, Akrita-KritaYush, etc., so that Jatharagni is increased. When Panchakarma is done as part of rejuvenation, after the major procedures, Rasayan herbs are given. When Panchakarma is done as part of treatment for a particular problem, specific medicines are given.
Conclusion
Panchakarma Detoxification Therapy is a highly complex and sophisticated science for purification of body and mind and should be best administered supervised by expert of the subject.