Types of Ayurvedic Treatments

UNIQUE WAYS OF TREATMENT IN AYURVEDA

By Dr kavita vyas 

(MD Ayurved)

 In last article(Clinical methods and diagnosis in Ayurveda) we have seen unique diagnosis methods used by ancient ayurvedic doctors.in this article we will see unique ways of treatments in ayurveda.

Ayurvedic Treatment

        The primary aim of ayurveda is to maintain the health of a healthy person and the secondary aim is to treat the disease. If because of some wrong food habits and climatic reasons person suffer from any disease then there are different ways of treatment described in ayurveda, depending on the patient’s physical and mental condition and different circumstances. Before giving the treatment ayurvedic doctor considers the imbalance of dosha, climate, habitat of the patient, and body type of the patient, strength of digestive fire of patient, immunity and mental strength of the patients and food habits & age of the patients etc.            The first rule of Ayurvedic treatment is - Nidan pariverjanam.  Means to avoid the       cause of disease.e.g. if person is suffering from constipation he or she must stop eating heavy food and should start taking lightly digestible food, so when the cause is removed, half treatment is done.
Ayurveda has divided the treatment in three main categories.

1. Dev Vyapashraya Chikitsa - 

Under this category different yang (fire rituals), mantra chanting and Dana (donation) etc. comes. Actually ayurveda strongly believes in punarjanma (Reincarnation) and it has given strong logics in support of reincarnation in Charak Samhita (sutra sthanam-XI th chapter). So according to ayurveda because of some wrong behavior (sins) of last births, person may get any physical or mental disease so to get rid of those sins one should perform some rituals, mantra chanting, or any type of penance. These rituals etc also gives mental peace, clearness of heart and increases prana (immunity) in body. 

2. Satvavjaya Chikitsa - 

For mental disorders ayurveda prescribes these treatments.Under this category different meditation,yoga techniques, knowledge of scriptures,keeping patience, going to any spiritual master etc things are mentioned.

3. Yukti Vyapashraya Chikitsa - 

Under this, treatment are prescribed for physical disorders and also for mental disorders. Under this category use of different medicines, purification methods and surgery are mentioned.

Ayurvedic remedies

Ayurveda has mainly two types of medicine

1. Herbal Preparations - 

like churna (powder), vati (tablets), kwath (decoction), avaleham (semi solid), arka (essence), asavaa and arishtas (10%alcohol of medicinal plants)

2. Metal Preparations- 

Under this Bhasma (ionized and oxidized metals), Rasa (Preparation of processed mercury) are described. 

Actually Ayurvedic alchemy (Rasa shastra) has given very unique methods for turning inorganic qualities of metals in to organic form. Every bhasma making process takes months or some times years to make the medicine out of metals. It is very scientific way; this is proved by research thatLoha (iron) bhasma prepared by Ayurvedic methods has more percentage of absorption in body than compare to any allopathic iron tablet, because iron contents of tablet just go out of the body through stool, without getting properly absorbed, while ayurvedic Loha bhasma (ionized and oxidized iron) contains such a fine particles that it can be absorbed through small intestine. Properly prepared metallic Bhasmas, when you spread on water it doesn’t get soaked in water, instead it will just swim on the surface of water, it shows that metal hastransformed in to medicine, it has become so light that it can not do any harm to our body.  Preparations of Mercury are prepared by experienced vaidyas in such a manner with traditional methods that in the end product you will not get any traces of mercury.

Methods of Ayurvedic Treatment

Four Main Tools of Treatment 

It is said in ayurveda text that which treatment should be given priority and which treatment should be taken as last choice. So we are giving four main ways of treatment according to priority basis.

1.  Aahar (Food) - If one can avoid the disease just by alteration in food intakes then this is the best type of treatment.

2.  Aushadha (Medicine) - If only alteration in food is not sufficient then one should take the help of aushdha (medicine).This is the second best option.

3.  Agnikarma (Treatment by Heating Rods etc.) - In some diseases if medicine doesn’t help then agnikarma is prescribed in ayurveda, which is a very effective treatment ,in so many places in India people use this treatment.

4.  Shastra (Surgery) - In ayurveda the last preference is given to surgery and it is considered as asuri chiktsa (devil treatment).

Ayurvedic food

"Shaman and Shodhan Chikitsa"

(Palliation and Purification Treatment)

Ayurveda therapy has two parts palliation (shaman) and purification (shodhan).

1. Shaman (Palliation) - 

means literally calming or pacifying. It is largely for reducing Ama (the undigested food mass) and calming the aggravated doshas(humors). Under palliation method following things are used-herbs for burning up toxins, herbs for stimulating the digestion, fasting from food, fasting from water, exercise, sun bathing and exposure to wind. All these methods serve to strengthen the digestive fire (Agni) and for destroying the toxins. They clean the digestive tract and allow the toxins situated in to deeper tissue to drain in to G.I. tract, so they can be eliminated.

2. Shodhan (Purification) - 

Purification (shodhan) is a special form of therapy for elimination of the disease causing humors. It can not be done without the proper preparation. The beauty and power of ayurvedic elimination therapy is its system for guiding the toxins to their sites for elimination.  Purification therapy is consists of five methods called as panchkarma therapy.(the detail about panchakarma therapy is given in panchakarma  articles see the other pages).

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