Ayurveda Panchkarma - Purification and Detoxification Therapy

 

Essentially, there is a strong reason as to why so much emphasis has been rendered to this purification mode. Ayurvedic treatment has two main aims

• To do away with the disease of the diseased.
• To help maintain restore the health of a healthy individual.

Both these aims are easily achieved by using these five modes of treatment, thus ‘Panchkarma’ finds its importance from ages.

Ayurveda recognizes three basic body humors (Doshas) viz. Vata or the air, Pitta or the fire and Kapha or the phlegm. If due to seasonal or any other factors, there is a change inside the body, causing imbalance in these body humors, it results into formation of a disease. The aggravated doshas have to be brought back to their normal state so as to get rid of the disease.

Disturbed doshas cause disease in different parts of the body. If the disease is in the alimentary tract or the Koshtha it can be easily removed, whereas if the disease manifests inside the body tissues or the Shakha it is difficult to cure and takes longer time. Also, in case the disease travels still further, it finds its way and tends to establish itself into the Maramas or the vital organs. Here it takes much longer to cure and the ailment might become incurable.

 

The techniques of ‘Panchkarma‘ help to bring the vitiated doshas into the Koshtha from where they can be more easily eradicated. Before performing these ‘Panchkarmas’, Charaka (The founder of Ayurveda) states that it is of utmost importance that oliation and fomentation of the body should be performed. These two methods are named as Snehan and Swedan Karmas. The example of a dry stick is given to elaborate upon the necessity of these. If a dry stick is bent, it is more susceptible to break; but if it is properly oiled and heated before hand than it does not break. Similarly, by these two methods Snehan and Swedan the doshas bound in the body tissues turn moist, loose their stiffness and rigidity and can be brought into the Koshtha for expulsion using the ‘Panchkarmas’ .

‘Panchkarma’ as specified by its name means five methods to cure the disease.

1. Vamana – To cause vomiting

2. Virechana – To cause purgation

3. Shirovirechana – Nasal Errhines

4. Asthapan Vasti – Enema to push medicines into colon

5. Anuvasan Vasti – Oil enemas.

 

This is the method of treatment in which the doshas are expelled from the body by the route of mouth using emetics. The Herbs etc. are so used that have the power of producing heat which melts the aggravated doshas stuck inside different body organs and removes them via stomach through the mouth cavity. Vamana karma or inducing vomiting helps to eradicate Kapha dosha or the aggravated phlegm.

Vamana is of two types. Indirect Emetics: These are simple methods of vomiting which do not produce any irritation inside the stomach (but which excites the vomiting centers by reflex action) For example touching the posterior part of the tongue by the finger, or seeing frightening sights etc. Direct Emetics: Emetics are given orally in specific amounts after verifying age and tolerance of the patient, type of disease, type of season etc. Medicinal plants like Main Phal, Parval, Neem etc. are used.

The entire process of Vamana is performed under the supervision of a qualified Vaida or Ayurveda Physician. After the process of vomiting, it has to be made clear that the doshas have been expelled completely and properly, the patient is comfortable and his heart, throat and head region have been purified.

In this method of purification, the doshas are removed in the form of feces through the rectum. The purgative medicines given to the patient are heavy in action (and therefore help to bring down the doshas) and have a tendency to produce heat which aims in eradication of the doshas. Virechana karma or inducing purgation mainly aids in eradicating Pitta dosha or the fire body humor.

Like in the Emetic therapy, the Virechana is given after properly judging the type of disease and tolerance of the patient. Normally this karma is performed in the diseases of Alimentary canal like chronic constipation, indigestion, anorexia, worm infection etc. Purgation is given with care in specific amounts according to aggravated doshas.

The purgative medicines are of five types namely Laxatives, Simple purgatives, Drastic purgatives, Hydragogues purgatives and Cholagogue purgatives. These are mentioned in the increasing order of their purgative action, relying upon the severity of the disease. Some medicinal plants that are used for the purpose are Nishoth, Kutaki, Amaltas etc.

After the purification of Vamana and Virechana, the regime of the patient is maintained along with the use of light but nutritious food.

This involves the purification of the head region of the patient. In this process, the imbalanced doshas above the neck are removed through the nasal openings.

Nasal errhines are given to the patient in the form of medicinal oils, medicated churnas, medicated juice/milk or medicinal fumes. The importance of this technique has been specified in the disease of the ear, nose and throat, mental diseases, toxicity, epilepsy, headaches, and untimely graying of the hair.

Vasti is regarded as the bladder. In earlier times, the bladder of goat was used to give enemas, thus its name. Today plastic enemas and syringes are used to push medicated decoctions into the intestines of the patient.

As per Ayurveda text,  Vata dosha is the main body humor which when aggravated results into eighty types of ailments in the body. Furthermore, due to its mobile nature, Vata dosha moves the other two doshas viz. Kapha and Pitta from one part of the body to another and thus aids in their disturbance and implementing symptoms in the form of an ailment. It is for this reason that Vata dosha has to be balanced as a must to as to cure the disease as well as stay clear of the same . Vasti Panchkarma therapy mainly aids to eradicate the disturbed or aggravated Vata dosha and thus finds its importance.

Asthapan Vasti helps in removing the doshas (stuck inside the body tissues) in the form of feces. Judging by its form of disease, properties and actions of the medicines to be used, time of the day, type of the season and whether the patient is strong enough to respond to the treatment, this Vasti, when given to the patient, purifies all the body pores. More often Aasthapan Vasti is given in the disease of the large intestine and the digestive tract.

If the roots of the tree are filled with water, it fills the tree with leaves, flowers and fruit. Similarly, inside the purified body (from which the aggravated doshas have been removed), this particular Vasti provides vigor, vitality and strength to the body. In this method of treatment, medicated oils are given in enemas that lubricate the body tissues. It works by purifying and nourishing the seven dahtus inside the body viz. Rasa, Rakta, Maans, Medha, Asthi, Majjha and Shukra  (Juice, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow and semen) dhatus or the body tissues. Furthermore it helps in holistic healing and thus enhancing the total health of the individual.

Article published in 4thD Wellbeing Magazine