Panchakarma

WHAT IS PANCHAKARMA?

Ayurveda emphasizes preventative and healing therapies along with various methods of purification and rejuvenation. Ayurveda guides every individual in the prevention of disease and long term maintenance of health. Ayurveda is more than a mere healing system, it is a science and art of appropriate living which helps to achieve longevity. Panchkarma is an Ayurveda Therapy for cleansing of body toxins, achieve balanced state of body, mind and consciousness.

The Panchakarma therapy of Ayurveda is comprised of five basic types of advanced treatment for the evacuation of vitiated Dosha (toxic materials) from the body. One can consider this as a body de-tox program. There are so many subtypes of this therapy and different types of herbal massages, fomentation's such as steam, external oil treatments, Basti (medicated enemas), Virechana (purgation through herbs), Vamana (emesis through herbs), Nasya (nasal administration of oils) etc. are also incorporated.

These practices are extremely helpful in relieving deep seated diseases as well as being beneficial for maintaining and improving physical and mental health.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURES?

It is highly personalized based on the needs of the individual depending on the body type, dosha imbalances etc. The treatment can be done on different intensity depends on the number of days the treatment is done ranging from 10 to 28 days; this is determined by the disease, patients strength, and the purpose of treatment. Panchakarma can be done as a relaxing treatments as well as a detoxifying Therapy. This depends on the treatment purpose and the choice of patient. The levels of cleaning are mild, moderate and intense.

THE FIVE MAIN TREATMENT PROCEDURE

This cleans the lungs and the bronchus. The person has to drink medicated water with herbs like liquorices and milk in order to vomit, normally a person vomits after the medicine 4 to 8 times, one can feel weak after the treatment and just needs to rest in order to recover that’s the reason after the Vamana one has to rest the treatment is mainly indicated for obesity, or people who have smoked a lot or has weak lungs, or get recurrent chest infections, or are asthmatic. The treatment can only be planned if one does minimum 14 days of treatment as after the Vamana one needs a break of minimum 3 days before the next treatment is done.

This is the purgation therapy in which one has to drink medicines for cleaning the liver stomach and small intestine, the person drinks grape enzymes for cleaning stomach and intestine, an antacid powder for cleaning the liver, as to liver alkaline substances can go and purgation tablets to flush the intestine, the cleaning in this way is done 2 times once mild and next time stronger, the treatment is a pitta balancing treatment.

Basti involves introducing medicinal substances such as sesame oil, calamus oil, or other herbal decoctions in a liquid medium into the rectum. Basti is especially good for vata disorders. It alleviates constipation, distention, chronic fever, the common cold, sexual disorders, kidney stones, heart pain, vomiting, backache, neck pain and hyper acidity. Such vata disorders as sciatica, arthritis, rheumatism, and gout can can also be treated by Basti. There are about 80 vata related disorders in Ayurveda. About 80 percent of them can be treated with medicated enemas. Since vata is mainly located in the colon and bones, the medication is administered rectally.

• Strengthening and lubricating ( oleation enema)
• Cleaning

When cleansing enema is given the purpose is to clean the intestine. In this blood purifier, oil, honey and rock salt are supposed to be given. A new catheter is put in the intestine through anus and medicine is given, when it gets uncomfortable the patient is supposed to do deep breathing so that the medicine moves up. One should hold it for minimum 10 minutes to maximum 45 minutes.

The oleation enema is given for softening the colon before cleaning it and in longer treatment for strengthening the body from vatta imbalances, after the intestines are cleaned two or three times they get clear. After this the strengthening process starts with giving 100 ml of oil processed with herbs or bone marrow enemas, or sesame oil enemas , this depends on the purpose of treatment. As the amount of these enemas is less it is easier to hold it the enemas help in chronic constipation, weakness, anemia, joint problem and age related problems.

This is mainly done to clear the nasal gateway and sinus .In this oil drops are put into the nose and the nasal mucous is irritated for cleaning the sinus and nasal pathway. this is indicated mainly for people who have recurrent cold, sinusitis, or cough. Nose is also the gateway to brain so Nasyam can be done to strengthen the nervous system in Vatta disorders. Panchakarma is selected out of the five depending on the disease purpose,and intensity of cleaning, all of them can be done in only minimum 21 days.

It is advised that all panchakarma patients study the diet and rejuvenation course in order to understand the concepts of ayurveda for better understanding of panchakarma treatment and understanding their body and mind . Rest is compulsory during the treatment feel extremely weak no form of yoga, physical exercise is allowed during the therapy.One should not take Panchakarma cleaning lightly as it is a intensive therapy and should not attempt it if one is not ready to undergo all the procedures and should opt relaxation as this procedure is more easy to perform.

• Shirodhara: It is recommended in anxiety,depression,hypertension,insomnia etc.
• Kati Basti: In different-different type of backaches.
• Janu Basti: In arthritis of the knee joint.
• Nadi Sweda: In pain disorders of different body parts.
• Pinda Sweda: In neurological ailments and in the management of different pains.

• Shashti-Shali Pindasweda: In neurological ailments.
• Tarpanam: In the ailments of the eyes.
• Shirobasti: In hair loss and the falling hair and other diseases of skull.
• Uttara Basti: In genitourinary diseases and infertility of female.
• Udvartana: It is a medicated Ubtan to be applied over the skin for fair & glowing skin.

Panchakarma is selected out of the five depending on the disease purpose,and intensity of cleaning, all of them can be done in only minimum 21 days.

It is advised that all panchakarma patients study the diet and rejuvenation course in order to understand the concepts of ayurveda for better understanding of panchakarma treatment and understanding their body and mind. Rest is compulsory during the treatment feel extremely weak no form of yoga, physical exercise is allowed during the therapy.One should not take Panchakarma cleaning lightly as it is a intensive therapy and should not attempt it if one is not ready to undergo all the procedures and should opt relaxation as this procedure is more easy to perform.

WHO CANNOT DO THE PANCHAKARMA ?

In cases of extreme physical weakness or acute psychological imbalance, or if one is not ready he shouldn't’t do Panchakarma as it is treatment which always needs to be completed when started, In this cases he can do the Ayurvedic relation therapies like Shirodhara, massage of different styles, take herbs for balancing the body and mind and then attempt it when he feels ready to undergo it. Many centre never interrogate the patient to see if he is ready for this procedure of not, which results in people not being able to understand what they have attempted and serious complication.