Diagnosis in Ayurveda

There are three main methods mentioned in Ayurveda for diagnosing the Dosha imbalance and disease process in a person. They are –

1. Darsana Pareeksha – By observing the patient’s physical signs and symptoms,

Example – colour of skin, hair, eyes, behavior, body condition etc.

2. Prasna Preeksha – By asking minute questions regarding the imbalance of each Doshas.

3.        Sparsana Pareeksha – By touching the patient. The pulse diagnosis, palpation, percussion and auscultation are included in this method.

4.        Nadi Pareeksha (Pulse diagnosis) is a very important tool for diagnosis. The physician feels the radial artery pulsations on the wrist of the patient and through his experience he can get a clear picture of the milieu interior.

Treatment

The treatment in Ayurveda can be classified broadly into two:-

1. Shamana Chikitsa (Alleviating Therapy)

2.        Sodhana Chikitsa (Purification Therapy)

Samana Chikitsa

This is specially done after the sodhana therapy and in less vitiation. Herbal medicines are used internally and externally to correct the derangement of functions of Doshas, Dhatus, Malas and Agni and also to increase the Immunity. The restoration of normality is brought about without any elimination.

Sodhana Chikitsa

The main aim of this treatment is to eliminate the internal causative factors of the disease. Large quantities of toxic bi-products are formed in the body as a result of continuous metabolic process. All though most of these toxins are eliminated naturally by the body’s excretory system, some may get deposited in the various tissues of the body, which ensures the vitiation of Doshas, Dhatus etc. and then the normal functioning of the system is impaired. Similarly disease causing toxins accumulate in the body as a result of various factors like wrong body habits, wrong food habits, incompatible combination of food items, suppression of the body urges, emotional imbalance etc. Panchakarma therapeutic procedures are used to facilitate the elimination of such harmful factors.

Panchakarma is the cornerstone to Ayurvedic management of disease. Pancha Karma is the process, which gets to the root cause of the problem and re-establishes the essential balance of ‘Tridosha’ (three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha) in body.

Panchakarma is a Sanskrit word that means “five actions” or “five treatments”. This science of purifying the body is an ancient branch of Ayurveda.

Panchakarma is designed to reduce symptoms and restore harmony and body balance. To achieve this an Ayurvedic Practitioner might rely on:-

Blood – Purification

Massage – Medical oils, herbs.

Enemas (or) Laxativs – Cleanse your body of undigested foods.

Physician – should use his knowledge with humility, wisdom, service of humanity.

Medicaments – Food and drugs.

Nursing – Must know the skills of their art affectionate, sympathetic, intelligent, heat clean and Resourceful.

“ONLY THE SILENCE OF THE HEART CAN CURE THE ILLNESS OF THE MIND”

Patient – Co-operative and obedient to follow instruction of the physician.

·           Regulation of diet as therapy has great importance.

·           An individual’s mental and spiritual development is influenced by proper treatment.

·           Ayurveda stresses the use of plant based medicine and treatment with some animal products and added minerals.