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Panchakarma
Panchakarma ("Pancha" means five and "karma" means treatment) is done to detoxify the body according to Ayurveda. The five procedures are claimed to eliminate the vitiated Doshas from the body. They are Vamana (Emesis), Virechana (Purgation), Niroohavasti (Decoction enema), Nasya (Instillation of medicine through nostrils), and Anuvasanavasti (Oil enema). Nirooha, Anuvasana and Uttaravasthi form the basic types of Vasti. The term Panchasodhana includes Vamana, Virechana, Nasya, Nirooha, and Rakthamoksha (Blood letting). Pre Panchakarma procedures
It is important to prepare the body before carrying out these Pancahkarmas. The following process is followed before carrying out the Panchakarma procedure
- Snehana: Snehana means Oleation or to make smooth. (मार्दव)
- Swedana: This procedure is very important to liquefy the vitiated Doshas inside the body (which are already made soft by oleation / स्नेहन procedure), later to be brought to Koshtha (कोष्ठ), which will be eliminated by inducing either Vamana / Virechana.
The Procedure of Panchakarma
- Abhyanga (Sanskrit: अभ्यंग or अभ्यङ्ग "oil massage") is a form of Ayurvedic medicine that involves massage of the body with large amounts of warm oil. The oil is often pre-medicated with herbs for specific conditions. Abhyanga can be done as part of the steps of panchakarma therapy, especially in the first stage: Purva Karma (pre-treatment), or as its own therapy.
It is often followed by svedana therapy, a warm bath, yoga or laying out in the sun. Many times abhyanga is performed by two or more massage therapists working in sync but it can also be done by oneself. Oils used can vary depending on the season and the individuals constitution (prakrti) but commonly used oils include sesame, coconut, sunflower, mustard and almond. In addition to the oil abhyanga massage differs from many Western massage techniques in that it is not very deep.
- Basti is treatment done with medicinal substances, like herbal oils and decoctions in a liquid medium, into the rectum of the person. This is one of the five Pradhana Karmas of Panchakarma.
Basti is used to treat vata disorders.
- Shirodhara is a form of Ayurveda therapy that involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead and can be one of the steps involved in Panchakarma. The name comes from the Sanskrit words shiro (head) and dhara (flow). The liquids used in shirodhara depend on what is being treated, but can include oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water.
Shirodhara has been used to treat a variety of conditions including eye diseases, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, greying of hair, neurological disorders, memory loss, insomnia, hearing impairment, tinnitus, vertigo, Ménière's disease and certain types of skin diseases like psoriasis. It is also used non-medicinally at spas for its relaxing properties. There are specialized forms of shirodhara called ksheeradhara, thakradhara, taildhara and jaladhara.
- Virechana is also known as medical purgation(cleansing). It is one of the Panchakarmas. Its clinical trials have been carried out for bronchial asthma, psoriasis, diabetes. But no conclusive evidence has been found out that it works.
According to Ayurvedic claims, Virechana is the best line of management for skin disorders.
