Ayurveda emphasizes preventative and healing therapies along with various methods of purification and rejuvenation. Ayurveda is more than a mere healing system; it is a science and art of appropriate living which helps to achieve longevity. It can also guide every individual in the prevention of disease and long term maintenance of health. To achieve this balance state of body mind and consciousness, Ayurveda prescribes Panchakarma Therapy for the cleansing of body toxins.
In Sanskrit ‘pancha’ means five and ‘Karma’ means the therapeutic measures. Therefore panchakarma stands for the five types of therapeutic measures. These are undertaken for the purification of the body and Ayurveda considers it necessary before the start of any other therapy. The logic being that as a cloth needs to be purified or cleaned of impurities and dust before it can be permeated with new colors; similarly the body needs to be purified before it can be permeated with new colors of youthfulness, health, vigor etc. In fact, most of the time, Panchakarma is an end in itself rather than a prelude to other therapeutic measures.
The panchakarma therapy of Ayurveda is comprised of five basic types of advanced treatments for the evacuation of vitiated ‘doshas’ (toxic materials) from the body. One can consider this as body de -tox programs. They are ‘Vamana’ (therapeutic emesis), ‘Nasya’ (nasal medication), ‘Virechana’ (therapeutic purgation), ‘Vasti’ (medicated retention enema or medication to enteric nervous system) and ‘Raktamoksha’ (blood letting treatment).
These practices are extremely helpful in relieving the deep seated diseases as well as being beneficial for maintaining and improving physical and mental health.
Before the actual operation of purification begins, the body is to be prepared in prescribed methods to mobilize the toxins for an easy elimination. The two procedures are snehana and swethana.
(oileation, internal and external). External oil massage is called Abhyanga. Oil is applied to the entire body with a particular type of massage which helps the toxins to move towards the gastro- intestinal tract. Oil massage also make the superficial and deep tissues soft and supple, thus helping to remove stress, increase vascular circulation and to nourish the nervous system, Snehana is given daily for three to seven days, as indicated. By oral oileation, the body is saturated with the medicated fats as a preparation to eliminate body toxins.
Swedana is sudation or sweating and is given every day immediately following the snehana. An herbal concoction may be added to the steam to further loosen the toxins from the tissues. Swedana liquefies the toxins and increases the movement of toxins into the gastro- intestinal tract.
Besides these there are many other procedures which are done as a part of pre-operative procedure (For ex. massage and steam) or which are used for specific purpose (for ex. shirodhara which helps to relieve mental stress) The most commonly done procedures are as follows.
All these external treatments are preparation for Panchakarma therapies.
This treatment is indicated in various types of allergies, skin diseases, Asthma etc.
Chronic fever, P.U.O., rheumatic disorders, constipation, skin diseases etc. are treated with therapeutic purgation.
The nose is the doorway to brain and consciousness. An excess of bodily humors accumulated in the sinus, throat, nose or head areas is eliminated by means of the nearest possible opening, the nose.
Vata’s predominant site is the colon. Enteric nervous system mirrors the central nervous system. Ayurvedic vasti involves the introduction into the rectum, of herbal concoctions of sesame oil, and certain herbal preparations in a liquid medium. Basti is the most effective treatment of vata disorders i.e. Disorders of nervous system. It relieves constipation, distention, chronic fever, cold, sexual disorders, kidney stones, heart pain, back ache, sciatica, bone degeneration, other pains in the joints etc. Many other Vata disorders such as arthritis, rheumatism, gout, muscle spasms and headaches may also be treated with vasti. Vasti therapy is divided in two main types. Anuvasana Basti is medicated oil enemas and Niruha vasti is medicated enema with decoctions and medicated oils.
The process which is used to remove the impurities of blood is called rakta moksham. This is done through vain inession and local removal of stagnated blood.