LBA in Ayurveda

LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS

DEFINITION- IT’S A DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE AFFECTING LUMBAR VERTEBRAE AND INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS, CAUSING PAIN, STIFFNESS , SOMETIMES WITH SCIATIC RADIATION DUE TO NERVE ROOT PRESSURE BY ASSOCIATED PROTRUDING DISCS OR OSTEOPHYTES- DORLAND’S DICTIONARY

CLINICAL FEATURES OF LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS

1. LOW BACK ACHE
2. PAIN RADIATING TO BACK OF THIGH, BUTTOCKS.
MAY BE SUPER IMPOSED WITH SCIATICA BECAUSE OF ROOT COMPRESSION.
3. NUMBNESS OF LIMBS.
4. LOSS OF TOUCH SENSATION.
5. CONSTIPATION
6. SOMETIMES HEADACHE
7. MUSCLE WEAKNESS, TINGLING
8. MORNING STIFFNESS MAY BE PRESENT
9. PAIN INCREASES BY CHANGING POSTURES AND MOVEMENTS LIKE BENDING ETC

INVESTIGATIONS & DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES

1. RADIOLOGICAL- X-RAY
2. MRI, CT IMAGING
3. DISCOGRAPHY

AYURVEDIC CONCEPT

KATI OR LUMBAR REGION IS VATA SITE ACC TO AYURVEDA’
AT THE SAME TIME JOINTS ARE SITE OF SLESHAKA SLESHMA(KAPHA).
BECAUSE OF NIDANAS( CAUSES) VATHA AGGRAVATION OCURS IN KAPHA STHANAM AND BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN RUKSHA GUNA(QUALITY OF DRYNESS) , THE DEHYDRATION OF THE DISC BEGINS, INITIATING THE SCLEROSIS AND WHEN UNINTERVENED THE CONDITION PROGRESSES TO OTHER LEVELS, SUCH AS BULGING, HERNIATION, PROLAPSE AND OSTEOPHYTE FORMATION ETC.

TREATMENT PRINCIPLE

THE AIM OF THE TREATMENT IS TO REDUCE THE DRYNESS AND BRING BACK THE SNEHA GUNA, ELASTICITY AND TO REHYDRATE THE DISC , REMOVING THE OSTEOPHYTES, OR THE MALA ROOPA KAPHA.
IN SIMPLE TERMS , VATA HARAM AND KAPHA HARAM IN INITIAL STAGES AND BRMHANAM IN LATER STAGES TO NOURISH THE DISC.
ITS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN AGNI, IN THE PROCESS OF VATA HARAM , KAPHAM SHOULD NOT BE VITIATED. PROPER VATHA ANULOMANAM HAS TO BE ENSURED FOR EFFECTIVE RESULT.

MANAGEMENT

AUSHADAM- MEDICINAL MANAGEMENT
STHANIKA CHIKITSA- LOCAL MEASURES
1.ABHYANGAM-MASSAGE
2.KATI VASTHI- SNEHANAM
3. PATRA POTALI- SWEDANAM

PANCHA KARMA PROCEDURES

1.SNEHA VASTI
2.KASHAYA VASTHI
DIET AND YOGA ASANAS, PHYSICAL THERAPY, LIFE STYLE MODIFICATIONS.

AUSHADHAM- MEDICINES

MAHAYOGA RAJA GUGGULU
LAKSHADI GUGGULU
ABHA GUGGULU
YOGA RAJA GUGGULU
TRAYODASANGA GUGGULU
MAHA RASNADHI KASHAYAM
RASNA SAPTHAKAM KASHAYAM
RASNA ERANDADI KASHAYAM
RASNADI KASHAYAM
DHANWANTHARAM KASHAYAM
ASHTA VARGAM KASHAYAM
VIDARYADI KASHAYAM
BALA ARISHTAM
ASHWA GANDHARISHTAM
VATA GAJANKUSA RASA
VAYU GULIKA
LASHUNA KSHEERA
PRAVALA PISHTI
KSHEERABALA 101
DHANWANTHARAM 101
GANDHA THAILAM 

STHANIKA CHIKITSA

ABHYANGA
USUALLY CARRIED OUT AFTER KATI VASTI PROCEDURE, CAN ALSO BE DONE SEPARATELY TOO.
SPECIAL TYPE OF SPINAL MASSAGE HAS TO BE DONE WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE LOWER BACK.
ZIG ZAG STROKES, PARALLEL STROKES AND OTHER SPECIAL SPINAL STROKES WITH PROPER PRESSURE( TOO MUCH OF PRESSURE IS HARMFUL!) FOR A PERIOD OF 25 TO 30 MINUTES 

OILS USED

SAHACHARADI THAILAM
KARPASA ASTHYADI
BALA THAILAM
DHANWANTHARAM
NARAYANA
MAHA MASHA THAILAM
KOTTANCHUKKADI
KSHEERA BALA
KARPURADI
GANDHA THAILAM
KATI VASTHI 

REQUIREMENTS

MASHA PISHTA ( BLACK GRAM FLOUR)
MEDICATED THAILA
COTTON, VESSELS, AND OIL HEATING ACCESSORIES
DHARA TABLE.
PROCEDURE

PATIENT IS MADE TO LIE IN PRONE POSITION.
PISHTA OF MASHA IS MADE IN TO PASTE AND BUILT LIKE A WALL AROUND LUMBO SACRAL AREA.
OIL IS HEATED AND POURED SLOWLY INSIDE THE BOUNDARY WITH THE HELP OF COTTON.
WHEN OIL BECOMES COOL IT IS REPLACED WITH WARM OIL.
CONTINUED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. APPROX- 30 TO 50 MINS, FOR 7 DAYS OR 14 DAYS.
AFTER THE DURATION , THE OIL IS DRAINED AND FLOUR IS REMOVED
ABHYANGAM OF THE BACK IS GIVEN USING SAME OIL.
ALWAYS SNEHANA MUST BE FOLLOWED WITH SWEDANA PROCEDURE

PATRA POTALI OR ELA KIZHI

A TYPE OF PINDA SWEDAM. WHICH COMES UNDER USHMA SWEDA.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

LEAVES OF VATA HARA LIKE ERANDA ,ARKA , CHINCHA,NIRGUNDI, SHIGRU, KARANJA DHATURA VATHAGNI SINDUVARA -500 gm
CHOORNA OF SATAHVA AND METHIKA-25gm EACH
SAINDHAVA-15gm
LEMON -4 NOS
NIMBA OR SAINDHAVA THAILA OR ERANDA THAILA (REQD QTY)
CLOTH
TWINE TOWEL. VESSEL, FRYING PAN, SPOON, STOVE
RASNADI CHOORNAM
MEDICATED OIL 

PATARA KIZHI PROCEDURE

ALL THE LEAVES ARE CUT IN TO SMALL PIECES, AND SLICES OF LEMON, CHURNAS, SAINDHAVA ARE ADDED AND FRIED IN THE CASTOR OR NEEM OR COCONUT OIL , TILL IT BECOMES ROASTED RED.
THEN THEY ARE MADE IN TO POTALI(USUALLY 4 IN NO)
AFTER ABHYANGA, THE POTALI IS APPLIED OVER THE BODY BY DIPPING IT IN TO THE HEATED OIL.
CIRCULAR MOVEMENTS ARE DONE.
PROCEDURE DONE FOR A PERIOD OF 25-45 MINS

VASTI PRAYOGAM

SNEHA VASTI
MATRA VASTI- MINIMUM DOSE OF SNEHA VASTI ( APP 60-75 ML)
ANUVASANA VASTI.(APP 150 ML)
SNEHA VASTI(250-300 ML)
KSHEERA VASTI CAN BE ADVOCATED.
KARMA VASTI, KALA VASTI, YOGA VASTI- 30, 15 , 8 DAYS OF VASTI ALTERNATELY KASHAYA AND SNEHA VASTHI. KALA VASTI IS IN PRACTICE. 

OIL USED FOR SNEHA VASTI

TILA TAILAM
GUGGULU TIKTAKA GHRTHAM
MAHANARAYANA TAILAM
MAHAMASHADI TAILAM
SUDDHA BALATAILAM
KSHEERABALA
SATAHVADI TAILAM
SUKUMARA GHRTAM
LAKSHADI TAILAM
SAHACHARADI TAILAM
DHANWANTHARAM
GANDHARVA HASTADI
KASHAYA VASTI
DHANWANTHARAM
GANDHARVA HASTADI
SAHACHARADI
ERANDA MOOLA
ASTHAPANA GANA
DASAMOOLA
SATAHVADI

DENGUE

FACT SHEET ON DENGUE FEVER AND DENGUE HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER

GENERAL

Dengue is an acute fever caused by a virus. It occurs in two forms:

(a) Dengue Fever

(b) Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever

Dengue fever is marked by the onset of sudden high fever, severe

headache and pain behind the eyes, muscles and joints.

Dengue Haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a more severe form, in which

bleeding and sometimes shock occurs  – leading to death. It is most serious in

children. Symptoms of bleeding usually occur after 3-5 days of fever.

The high fever continues for five to six days (103 – 105 ^oF or 39- 40 ^oC). It

comes down on the third or the fourth day but rises again. The patient feels much

discomfort and is very weak after the illness.

Dengue spreads rapidly and may affect large number of people during an

epidemic resulting in reduced work productivity, sometimes death also.

RECOGNITION OF DENGUE FEVER

· Sudden onset of high fever

· Severe headache (mostly in the forehead)

· Pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye movement

· Body aches and joint pains

· Nausea or vomiting

RECOGNITION OF DENGUE HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER AND SHOCK

Symptoms similar to dengue fever plus, any one of the following:

(1) Severe and continuous pain in abdomen;

(2) Bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums or skin bruising

(3) Frequent vomiting with or without blood

(4) Black stools, like coal tar

(5) Excessive thirst (dry mouth)

(6) Pale, cold skin

(7) Restlessness, or sleeplessness

TREATMENT

There is no specific medicine for the treatment of the disease. However

proper and early treatment can relieve the symptoms and prevent complications

and death. 

Aspirin and Brufen should be avoided in dengue fever, as it is known to increase the bleeding tendency and also it increases the stomach pain.

Paracetamol can be given on medical advice.  If one or more signs of

Dengue Haemorrhagic fever are seen, take the patient to the hospital

immediately. Give fluids to drink while transferring the patient to the

hospital.

BASIC FACTS ON DENGUE

(a) How dengue spreads?

Dengue is spread by  the bite of an infected mosquito Aedes aegypti. The mosquito gets the virus by biting the infected persons. The first symptoms of the

disease occur about 5-7 days after an infected bite.

There is no way to tell if a mosquito is carrying the dengue virus.

Therefore, people must protect themselves from all mosquito bites.

(b) Where does the mosquito live?

The mosquito rests indoors, in closets and other dark places. Outside, they rest where it is cool and shaded. The female mosquito lays eggs in water containers in and around homes, schools and other areas in towns or

villages. These eggs become adult in about 10 days.

(c) Where does the mosquito breed?

Dengue mosquitoes breed in stored exposed water collections.


FAVOURED BREEDING PLACES ARE:

Barrels, drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower vases, plant saucers, tanks,

discarded bottles, tins, tyres, water cooler, etc. and a lot more places where rainwater collects or is stored.

PREVENTION OF DENGUE

All efforts of control should be directed against the mosquitoes. It is important to take control measures to eliminate the mosquitoes and their breeding places. However, the efforts should be intensified before the transmission season (during and after the rainy season) and at the time of the epidemic.

PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES:

Dengue mosquitoes bite during the daytime. Protect yourself from the bite.

(1) Wear full sleeve clothes and long dresses to cover the limbs;

(2) Repellent  – mosquito repellents can be used to escape from its bite. But care should be taken in using repellents on small children and old age people.

(3) Use mosquito coils and electric vapour mats during the daytime.

(4) Use mosquito nets – to protect babies, old people and others.

(5) Protection and isolate the people sick with dengue to prevent its spread to others.

PREVENTION OF MULTIPLICATION OF MOSQUITOES:

Drain water from coolers, tanks, barrels, drums and buckets, etc.

Remove water from refrigerator drip pans.

All stored water containers should be kept covered.

Discard solid waste and objects where water collects (Eg: bottles,tins,tyres,etc.)

ALWAYS REMEMBER

Dengue fever is a severe flu like illness rarely causes death but Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a more severe form, in which bleeding and occasionally shock occur, leading to death.

Persons suspected of having dengue fever or DHF must see a doctor. Dengue haemorrhagic fever is a deadly disease and early recognition and treatment can save lives. Unless proper treatment is given

promptly, the patient may go into shock and die.

Dengue mosquitoes bite during the day.

Doctors and health workers treating cases of dengue fever should also

notify the health authorities.

Ref: Article by WHO.