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 that helps to achieve longevity. Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic therapy for cleansing body toxins and achieving a 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 detox program. There are so many subtypes of this therapy and different types of herbal massages, fomentations 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.
Vamana Therapy:
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.
Virechana Therapy:
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.
Vasti: {Enema}:
Vasti 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 hyperacidity. Such vata disorders as sciatica, arthritis, rheumatism, and gout 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.
This is basically two types:
Strengthening and lubricating (oleation enema)
Cleaning
When a 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 the 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 a minimum of 10 minutes to a maximum of 45 minutes.
The oleation enema is given for softening the colon before cleaning it and in longer treatment for strengthening the body from vata 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 them. The enemas help with chronic constipation, weakness, anemia, joint problems, and age-related problems.
Nasyam:
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.
How Do I Know That I Need Panchakarma?
If our body is feeling blocked, like you have chronic constipation or any chronic disease, if there is any deep-seated emotional block, or if one has a history of addictions like smoking, alcohol, or food addictions, panchakarma is the first choice. For a healthy person, panchakarma helps to detoxify and reduce the aging procedure, which is an additional benefit of the cleanse. Each person has his different reason to do it, but it is good for everyone except for a few diseases in which panchakarma cannot be done.
Our online consultation can help you to determine whether you need it.
Ayurveda always goes to the root of the problem and tries to correct the origination of why the problems occur in the first place; deep below we always know the cause of blockage, and the Panchakarma helps one to find the reason for the problems. The Panchakarma style we do here is very intensive and is meant for those who are willing to change things and are ready to release; a list of simple questionnaires will help to determine whether one is ready or not. So if you are looking for the change, here is the help: a deep-down release from the past emotions and diseases.
Who Cannot Do The Panchakarma?
In cases of extreme physical weakness or acute psychological imbalance, or if one is not ready, he shouldn’t do Panchakarma, as it is a treatment that always needs to be completed when started. In these cases, he can do the Ayurvedic relation therapies like Shirodhara, massage of different styles, and take herbs for balancing the body and mind, and then attempt it when he feels ready to undergo it. Many centers never interrogate the patient to see if he is ready for this procedure or not, which results in people not being able to understand what they have attempted and serious complications.
Other miscellaneous therapies of Panchakarma in our center:
- Shirodhara:Â It is recommended for anxiety, depression, hypertension, insomnia, etc.
- Kati Basti:Â In different types of backaches.
- Janu Basti:Â In arthritis of the knee joint.
- Nadi Sweda:Â In pain disorders of different body parts.
- Pinda Sweda:Â In neurological ailments and in the management of different pains.
- Shashti-Shali Pindasweda:Â In neurological ailments.
- Akshi Tarpanam:Â In the ailments of the eyes.
- Shirobasti:Â In hair loss and falling hair and other diseases of the skull.
- Uttara Basti:Â In genitourinary diseases and infertility of females.
- Udvartana:Â 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 a minimum of 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. You will feel extremely weak. No form of yoga or physical exercise is allowed during the therapy. One should not take Panchakarma cleaning lightly, as it is an intensive therapy, and should not attempt it if one is not ready to undergo all the procedures and should opt for relaxation, as this procedure is easier to perform.