Five-fold benefits of panchakarma

Ayurveda heals through purification and rejuvenation therapies. These therapies aim at promoting longevity in life by guiding the individual in the prevention of disease. Panchakarma therapy, which is effective in cleansing of body toxins, plays a pivotal role in this.

The word panchakarma itself means five for ‘pancha’ and therapeutic measures for ‘karma’ in Sanskrit. Panchakarma therapy involves five types of advanced treatment for evacuating the vitiated dosha (toxic materials) from the body. Panchakarma is like a detox program. The first part of Panchakarma involves purvakarma which is the pre-purification measure for panchakarma.

This is a process where the body is prepared for purification using methods to encourage the release of toxins with two procedures called snehana and swedana. Snehana is also called abhyangam and is basically an oil massage. Here oil is massaged to the whole body to move the toxins to the gastro-intestinal tract. The oil massage also makes the superficial and deep tissues soft and supple while removing stress and nourishing the nervous system. Snehana is given for three to seven days, as required.

Swedana is the sweating that is given every day after snehana where a herbal concoction is added to the steam to loosen toxins from the person. With swedana, the toxins are liquefied, an act that facilitates their movement to the gastro-intestinal tract. The next part of panchakarma involves pradhanakarma, which is the main purification therapy of panchakarma.

Pradhanakarma involves vamana, which is emesis therapy where congestion in the lungs due to asthma, colds, bronchitis or coughs is eliminated through therapeutic vomiting. Vamana helps eliminate kapha that causes excess mucus in the body. Virechana is a purgation therapy that is applied in cases of excess bile. With the right administration of this therapeutic purgation or therapeutic laxative, bile is eliminated from the body.

Nasya is a form of nasal administration in panchakarma where excess body humors found in the sinus, nose, throat and head is eliminated through the nose. This therapy is exercised while keeping it in mind that the nose is the doorway to the brain and the doorway to consciousness. Here herbal steam is inhaled to clear excess mucus, stimulate the brain, bring clarity and balance to the mind and senses and in the treatment of all disorders found above the clavicle. This treatment is usually advised for those with recurring headaches.

Basti is an enema therapy in panchakarma, which is divided into anuvasana basti where medicated oil enemas are introduced into the rectum, and niruha basti where enemas of decoctions and medicated oils are drunk. This treatment is great for vata disorders and helps relieve constipation, sexual disorders, cold, kidney stones heart pain and other pains of the joints. Other vata disorders like arthritis, rheumatism, gout and headaches are cured with basti. Basti is the most important aspect of panchakarma that cures almost 50 percent of illnesses.

These are the base therapies of panchakarma while there are other therapies of panchakarma like shirodhara to cure anxiety, hypertension and insomnia; kati basti for backaches, nadi sweda for pain disorders, pinda sweda for the management of neurological ailments and pains and tarpanam which is best for curing ailments of the eyes. Udvartana is a medicated Ubtan that is applied on the skin for glowing skin while shirobasti is effective for controlling hair loss. .

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