Treatments – Swami Dayananda Jayavarthanavelu Ayurvedalaya

Basics of Ayurveda

आयुष: पालनं वेदमुपवेदमथर्वण: |

Ayurveda which is the upaveda of Atharva veda deals about everything related to protection and sustenance of Life. It goes beyond prescribing remedies for ailments instead offers health in a holistic way not just at the physical level but even at a mental and spiritual level.

स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्यरक्षणमातुरस्य विकारप्रशमनं च||

There are two main Aims of Ayurveda :

Preserving the health of the healthy person.
Curing the disease in a unhealthy person.

While we focus on both the aspects here at SDJ Ayurvedalaya, we have never seen any person satisfying the parameters of a healthy person as described by the scriptures and hence we focus on curing the disease or imbalance the person has and eventually make one reflect upon and practice the healthy habits as prescribed by Ayurveda to preserve the gained health.

Parameters or Markers of Health as Explained by Acharya Kashyapa

अन्नाभिलाषो भुक्तस्य परिपाक: सुखेन च | सृष्टविण्मूत्रवातत्वं शरीरस्य तु लाघवं || सुप्रसन्नेन्द्रियत्वं च सुखस्वप्नप्रबोधनम् |बलवर्णायुषो लाभ: सौमनस्यं समाग्निता || विद्यादारोग्य लिङ्गानि विपरीते विपर्ययम् ||

Desire for the intake of food , Proper and easy digestion of the ingested food, evacuation of faeces, urine & Flatus properly, lightness in the body, Pleasentness in sense organs, Proper timely sleep & awakening, gain of strength, life & pleasant mind & normal agni are the features of health & opposite state is illness.

The treatments offered in Ayurveda to bring equilibrium of doshas are of two types :

शोधनं शमनं चेति समासादौषधं द्विधा ।

Shamanam is a palliative approach to suppress and bring the doshas to equilibrium with certain Ayurveda practices and medicines which does not mandate admissions and treatments. Palliative treatment or Shamana is that which does not expel the increased doshas out of the body but just supresses or palliates them

Shodhanam is remedial approach to cure the disease using the purificatory procedures called the Panchakarma. We at SDJ Ayurvedalaya are specialized in offering this type of Shodhana Chikitsa or Purificatory treatments for your ailments.

यदीरयेत् बहिर्दोषान् पञ्चधा शोधनं च तत् |
निरुहो वमनं कायशिरोरेकोऽस्रविस्रुति: ||

The five actions or procedures that expel the vitiated doshas out of the body is called Shodhanam and the 5 procedures/ actions are

Niruha : Decoction enema.
Vamana : Emesis , Vomiting therapy.
Kayareka orVirechanam : Purgation therapy.
Shiroreka or Shirovirechanam or Nasya : Purgation for the head, Nasal instillation of medicines.
Asra-Visruti or Rakta Mokshana : Blood letting.

वायु: पित्तं कफश्चेति त्रयो दोषा: समासत:॥
विकृताविकृता देहं घ्नन्ति ते वर्तयन्ति च।

Vayu (Vata), Pitta and Kapha are the three dosas in brief; they destroy and support the body when they are abnormal and normal respectively.

The concepts of Dosha and Prakrithi are highly profound and it would be an injustice to corner them as Humors, Body type & Constitution.

Mode of Operation

Medical Consultation Treatment Course Oushadham- Medicines Aahaara- Food Vihaara – Regimen and Rhythm

दर्शनस्पर्शनप्रश्नै: परीक्षेत च रोगिणम्।
रोगं निदानप्राग्रूपलक्षणोपशयाप्तिभि: ॥

The process starts with the three kinds of Diagnostic procedures as explained in Ayurveda shastra which are

Darshana – Observing
Sparshana physical examination
Prasna – Interrogating

Then a detailed evaluation of the disease is done based on Nidana – Causative Factors, Pragrupa - Prodromal symptoms, Lakshana – Signs and Symptoms, Upasaya- Factors causing alleviation of symptoms and Samprapthi – Disease pathogenesis.

The modern diagnostic tests reports and modern diagnosis are used as an additional tool for Ayurveda Diagnosis and accordingly arrive at a course of treatment.

The word panchakarma which literally means five actions which are Vamana ( Induced vomiting ) , Virechana ( Purgation) , Niruha Vasthi ( Decoction Enema ) , Nasya ( Nasal Medication) and Rakthamokshana ( Bloodletting).

There are three stages involved in this panchakarama treatments which are

Poorvakarma or Pre-Panchakarma ( Preperatory stage)
Pradhanakarma or Panchakarma ( Main stage )
Paschatkarma or Post Panchakarma ( Post Care stage)

Poorvakarma :

During this preparatory stage, the body is prepared for removal of vitiated doshas which are usually referred to as toxins through two methods namely Snehanam where the body is oleated internally and (or) externally and Swedanam where the body undergoes therapeutic sweating.In some cases where snehana would not be possible, Rookshna – which means “drying” and is done to make the body prepared and ready to accept swedana.

Snehana :

Internal Oleation – The body is made unctuous internally through drinking of medicated ghee. This aims to loosen the vitiated doshas and enable their movement towards the gastrointestinal tract. Medicated ghee is consumed over 3-7 days in specific doses prescribed by the vaidyas with strict diet advices.
External Oleation `- Abyangam- a methodical application or massage of oil over the whole body is aimed at achieving the same result of internal oleation.

Swedana :

Here the body undergoes therapeutic sweating based on each person’s dosha configuration and medical condition. This facilitates the movement of vitiated doshas which were loosened by Snehana, to the gastrointestinal track.

The common and practical classifications of swedana therapies are as follows.

Tapa: Sweating therapy done using dry materials like dry powder bundles, cloth, hot water bags etc
Drava :
1. Parisheka – Pouring of medicated liquids over the body which includes treatments like Dhanyamladhara (Pouring specially fermented medicated liquids), Kashayadhara (pouring decoction on the body), Nyavara Dhara(pouring a specially prepared medicated liquid consisting milk and Nyavara rice) , Pizhichil (Squeezing oil over the body using a small piece of cloth).
2. Avagaham – Sitting or immersing a body part in medicated liquids like Kashaya Avagaham (immersing in a Decoction) and Thaila Avagaham (immersing in medicated oils).
Upanaha : Done by bandaging with medicines.
Ushma :
1. Pinda Swedam - Applying moist heat to the body with medicinal bundles which includes
  - Podikizhi (Therapeutic application of Warm Powder bundles or pouches on the body with pressure).
  - Elakizhi (Therapeutic application of Warm bundles or pouches made of medicinal leaves on the body with pressure), Narangakizhi(Therapeutic application of Warm bundles or pouches made of Lemon and other medicines on the body with pressure).
  - Kadikizhi (Therapeutic application of Warm Powder bundles or pouches dipped with a hot medicated fermented liquid on the body with pressure).
  - Nyavarakizhi (Therapeutic application of Warm bundles or pouches made of Nyavara rice,milk and other medicines on the body with pressure) etc.
2. Kumbhiswedam- Applying medicated steam and vapours to the body in a steam chamber as Bhaspa swedam or local steam application using a hose as in Nadi swedam.

Pradhanakarma or Panchakarma (Main stage)

This being the main stage of the treatment, it is called pradhanakarma and one or sometimes two of the five karmas are done but never all five will be done on a person. The irony is that, this phase can potentially last for just one day in spite of it being the main phase and usually Purvakarma will be the longest phase.

Paschatkarma or Post Panchakarma (Post Care stage)

This is the third and final stage of panchakarma treatments.This phase is mainly recovering from the main treatments and starting to appreciate the benefit of the whole process parallel with the recovery process. The right diet and lifestyle is the cornerstone of this phase. This phase beings when one is still in SDJ Ayurvedalaya and continues even after one reaches home after treatment.While one is still here under our care the treatments such as Nyavarakizhi, Nyavaratheppu, Thalapothichil, Sirovasthi, Abyangam etc are performed to incorporate the rejuvenate aspects of our care.

Supporting treatments

Along with the above mentioned treatments, the vaidyas will include the supporting treatments like :

Sekam (pouring or herbal water over closed eye)
Aschyothanam (Eye drops)
Bidalakam (Appling paste on the closed eyes
Anjanam (applying medicine inside the eyelid)
Tharpanam (keeping a pool of medicated ghee or oil over the eye), Sirodhara (pouring of oil over forehead)
Shiro Pichu (keeping a piece of cotton soaked in oil over head)
Sirovasthy (keeping a pool of oil on the head within a contained area, for a prescribed time.)
Karna poornam – Treatment for the ear by keeping oil inside ear
Karnadhoopanam – Treatment for the ear by fumigation
Gandoosham (Holding medicated oil in the mouth without swallowing)
Kabalam (gargling with oil)
Mukahalepam – Face treatment according to condition
Lepa ( Medicated paste application over an area)
Pada Abhyangam ( oil massage for the foot)

Varous vasthi of retaining oil for a prescribed period over an area like :

Kadeevasthy for lower back.
Januvasthy for knee.
Greevas vasthy for the neck.
Uro vasthy for chest.

Commonly used internal medicines Include

Kashayam :

Kashayam is an ayurvedic formulation prepared by taking aqueous extract by boiling raw herbs/drugs in water.

Kwatham/Kashayam tablet :

Kashayam tablet is a relatively new concept in Ayurveda to make Kashayam into tablets with improved shelf life and convenience to carry and consume.

Arishtam and Asavam :

Arishtam and Asavam is a concept based on controlled natural Alcoholic fermentation of herbs in a sugar medium.

Choornam :

Choornam is a fine dry powder of herb or combination of different herbs mentioned in the classical formulation.

Gritham :

Gritham is a Medicated ghee prepared by boiling the ghee, medicinal herbs in varous forms, liquids like water kashayam, Juice, milk etc.

Gulika / Vati / Guggulu :

Powder of raw drugs are triturated together with certain Kashayam or Juice or even honey and prepared in the form of pills or tablets.

Lehyam and Rasayana :

It is a semi-solid formulation prepared with herbs, juices and decoction, adding jaggery or sugar syrup & later, spices, honey etc are added as per the formulation.

The primary substance used for External treatments are medicated oils which are commonly called as Thailam.

Tailam is prepared by adding Kalka (herbal paste), kwatha (herbal decoction), and drava dravyas(liquids) to oil in specific proportions & subjecting them to a specified heating pattern which could go upto 5 days. By this process, one can ensure the transformation of the active therapeutic properties of the ingredients to the oils.

Food plays an important role in the treatment process and hence our carefully curated cuisine strictly adhering the principles of Ayurveda adds a great value to the treatment.

Your lifestyle and activities as mentioned in the wellbeing practices shapes your treatment and we will also host some activities like Bhajans, Ayurveda discussions, Guided Meditation, Celebrations, Prayers etc. that are congruent with the healing process

We learn that people take one or two days to settle & get used to this slow and natural rhythm. We suggest adequate rest on the initial days. Don’t fear missing out because this slow rhythm and surrendering to the experience is essential and rewarding. If one is restless and not being able to be in the do-nothing mode, it would be essential to let loose and try to just be and let things settle.

It’s normal to feel low during the process as the treatments are draining unlike the popular belief that it energizes day by day. There can be both physical and emotional drain, during the process and it’s necessary to just let it happen and witness it instead of getting entangled with it & hampering the process.

Mid way of the treatment process, there can be some flare-ups, both physically and emotionally which start to settle down after the subsequent main purification phase however the purification treatments are also physically draining. The Post-panchakarma stage of treatments would help one recover from it but the recovery continues even after going from here and hence we strongly suggest rest during the initial days after leaving SDJ.

At the end of one’s stay, there would be some sense of equilibrium and well- being but this is just the beginning the expected benefit starts here. Generally, it is seen that most patients respond positively 3 months after the completion of treatments

The extent of cure and time taken to experience the betterment depends upon the nature of a person, the nature of the problem, the chronicity of the problem, associated ailments, thoroughness in following the physician’s advice, Mind-set of the person, Faith of the person and even the astrological time cycle which is influencing the person. A peaceful and positive mind-set is required to get the maximum benefit from the treatments

Ayurveda treatments are not immediate alternatives for the allopathic medications & one cannot expect to quit one’s allopathic medicines by the end of or during the treatments. One might have to continue the regular allopathic medicines until advised otherwise.

We cannot predict the outcome of the treatments as it could be appreciated only after the treatments and we do not offer any guarantee on outcome During Ayurveda treatments, to enjoy the goodness of the treatments, we request you to be an observer of treatments and processes and not to analyse the treatments even if you are very knowledgeable about Ayurveda. Also, we do not encourage questions like “What is my Prakriti? What is my Dosha?” etc which are huge topics that need a lot of explanation.

Packages

Complete Panchakarma : 21 – 35 days General Wellness : 11-21 days Stress Management :14-21 days Weight Management : 14-21 days Ailment Specific treatments: 14 to 35 days

This would be a holistic program that follows the “Mode ofsOperation” as mentioned above and the “treatment course” will also precisely follow pattern of Purvakarma, Panchakarma and Paschat Karma in a deep sense and authenticity.

As stated previously, all the treatments mentioned in the “Treatment Course” is not possible to be executed on any individual but the three stages of treatments would be covered in deep sense by the Vaidyas selecting the appropriate treatments based on a person’s medical condition, Dosha vitiation, Dosha Configuration and assessment of Roga Bala( Intensity of the disease) and Rogi Bala ( Strength of the person to tolerate the treatments).

People most suited of this are those in the age group of 18 to 70. Those who have multiple minor ailments, who intend to have a deep purification treatments, who wish to resume their health back from the problems of Lifestyle disorders and non-communicable diseases and then maintain the health there on, who wish to get rid of their addictions and the complications of the addictions.

This program aims at a unique experience of wellness achieved at the level of Body, mind and consciousness with a simplified version of panchakarma. “The mode of operation” follows the same pattern but the treatment course would considerably smooth and gentle, yet still aim for to offer a holistic cleansing effect to the best extend possible for a wholesome wellbeing.

People most suited of this are those in the age group of 10 to 80, who do not have a major illness, who have few medical issues but cannot invest a long time for treatments, who wish to maintain health in a better way, who wish to experience the flavour of Ayurveda Panchakarma, who wish to improve the general strength, stamina and immunity, who wish to heal the body, Calm the mind and Kindle the soul.

Depression, Anxiety, Mood swings, Mental fatigue and sleep disturbances have become so common to the extent that even children complain about it.

This program aims to bring a relaxation in both body and mind there by rekindles the consciousness on a positive direction as against the anti- depressant spectrum of drugs that make one’s mind dull and lethargic. Also there would be an effort in bringing an overall improvement in health, emotional stability, sleep pattern etc.

People most suited of this are those in the age group of 14 to 80

‘Mode of Operation” stays the same however the treatment course would be slightly variable with some some special emphasis to some particular teatments like ShiroDhara, Shirovasthi, Thalapothichil, Talam, Nyavarakizhi etc based in the Vaidhya’s analysis. In addition to this there would be some customised regimen that would be specially advised like Guided Meditation, Yoga Nidra, Contemplation, Pranayama, Japa etc.

Maintaining a particular weight is more of a fashion nowadays more than the health benefits, however keeping it in an ideal range to stay healthy is more important than ideal BMI. So our holistic weight management program aims to prioritize health in the process of weight loss that happens in a gentle and organic way in a natural course of time. Weight loss should be a natural and irreversible “effect” of the process and thus a long term plan. So losing weight day by day is clearly not the focus.

There will not be any rigorous practices like starving and strenuous exercise aiming at quick results.

People most suited of this are those in the age group of 16 to 70. People who are obese with associated problems of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol etc get better with those issues too.

The Mode of Operations and treatment courses are pretty much similar the previous programs however there would be an extra focus to the Rukshana treatments such as Udwwarthana, Podikizhi, Kadikizhi etc. There will also be some customized Food and regimen practices enabling our goal.

This is again a Composite program that follows the same pattern of a panchakarma package however there would be a special focus to the ailment of the person which enables a rich customization and focus for a holistic healing.

Commonly treated ailments are Spondylitis, Arthritis, Slip Disc, Low Back Pain, Sports-Related Injuries, Respiratory diseases, Diabetes, Paralysis, Migraine, Menstrual problems, Menopause problems, PCOD, Neurological complaints, Psoriasis and other skin issues, Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS), Digestive Disorders, Stomach Ulcer, Constipation, Fissure-in-Ano, Infertility.

People in the age group of 16 to 80 can avail this treatment however Vaidya’s discretion based on the medical details shared with us is essential to confirm.

Other Information

Your blood pressure would be monitored regularly, weight would be measured once a week and our primary weighing machine stationed near Room 4.
If you are a diabetic, you should monitor your blood sugar with your glucometer frequently and if you do not have one, we can help to check with our glucometer for INR 50 per check.
We will mostly start the treatments on the day of arrival if the arrival time is before 1 Pm. In case of arriving after 1 Pm, the treatments would usually start on the next day however we will try to finish the medical consultation if time permits.
We would start treatments on any day of the week but ideally we do not prefer to start treatments on a Saturday for astrological reasons.
Treatment type, Treatment time, Treatment room and allocation of therapists are at the discretion of the Vaidya’s considering many aspects and factors. There are various treatment slots during the day from 9.00 AM until 5.15 PM and your treatment slot can be at any time but with prior and clear intimation.
We do not suggest any physical activity that produces exertion during your stay which can be counterproductive for the treatments. This including the strenuous Yoga Asana, however, you can continue a few simple and relaxed, gentle and slow asana practices which does not exert you. Sexual activity is strictly contraindicated.
Pranayama and Meditation can be complimentary and improve the efficacy of the treatment process.
Reduce energy drain by avoiding intense discussions, gadget usage, internet usage, reading, writing or thinking and thereby we suggest you to keep your office work if any to a bare minimum level.
Please wear an easy-to-remove garments to the treatment room where you will be provided with a disposable loin cloth which is worn during the treatment. After your treatments you are given a bath in the treatment room after which you can either come back with the same garment you wore before or change to a new garment which can also be quickly wearable.
Time consumed for a bath after your treatments have a crucial impact on our operations as it impacts the next person’s treatment timings. We want your bath to be finished maximum of 15 minutes & the steps involved are mentioned below.
1. Step - Therapists will wash your head with your shampoo( from your room) using lukewarm water (NOT HOT) & tie the head with a towel (for ladies) - in 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Step -While sitting on the stool, the therapist will help to apply bath paste all over the body and also help rubbing and cleaning the areas where hands are cannot reach. Later they will pour water to wash off the paste - 10 minutes.
3. Optional Step - You can use more water to wash by yourself for f 2 more minutes or go to your room to continue and finish with a quick bath.
Immediately after the treatment/ bath, we suggest you dry your hair completely. You can use a towel and dry in mild sun or use a hairdryer. In case you do not have one we have a few hairdryers on a use & return basis.
Exposure to sun, wind, rains, cold weather etc is not advisable during the treatments and if you wish to have a gentle and relaxing walk around the campus, please select the time of the day which is moderate and suitable. The night walk is contraindicated as it would be cold, and also because of the animal movements in this locale. There might be a few treatment specific restrictions in addition to this & it will be explained by the Vaidyas as & when required.
If you are in an Air-conditioned room, please do not use them at least 2 hours before and 2 hours after the main treatments. Even during the other periods please use them close to the outside temperature and only on need.
Women on the menstrual cycle (bleeding) will not have any external treatments and female patients are advised to plan their arrival considering the menstrual cycle.
Considering the time needed for recovery as mentioned in the previous point, on getting discharged from here and on reaching home, we advise you to take a good period of rest after discharge before gradually going back to the normal busy routine of life.
People having Fever, Cough, Common Cold, Running nose etc are contraindicated for External treatments and in case of one has it, external treatments would begin only after addressing it.