reply to post by Indigo_Child
You mentioned that Diabetes is uncurable. In allopathic medicine, it indeed is incurable, but Ayurvedic medicine does offer cures, and in cases where
it cannot cure it, it offers far more effective healing than Western medicine. Ayurveda has cures and better healing strategies for most diseases that
are considered uncurable: arthiritis, heart disease etc. It has a very extensive database of diseases which is on par wth modern databases. As I said
earlier: The West is behind. "Modern" is a myth.
Ayurveda have analysed Diabetes in far more scientific detail than modern medicine has, and its treatment is far more comprehensive than modern
medicine. The analytical standards of Ayurveda are similar to every other Sanskrit science; incredibly precise. Let us take a look at how it
categorises and analyses Diabetes:
It is A bit heavy on Sanskrit jargon, but meanings will become clear as you read it. I will quote from
this source the sections which are relevant, and I will provide my commentary in notes:
Aetiology
The main causes of prameha (diabetes) are lack of exercise and improper food habits in excess food intake which falls in the category of ushna,
snigdha and guru are the primal cause of this disease – fish, curd are good examples. Foods that increase kapha, medhas and moothra(urine)
are the etiological factors for prameha.
Physical Classifications
For the management of this disease – prameha (diabetes) can be listed in two categories:
1) Apatharpana uthaja prameha: describing the lean diabetic and
2) Santharpana uthaja prameha: relating the obese diabetic.
Aetiological classification of diabetic patients
1) Sahaja prameha (congenital)
2) Apathyanimittaja prameha (due to over eating and poor habits)
Dosha(Disease) classification
Though prameha is a tridoshaja vyadhi, the relative predominance of any one dosha and dooshya enables its classification in to Vathaja, Pithaja and
Kaphaja pramehas. These have further been classified in to twenty sub categories in all the three classics of Ayurveda. Kaphaja and Pittaja prameha
have been sub classified in to ten types and six types
respectively. These sixteen types have the physical characteristics of urine that is colour, density and volume depending up on the different gunas of
Kapha and Pitta. Vataja prameha has been
sub classified in to four types depending up on dhathu being excreted through urine. The above 20 types are classified on the basis of colour and
physical characteristics of urine. The above 20 types of prameha are the different types of prameha can also be correlated with a
systemic urological and nephrological conditions. The above theory is well described by all acharyas by general prodromal symptoms for all types of
pramehas in which sweetness of urine is the common and important symptom.
In our practice we could be classify prameha according to dosha predominance. They are
1) kapahja,
2) pithaja,
3) vathaja,
4) kapha-pithaja,
5) kapha-vathaja,
6) pitha-vathaja, and
7) vatha-pitha-kaphaja.
In these types sannipatha, kevala vathaja and some stages of kapha-vthaja and pitha-vathaja can be considered as IDDM. And others are considered as
NIDDM.
Symptoms
Prodromal Symptoms of prameha have been explained in detail by all the acharyas especially in Brihathrayies:
They are as follows
1. Sweda Profuced - sweating
2. Angagandham - Foul smell of the body
3. Anga shidhilathwam - Looseness the body
4. Sayyasna swapnasukhabhishangithwam - Feeling of lethargy
5. Hridayopadeham - Feeling of some thing coated
or heaviness of heart
6. Netropadeham - Feeling of some thing coated
on eyes
7. Jhwopadeham - sensation of a coated
tongue
8. Shravanopadeham - Feeling of coating on ears
9. Anga ghanathwam - Heaviness of body parts
10. Keshathivridhi - Excessive growth of hairs
11. Nakhathivridhi - Excessive growth of Nails
12. Sheetha priyathwam - Affinity towards cold
13. Gala shosham - Dryness of throat
14. Thalu shosham - Dryness of palate
15. Asya madhuryam - Sweet taste in mouth
16. Karadaham Burning - sensation of palms
17. Pada daham Burning - sensation of soles
18. Moothra madhuryam - Sweetness of urine
General Symptoms:
The characteristic features of all types of prameha are PRABHOOTHA and AAVILA MOOTHRATHA & MEDO DUSHTI LAKSHANAS - { excessive urination & turbidity
in urine and symptoms of vitiated medodhatu
Classification by dosas(kapha, pitta and vatta)
Note: As mentioned earlier Ayurveda considers each person to have a personal constitution which is made up of the factors of kapa, pitta and
vata(metaphysics: all phenomenon is the permutations of three fundamental forces/potentials) While, everybody will have a unique mixture of these
three factors, most people will have a predomniance of one them. Likewise diseases too will have a predomniance of a factor.
Kaphaja
Avipakam – indigestion
Aruchi - Loss of appetite
Chardi - Vomiting tendency
Athinidra - Excessive sleep
Kasam - Cough
Peenasam - Cold with running nose
Pittaja
Vasthimehanyotoda - Pain in Bladder & urinary path
Mushkavatharanam - Pain in testes
Jwara - Fever
Daham - Burning sensation
Trishna - Thirst
Amlika - Acidity
Moorcha - Giddiness
Vitbhedanam - Loose Motion
Hridayashoola - Pain in heart region
Nidranasam - Loss of sleep
Vathaja
Udavartham - Upward movement of vatha.
Kambam - Tremor
Hridgraham - Gripping pain in chest region
Lolatha - Affinity
Soolam - Pain
Anidratha - Insomnia
Sosha - Wasting
Kasam - Cough
Swasam - Difficulty to breath
Badhapureeshathwa - Constipation
Prognosis
This classification has been given by Charaka. The three types of prameha.
1. Sadhya - curable
2. Yapya - Palliable
3. Asadhya - Incurable
Treatment
According to Ayurveda the line of treatment of prameha is strictly on individuals constitution. A special case sheet to analyse diabetes is developed
as follows
1) The prakrithi(constitution) of the patient
2) Dosha predominance of disease - which factor is predmoniant
3) Dooshya vitiation
4) Obstruction in srothus(vessels)
5) Manasika Prakrithi - mental constitution
6) Ahara & Vihara
7) Hereditary factors etc... - family history
This case sheet gives the profile of the patient & the pathology of the disease in accordance based with classical diagnostic skills in accordance
with the classical way of diagnosis. After grouping the patient into different prakrithi, we were able to fix the line of treatment according to the
types of the disease.
In general Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus {Vathaja prameha}Patients are advised to have Bhrimhana medication & diet which increases dhathus(tissues) in the
body
Line of treatment
In Type 2 Diabetes, obese diabetic patient with optimal body strength having intense increase of doshas, Purification of the body is advocated This is
dependent on dosha predominance {Kaphaja are adviced to have emetics, Pittaja are advised to have purgation.}
1) Snehanam { prescription of oils internally & externally
2) Sodhana {Purification therapy under three catagory}
a. Vamanam
b. Virechanam
c. Vasthi (This process is the application of medicine through the anal route.This is
indicated only in specific condition
3) Samanam
4) Pathya – Apathyas
5) Vyayamam (exercises)
In strong prameha patients, but with increased doshas, sodhana chikilsa is prescribed. The Purification Therapies are the formost treatment in this
condition. Snehana karma should be done before giving sodhana chikilsa. Generally swedana is contra indicated in Prameha as swethathi pravruthy
(profuced sweating) is one of the main symptom of prameha. Moreover
swedana induces kleda which is a causative factor for this disease. Different snehanas(oliations) are advised in different stages of prameha.
Drug treatment:
Various Medicated ghees and oils to be administered on the paitent
Drug preparations:
– Arjuna Sarshapa for Kaphaja types;
– Arjuna Grutham for pitha type and
– Arjuna Thailam for Vatha type.
After snehana, one should undergo virchanam or vamana or both.This is determined on the predominant doshas. This can be done by classical shodhana
oushadha. After shodhana chikilsa, shamana chikitsa is advised.
Note: The above is repeated at different intervals based on regular check-ups of the paitent.
Prescription
The drastic disease diabetes can be controlled by giving comprehensive attention to 3 aspects
They are
1) Ahara (Diet)
2) Vihara ( Exercise)
3) Aushadha (medicine)
The role of ahara & Vihara are equally or even more important in diabetes to control blood sugar level as well as to prevent complications of this
disease.
[edit on 6-4-2009 by Indigo_Child]
[edit on 6-4-2009 by Indigo_Child]