Kerala Ayurveda Treatment

Panchakarma Treatment Method

1. Pre Treatment Certain steps are followed before doing Panchakarma called "poorvakarmas" or pre treatment or elimination therapy. This treatment prepares the body for the total elimination of toxic deposit. This procedure is done for seven days. The two steps in pre-treatment are: Snehana (oleation) and Swedhana (sweating/sudation).

Snehana (oleation Therapy):

Snehana or oleation therapy literally means love or tenderness. The fatty substances used in this therapy are for producing lubrication and anointing the internal as well as external organs.  The qualities (benefits) of this therapy are restfulness, strength, invigoration and cognition. The internal oleation is for a minimum period of seven days. This is a method of administers medicates. Oleation is mainly of two types ghee internally.

a) External oleation: This procedure involves the application of medicated oil on the skin. The different types are Abhyanga (oil massage - application of warm oil to the body followed by a kneading type of massage); Pizhichil (continuous pouring of warm medicated oil over the entire body for an extended period of time); Gandhusha - gargle (mouth should be filled with oil and retained for a period of time; Shirodhara (pouring of warm oil on forehead region from a vessel hanging overhead); Snehavagahana (taking a bath in a tub full of warm oil). The main purpose of massaging the body with oil is for detaching toxins from the deeper tissues and for their subsequent movement back to their origins in the gastro intestinal tract where they are removed through the main purification procedure. Main oils used are Dhanwantharam, Sahachasadi, Ashwagandha, dial extracts of herbs.

b) Internal Oleation; It means the oral administration of medicated ghee. The three main ways ghee is used are- for palliation (a medium dose before meals when the patient hungry); for tonification (energy day with dietic substance in low dose); and for; purification (before panchakarma procedure ghee is given in large doses for a period of three to seven days. Stool, tongue and time of hunger should be noted everyday to check whether the optimum oleation has developed or not. The different types of ghee used are cow's ghee, Pancha Tikta Ghrita (medicated with five bitter herbs), Dadimadi Ghrita (pomegranate). 

Swedhana (Fomentation/sudation/sweating):

Sudation or Swedhana is followed for two days after Snehana. Sudation given by different types of heat brings sweat on the skin through hair follicles as it opens the pores of the skin through hair follicles as it opens the pores of the skin. It aims at relieving stiffness, coldness and heaviness in the body. Due to sweating the Agni is increased and the fatty tissue gets mobilized.

Swedhana is mainly divided into two types:

Agni Sweda - Heat is applied here.

Anagni sweda - Heat is applied indirectly. The different methods of swedhana are:

Having completed a course of fomentation, patient is advised to take rest, avoid cold, take warm baths, get adequate fresh air and eat food that is easy to digest and non-obstructive.