Jaundice

All treatments in Ayurveda are prescribed only after a careful diagnosis of the patient's body constitution, family history, sex, age, stage of the disease etc. This will enable the patient to receive treatments that are specifically suited to his very needs. Ayurveda treatments will therefore vary from patient to patient.

The first consultation with an Ayurveda doctor, including the diagnosis will last for more than an hour. The basic step in the diagnosis will be to find the person's body humor (dosha) - Vata, Pita or Kapha, because it is the imbalance of these body humours that create every disease.

The dominance of dosha in a person is found by asking several questions on his behavior, food habits, sleeping patterns, personal details like age, height & weight, place of life, profession, health problems and medical reports etc. Ayurveda diagnosis comprises of clinical and laboratory tests also. The doctor can decide if an Ayurveda treatment is helpful on providing these details.

Pulse, tongue, nail, and eye examinations are important diagnosis methods used to reveal a person's body humor and its imbalance. This will help the doctor in treating the disease.

Pulse diagnosis in Ayurveda is not just counting the beats. It also reveals the health status of the entire body constitution, including the dosha imbalance and the health of the various body organs.

In tongue diagnosis, the doctor checks the general appearance, color and coating of the tongue. In Ayurveda, as different areas of the tongue correspond to different organs of the body, the Ayurvedic practitioner can determine which organs of the body are out of balance by having a detailed tongue examination.

Nail examination is done to check the type, color and shape of the person's nail. Imbalances of doshas are easily detected on close examination.

In the eye diagnosis, the colour, size and even the shape of the eyes are important in determining the dosha dominance of a person. His mental status,nervousness, anxiety, confidence level etc can also be learned through eye diagnosis.

Ayurveda Treatment approach is to increase natural healing ability of the body and not to attack the disease with something from the outside, like drugs or surgery, and cure the diseases in one or two days. It may take a few weeks to regenerate the health. The healing response is one of the most complex and coordinated activities within the human physiology and often cannot be strengthened without the patient’s personal conscious efforts.

After the diagnosis, the doctor sets out to treat the patient in a very systematic manner. This would include a set of appropriate Panchakarma treatments and Rasayana therapies .

The Panchakarma Treatments are meant to flush out the toxins, They are classified as pre-purification, main purification and post purification phases and include various types of therapies like oil massages, fermented liquid massages, medicinal enemas, herbal purification methods.

The Rasayana Therapies are meant to nourish the body, to bring the doshas back to balance and to regenerate the body.These comprise diet regulations, daily regimens, intake of oral medicines and ayurveda tonics, yoga and a stress free life. After the treatment the ayurveda doctors will advise you how to lead a healthy life. The beneifts and results of the treatment are shown only after the Rasyana Treatment is over and doctors advise is strictly followed. The results will manifest itself normally after 3 to 4 weeks as the body takes time to regenerate itself.

Pre-purification therapies are the first ones applied to loosen the toxins, open up the circulation channels and get the body ready for discarding these wastes. These methods are highly relaxing for the body and mind.

Snehapanam is the intake of medicated ghee or oils in proportionally increasing quantity for a period of eight to ten days. This is done both as a therapeutic procedure and also as a preparatory process during the body purification therapy. This is a very effective treatment for Jaundice .

Main purification Therapies for Jaundice

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This is the phase of elimination of toxins that were loosened at the pre purification treatment stage. These therapies are highly potential methods and are usually overseen by doctors. The commonly adopted Panchakarma treatments for Jaundice are Virechanam,vamanam,Nasyam .

Virechanamis the oral intake of safe herbal medicines leading to the elimination of poisonous wastes through the anal route. The purgative medicine consists of herbal powders, medicated castor oil or herbal paste. Avipathychooram, the herbal powder which is generally used for virechanam is made out of a mixture of herbs like turpith, embellia fruits, ginger, cardamom,long pepper, cinnamon etc.

Vamanam is also known as therapeutic vomiting. It is a treatment that eliminates the vitiated doshas (waste products) through the upper gastro-intestinal track. It expels and cleanses undigested food, Kapha and Pitta. It has been found to be highly effective in treating infertility. Herbs generally used in vamanam include, emetic nut, sweet flag, liquorices etc.

Nasyam is the pouring of herbal oil in drops in to the nostrils and inhaling the contents. This opens up the head channels and enables the herb extracts to act directly on the central nervous system. Nasyam treatment lasts for twenty to thirty minutes. The herbal oil is a mixture of sesame oil and herbs such as Sida plants,Bael and Vitex etc.

These are body nourishing therapies to rejuvenate the body and mind after the Panchakarma treatments. They keep the enzymes in the tissue cells in their normal functioning condition. It restores and balances the body functions and maintains the overall health and well being of an individual for much longer periods after the Panchakarma course. Rasayana treatments for Jaundice consist of both oral medicines and diet regulation.

Oral medicines for Jaundice

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Herbal medicines form an important part of any ayurvedic treatment. Oral medicines for Jaundice will be herbal concoctions, powders, pills, fermented syrups, and or herbs processed in clarified butter (ghee) etc. These are prepared specifically to restore the lost balance and to provide the needed inputs to cure Jaundice. Kashayams, Arishtams (herbal decoctions and fermentations), Lehyams (semi solid formulations) are commonly prescribed.

Aloe Vera, Jaundice Berry, Basil, spreading hogweed, Tinospora, turmeric, long pepper, nut grass tuber , etc. are some of the medicinal herbs used in the preparation of kashayams, lehyams and arishtams for the use of Jaundice patients. The type and quantity of the medicines to be taken are decided by the doctor after a detailed consultation and examination. The patient's body type, age etc are also important factors to be considered. Diet Regulation

Diet regulations for Jaundice

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will be suggested for patients suffering from Jaundice. Proper diet is a brilliant means of controlling and curing Jaundice. Ayurveda diet provides adequate nutrition as well as rest for the needed organs.

Jaundice patients are advised to go for a boiled & spice less diet with large quantities of vegetables including radish leaves, tomatoes and lemon. All types of dry fruits including dried dates are recommended.

Patients should have plenty of sugarcane juice, orange juice and barley water. This enhances urination which helps eliminate excess bile pigments in the blood. Drinking lots of water becomes necessary, as this removes poisonous wastes from the body and prevents over taxation of the liver.
You can find out your type of Prakruthi and decide a diet for yourself .

Yoga and Meditation are a proven and effective way to develop and maintain perfect harmony and balance in our body systems. It provides us with immunity against all diseases. It alters brain wave activities reflecting in increased relaxation and a better focused mind. Matsya Asana yoga, Sarvang Asana yoga and Baddhapadmasana yoga are recommended for patients suffering from jaundice.


Life Style: It is recommended that patients suffering from jaundice avoid tension and worry in their daily lives. Every form of exposure to pollution should be avoided during the period of treatment. Excessive show of anger, anxiety and sex should also be avoided. Also to be avoided are strenuous exercise, late nights, too much television, and other stimulating experiences.