AYUSH
AYUSH given in India Is an abbreviated form of medical systems that are popular in India. it includes Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Homoeopathy. The basic approach of all these systems on health, disease, rehabilitation and treatment is holistic.
Importance of AYUSH
·
The most important reason which disturbs and
agitate the mind of the people at large and patients, in particular, causing
interest in alternative medicine has been the increasing side effects' of
allopathic medicine and people are getting afraid of such effects.
·
The second most important consideration
especially in context to the third world or developing countries is the spiraling cost of allopathic medicine.
·
The third reason is
that when people are frustrated and not getting the desired cures of their
ailments from the orthodox medicine they look for some alternative forms of
healing that will bring solace and relief. Hence an Interest In alternative
medicine is seen.
Indian Systems of Medicine include:
•
Ayurveda
•
Siddha
•
Unani
•
Yoga
•
Homoeopathy
AYURVEDA
Ayurveda
originated
in India long back in the pre-Vedic period. Rigveda and Atharva-Veda the
earliest documented ancient Indian knowledge has references on health and
diseases. Ayurveda texts like Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita were
documented about 1000 years B.C. The term Ayurveda means ‘Science of Life’. It deals elaborately
with
measures
for healthful living during the entire span of life and its various phases.
Thus
Ayurveda becomes one of the oldest systems of health care dealing with
both the preventive
and
curative aspects of life in a most comprehensive way and presents a close
similarity to the
WHO’s
concept of health propounded in the modern era.
A perusal of its several classical treatises indicates the presence of two schools of
Physicians and
Surgeons
and eight specialities. These eight
disciplines are generally called "Ashtanga
Ayurveda"
and are: -
•
Internal Medicine (Kaya Chikitsa)
•
Surgery (Shalya)
•
ENT and Ophthalmology (Shalakya)
•
Pediatrics (Kaumar Bhritya)
•
Psychiatry (Bhoot Vidya)
•
Toxicology (Agad Tantra)
•
Geriatrics (Rasayana)
•
Eugenics and aphrodisiacs (Vajikarana)
Concepts and Principles
The
Body Matrix
Life
in Ayurveda is conceived as the union of body, senses, mind and soul. The
living man is
a conglomeration of three humours (Vata, Pitta &Kapha), seven
basic tissues (Rasa, Rakta,
Mamsa,
Meda, Asthi, Majja &Shukra) and the waste
products of the body such as faeces,
urine and sweat.
Thus the total body matrix comprises of the humours,
the tissues and the
waste products
of the body.
Panchamahabhutas
According
to Ayurveda all objects in the universe including the human body are
composed of five
basic
elements (Panchamahabhutas) namely, earth,
water, fire, air and vacuum (ether). The
tissues
of the body are the structural whereas humours are physiological entities.
Health and Sickness
Health
or sickness depends on the presence or absence of a balanced state of the total
body
matrix
including the balance between its different constituents. Both the intrinsic
and extrinsic
factors
can cause a disturbance in the natural equilibrium, giving rise to disease. This
loss of
equilibrium
can happen by dietary indiscrimination, undesirable habits and non-observance
of
rules
of healthy living. Seasonal abnormalities, improper exercise or erratic
application of
sense
organs and incompatible actions of the body and mind can also result in
creating
disturbance
of the existing normal balance.
Diagnosis
In
Ayurveda diagnosis is always done of the patient as a whole. The physician
takes a careful
note
of the patient’s internal physiological characteristics and mental disposition.
He also
studies
such other factors as the affected bodily tissues, humours, the site at which
the disease
is
located, patient’s resistance and vitality, his daily routine, dietary habits,
the gravity of
clinical
conditions, condition of digestion and details of personal, social, economic
and
environmental
situation of the patient. The diagnosis also involves
the following examinations:
•
General physical examination
•
Pulse examination
•
Urine examination
•
Examination of the faeces
•
Examination of tongue and eyes
•
Examination of skin and ear including tactile and auditory functions
Treatment
Treatment
of the disease consists of the removal of causative factors responsible for
disequilibria
of
the body matrix or of any of its constituent parts through the use of Panchkarma
procedures,
medicines, suitable diet, activity and regimen for
restoring the balance and
Strengthening
the body mechanisms to prevent or minimize future occurrence of the disease.
Normally
treatment measures involve the use of medicines, specific diet and prescribed
activity
Routine.
Use of these three measures is done in two ways. In one approach of treatment
the
three
measures antagonize the disease by counteracting the etiological factors and
various
manifestations
of the disease. In the second approach the same three measures of medicine;
diet
and activity are targeted to exert effects similar to the etiological factors
and manifestations of the disease process.
Types of Treatment
The
treatment of the disease can broadly be classified as
•
Shodhana therapy (Purification Treatment)
•
Shamana therapy (Palliative Treatment)
•
Pathya Vyavastha (Prescription of diet and activity)
•
Nidan Parivarjan (Avoidance of disease-causing and aggravating factors)
•
Satvavajaya(Psychotherapy)
•
Rasayana therapy (use of immunomodulators and rejuvenation medicines)
SIDDHA
Siddha the system is one of the oldest systems of medicine in India. Siddha system
literature is in
Tamil
and it is practised in Tamil speaking parts of
India.
Its principles and doctrines, both
fundamental
and applied, have a close similarity to Ayurveda, with specialization in
Iatrochemistry.
Like Ayurveda, this system believes that
all objects in the universe including the human body are composed of five basic
elements namely, earth, water, fire, air and sky. The food, which the human body takes and the drugs it uses are
all, made of these five elements.
The proportion of the elements present in the drugs vary and their preponderance or
otherwise
is
responsible for certain actions and therapeutic results. The Siddha system is
capable of treating all types of disease other than emergency cases.
In general, this system is
effective in treating all types of skin problems particularly Psoriasis, STD,
urinary tract infections, diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract,
general debility,
postpartum
anaemia, diarrhoea and general fevers in addition to arthritis and allergic
disorders.
UNANI
Introduction
The
Unani system of medicine is one of the oldest and most acceptable systems of
medicine
Practised
in India and all over the world. Its main emphasis is promotion and prevention
of
Health
through the cure of diseases. Unani Medicine is
both very old and very modern.
Hippocrates
practised it over 2400 years ago
Unani
Medicine is both an ancient medicine and the traditional medicine of the
future.
The first physician
of the system was ASCLEPEDEUS who learnt the principles of medicine from Hazrat
Idrees. Another renowned physician was Galen
who played a major role in
propagation
of the system.
He
also initiated the concept of the hospital and built the first hospital of the world in Hamas (Egypt) after travelling around the globe to find a suitable
place. The human body is a complex structure comprising of seven umoor-e-tabiyyah
i.e. basic
elements.
These are Arkan (Element), Mizaj (Temperament), Akhlaat (Humor)
Aza(Organ),
Arwah
(Pneuma),
Quwa (Faculty), Af’aal(Functions). For the proper functioning of
the body,
all
the above-mentioned elements should be present and work in coordination with
each other.
Ideology
The
Unani System of medicine is based on the Humoural Theory. According to this
theory
there
are four humours in the body i.e. Dam (Blood) Balgham (Phlegm) Safra
(Yellow Bile)
Sauda
(Black
bile). There is a strong relationship between body fluid and its associated
humour
so any imbalance in a humour will also cause
changes in the composition and properties of
its associated body fluid. Health is a state of the body in which all the humours
are in equilibrium and in accordance with their own temperament and the
environment. There is an influence of surroundings and ecological conditions on the health of the human being. There are six factors, which are essential for the
maintenance of good health called Asbab-e- Sittah
Zaruriah.
These
essentials are as follows:
•
Air (Hawa)
•
Food and Drinks (Makool-o-Mashroob)
•
Body movement and Repose (Harkat- wa Sukoon-
e-Badania)
•
Mental movement and Repose (Harkat-wa-Sukoon-
e-Nafsania)
•
Sleep and Wakefulness (Naum-o-Yaqzah)
•
Retention and Evacuation (Ehtibas-o-Istafraagh)
Alteration
in the equilibrium leads to disease.
Diagnosis
Firstly,
the practitioner takes a full case history. This will have many aspects, but
generally includes observation of the patient, e.g.,
·
Observing patients
posture and
·
Listening to their
voice,
·
Observing the tongue
and its coating,
·
The eyes, the hands
(skin colour, etc.) and
·
The fingernails.
·
It also almost always involves taking the
pulse (Nabz),
·
press reflexes and
examine the urine (Baul) and stool (Bara) of the patient.
The physician also takes into account the daily routine of the patient Principles
of treatment
In
Unani system of medicine, treatment is based on temperament and humours. In
diseased
condition,
there is an imbalance in body temperament and humours. Therefore, Unani physicians
laid
down the principles for the correction of temperament and humours. Every humour
has a
specific
temperament as described earlier e.g. hot, wet, cold, and dry. So, the drug
used for
the
treatment should possess an opposite temperament than that of diseased humour,
resulting
in
normalization of temperament. A disease, which is cold in nature, can be cured
by a drug,
which
has the hot temperament.
Methods of treatment
Treatment
depends on the degree of variation from the normal healthy condition. Dietotherapy
is
advised
if the variation is low from the normal healthy condition, but if the variation
is so
much
that cannot be corrected by Dietotherapy alone then pharmacotherapy is advised
and
drugs
are used according to the stage of the disease. In addition, diet-o- therapy is
also
advised,
so, the disease can be cured easily.
Sometimes,
regimental therapy and surgery are also
advised
along with Dietotherapy and
pharmacotherapy.
So,
treatment can be divided into four parts:
·
Dietotherapy (Ilaj-Bil-Ghiza)
·
Pharmacotherapy (Ilaj-Bil-Dawa)
·
Regimental therapy (Ilaj-Bil-Tadbeer)
·
Surgery (Ilaj-Bil-Yad)
YOGA
The
tradition of Yoga was born in India several thousand years ago. Yoga philosophy
is an
Art
and Science of living in tune with Brahmand- The Universe. By Yoga, Sri
Aurobindo,
means
a methodological effort towards self-perfection by the development of
potentialities
latent
in the individual.
Yoga
is not a religion; It’s a philosophy of life-based on
certain psychological facts and it
aims
at the development of a perfect balance between the body and the mind that permits
Union with the divine i.e. perfect harmony between the individual and the
cosmos. Streams of Yoga
There
are large numbers of methods of Yoga catering to the needs of different
persons in
Society.
They are broadly classified into four streams
• Karma Yoga,
the path of work involves doing action in a skilful way.
•
Bhakti Yoga the path of
worship is a systematic method of engaging the mind in the
practice
of divine love.
•
Jnana Yoga, the path of
philosophy is a systematic way of tutoring the mind about the realities of
life by contemplation. This will strip off the garb of Avidya (ignorance) from
our mind and the mind goes to its natural state of rest.
•
Raja Yoga, the path of
physical and mental control.
Raja
Yoga
Maharishi
Patanjali, the "Father of Yoga"
compiled and refined various aspects of Yoga
systematically
in his "Yoga Sutras" (aphorisms). He advocated the eight-fold path of
Yoga,
popularly
known as "Ashtanga Yoga"
for all-round development of human personality.
They
are – Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana &
Samadhi.
These
eight limbs are formulated on the basis of multifarious psychological
understanding of human
personality.
The practise of Yamas – Niyamas i.e. harmlessness
towards all living beings, truthfulness,
honesty,
celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, control of lust, anger and infatuation,
study of holy books and practice of Japa and selfless
action
– all these pave way for increasing the power of concentration, mental purity
and
steadiness.
Basic Concepts
According
to Yoga, most of the diseases Mental, Psychosomatic and Physical originate in
mind
through the wrong way of thinking, living and eating. The basic approach of Yoga is
to
correct
the lifestyle by cultivating a rational positive and spiritual attitude
towards all life
situations.Yoga
takes up the cleansing of the body as the first measure to fight disease. Yoga
performs it
without
the help of any drug i.e. by developing full efficiency and control of
eliminative
systems
of the body. Yoga aims at preventing the disease and promoting health by
reconditioning the
psycho-physiological
mechanism of the individual.
HOMOEOPATHY
The
origin and nature:-
Homoeopathy
is based on the theory of “Similia
Similibus Curentis.” Or let like be treated by like which means that any
substance capable of producing artificial symptoms on healthy individuals can
cure the same symptoms in natural disease.
basic laws, diagnosis and treatment
methods:-
·
The laws of the direction of cure: - the direction of cure states that during the curative process the symptoms disappear in
the reverse order of its appearance from above down words, from more
impartment organ to less important organs from canter to periphery.
·
The law of single remedy: - homoeopathy
generally uses only a single medicine which has a true similarity of symptoms
with that of the remedy. This process of selecting the correct remedy is done
on the basis of individualization.
·
The law of minimum doses: - the doses
applied are the minimum possible, just sufficient to correct the disease state.
·
Theory of chronic disease:- state the
most of the disease state is due to three chronic latent affinities known as
psora.
Recently we see there is a boom in various systems
of alternative medicine. More and more patients are opting for alternative
systems of medicine. We find a number of articles and stories in the
leading-news- papers and magazines which is evidence of its popularity. In India, the separate department of AYUSH is organized its impact cover all cover the
India.
I
conclude that the Indian system of medicine has a very broad aspect it includes
• Ayurveda that originates from the pre-Vedic period. Siddha it is also the oldest system originated from
Tamil speaking part of India, Unani this
system first initiate the concept of the hospital , Yoga philosophy is an art and
science of living tune with brahmand and universe. Homoeopathy in this treatment
is done by producing an artificial system.
