Ayurvedic Medicine

byEileen Ethier

Description

• Broad system of medical doctrine and practices

• Preventative and Curative Aspects

• Advice on aspects of daily life– Cleaning teeth– Diet– Exercise and regimen

Definition

• Ayurveda can be translated from Sanskrit as the “knowledge or science of life.”

• It is called ‘ayurveda’ because it tells us (vedayati) which substances,qualities, and actions are life enhancing and (aursuya) which are not.

Focus

• Ayurvedic medicine focuses on achieving optimal health through the integration of mind and body with nature

Treatments

• Designed for the needs of each individual and include:

• yoga, meditation & breathing exercises• diet• internal cleansings• herbal preparations• aromatherapy• massage

Treatments

• Practitioners are also familiar with:

• Climatolgy

• Psychology

• Astrology

• Gem therapy

• Sound therapy

• Color therapy

History

• Ayurveda is possibly the oldest medical system in the world

• It originated in the Indus River Valley approximately 5,000 years ago

Indus Age

• Population was nature-oriented

• Agriculture provided a stable economy

• Trade flourished

• Merchant class ruled

• Urbanized & sophisticated culture

• City-states shared a pictographic script & system of weights and measures

Indus Age

• Well developed sewage system and bathing facilities led to sanitary conditions and literature of the time reveals a strong emphasis on hygiene

• During this time the wise sages gathered in the foothills of the Himalayas and directed their attention to disease and its consequences for humanity

Indus Age

• They left civilization to gain the peace and serenity they needed for their group meditation and to attain the knowledge they sought

• This is where Ayurveda began

Vedic Age

• Early Aryans were semi-nomadic

• Kept large herds of cattle

• Engaged in agriculture

• Religion was nature based

• No temples, prayers consisted of mantras

• No awareness of caste

Vedic Age

• People rather than land were considered the society’s strength

• Warriors ruled society and priests performed rituals for protection

• The first of the four Vedas, the Rig Veda was believed to have been composed during this time

The Vedas

• Described the origin of the universe

• Described the natural world

• Described the human race

• Described the social order

Rig Veda

• Collection of more than 1,000 poetic hymns• Provides the basic concepts for all the

other Vedas• Contains most aspects of Vedic science

– Yoga– Meditation– Mantra– Ayurveda

Other Vedas

• Sama Veda - puts musical chant to the Rig Veda hymns

• Yazur Veda - deals with yoga rituals and sacrifices for purifying the mind and awakening consciousness

• Atharva Veda - literature containing chants and incantations to ward off evil, misfortune, and disease

All Vedas Have Two Parts

• The mantra - consists of prayer and praise to the Absolute

• The brahmana - a set of detailed directions to follow in the ceremonies at which the mantras were used

Other Components of Vedas

• Anranyakas - secret & mystical explanations of the rituals

• The Upanishads - the basic philosophical tenets of Ayurveda

Earliest Texts

• Caraka Samhita– English translation is over 1,000 pages

• Susruta Samhita– English translation is over 1,700 pages

• Bhela Samhita– Not yet translated

• The Sanskrit word samhita means ’compendium’

Basic Tenets of Chraka

• Chraka contains classifications of diseases

• Sections related to:– herbs– nutrition– embryology & anatomy

Basic Tenets of Susruta

• Susruta contain descriptive surgical techniques:– eye surgery– removal of foreign bodies– plastic surgery on the face

Eight Specialties in the Samhitas

• Internal medicine• Pediatrics• Psychological medicine• Ophthalmology• General & Specialized Surgery• Toxicology• Geriatrics• Eugenics and Aphrodisiacs

Indicators of Good Health

• All 3 doshas are in balance

• All bodily tissues are functioning properly

• All 5 senses are functioning normally

• Normal elimination of waste products

• The channels of the body are unimpeded

• Perfect harmony of min, body and consciousnes, individual is happy

Samhitas

• Chraka - Associated with Northwest India• Susruta - Composed in Benares• Exact date of compositions not known• May date back to the time of Buddha (4th

century BC)• Sanskrit texts available today represent

work of the latter Ist millennium AD

Samhitas

• Chraka & Susruta considered cornerstone texts of Ayurveda

• The texts explicitly state that they have been edited, supplemented,and partially rewritten by later authors

Samhitas

• Chraka popular in Northern India

• Susruta popular in Southern India

• Reasons - geographical distribution of surviving manuscripts, and by the location of surviving living traditions of orally transmitted medical literature

Medicines found in Samhitas

• An array of animal vegetable, and mineral substances– Animal - the urine, milk, flesh, fat, and blood

of several animals such as horses, goats, elephants, camels, cows, and sheep

– Plants - the seeds, flowers, fruit, tree bark, and leaves

– Mineral - various gems, silver, copper, salt, clay, tin , lead, gold, and sulphur

Chraka Oath of Initiation

• Comparable to Hippocratic Oath

• Rite of Initiation– live a celibate life – speak the truth– eat a vegetarian diet– total confidentiality of privileged information– work night & day for relief of his patients– Be free of envy and never carry firearms

Chraka Oath of Initiation

• Rite of Initiation– complete subjugation to his teacher, except

where this would be in conflict with higher ethical values

– never desert or take sexual advantage of patients– with hold treatment from enemies of the king,

generally wicked people & women unattended by husbands or guardians

– visited patients’ homes with an acquaintance

Theoretical Foundation

• Based on a doctrine of 3 bodily humors– wind– bile– phlegm

• Theory is comparable to Hippocrates and Galen

• Medicines are mainly herbal

Emphasis on Moderation

• Intake of food

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Sex

• Dosage of Medicines

• It is important to stay within the limits of reasonable measure and balance

In Practice

• Diagnostic & practical aspects depended on through knowledge of Sanskrit texts

• Memorization of large amounts of material and verse associated with the 3 humors

• Examining patient and their symptoms recalled verses that encapsulated the condition confronting him

In Practice

• These triggered further recollection of verses and presented a prognosis and treatment

• A wide range of substances,qualities, and actions offered the Ayurvedic physician an excellent combination of freedom to act and structure within which to exercise choice

In Practice

• To be good at Ayurveda required years of training

• Required native intelligence and sensitivity

• Physicians were judged by reputation alone

• Sanskrit literature contains satrical passage about ill-qualified practioners

Susruta Samhita & Surgery

• Extensive chapters on surgery• Describes how surgeons should be

trained• Tells exactly how to perform operations• Claims surgery is most effective of 8

branches of medical knowledge• Little evidence of these practices

persisted beyond the time of the text

Decline of Surgery

• Some may have existed as caste skills, separated from mainstream Ayurvedic practice

• Surgical instruments did not survive• Later literature shows no evidence of

procedures performed by Susruta• Caste taboos forbidding physical contact

Decline of Surgery

• Examination of pulse and urine gained popularity

• Massage therapies gained popularity

• Evidence seems to indicate that early surgical practices were an isolated phenomenon

The Practice of Ayurveda

• A good physician tries to first discover a patient’s strengths before looking for weakness, hoping to use the former to counteract the later

• All physicians must constantly radiated curative energy toward their patients

• Faith & hope must be continually reinforced by physician

Doshas

• Ayurvedic medicine takes into consideration the different mind/body types based on the three doshas within the body

• Vatta - principle of movement

• Pitta -heat & metabolism

• Kapha - structure & solidity

Ayurvedic Assessment

• Assessment of patient

• Assessment of disease

• Areas examined– pulse– site of disease– digestion – general metabolism– eyes & tongue– tactile response

Other Considerations

• Age

• Gender

• Dietary habits

• The season

Ayuvedic Practices Forbidden

• Ruling Medieval class forbid Ayurvedic medical practices

• Alternate systems replaced Ayurveda• Further declined when Moslems invaded• Censored by British rulers• Revitalization when British left• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi promoted global

renewal

Contemporary Ayurveda

• There are 5 leading journals in India• There are 120 teaching institutes • There are 246,800 registered Ayurvedic

practitioners• There are 4,769 licensed pharmacies

manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines• On the surface the future seems bright,

BUT

Critical Appraisal

• A true revival of Ayurveda is impeded by Western scientific paradigms which forces Asian societies to accept modern science and technology as the universal, well established system. Therefore they must legitimate their practice in terms of Western standards.