Eczema

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 humors that creates eczema.

The dominance of dosha in a person is found by asking several questions on his behavior, food habits, sleeping patterns, age, height & weight, place of life, profession, health problems and medical reports etc. Ayurveda diagnosis comprises of clinical and laboratory tests also.

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, colour 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 examinationis done to check the type, colour 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. A preliminary consultation with Ayurveda doctors online is also possible nowadays for guests worldwide.

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 docotrs 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 therapiesare 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. The commonly adopted prepurification therapies for eczema are Snehapanam, swedanam and Thalapothichil.

Snehapanam:Medicated ghee, eaten in empty stomach, for its first hand therapeutic value, is called snehapanam. The treatment involves the removal of hard-core toxins and wastes from the body. Snehapanam is one of the excellent pre purification therapies.

The ghee lubricates all the channels of the body, including the lymph, and forces out the toxins from them, into the digestive tract. It also calms down the mind and reduces mental stress. As a result, the body immunity increases, the effects of the ailments subside and frequent recurrence of the disease is prevented. It also increases the person's appetite level and accelerates peristaltic movements of the intestine.

The medicated ghee is prepared by processing herbal paste, herbal juice, milk, ghee etc. The herbal paste is made from herbs like amaltas, sarsaparilla, jaman, Indian kino tree, guggul, ginger, neem, onion, chopchini, tribhala, malabar nut, Cardamom, asparagus, mustard etc. The herb chopchini has powerful anti inflammatory and antibiotic properties and gives the effect of a steroid. Amaltas and neem are excellent for curing skin ailments.

Snehapanam, done once a day in empty stomach, is usually continued for 3 to 7 days. The exact duration and type of ghee to be used are decided by the doctors who treat you taking in to consideration the age, place, climate, and body constitution of the person.

Swedanammeans medicinal perspiration and involves the active sweating of the whole body using medicated steam. Through this process, the agni is increased and the fatty tissues get mobilized. The channels of the body are softened and this causes the impurities to move out through the skin by way of sweat. Swedanam as a prepurification therapy for eczema cleanses the channels thoroughly and helps to control the vitiated doshas. This therapy is done in two ways.

A- Through external application of heat or retention of the body heat such as through exercise or through the use of heavy clothes and blankets. B- Remaining in a chamber that has been well- heated for a considerable period of time or inhaling medicated steam. This helps the patient to sweat considerably and helps to throw out the impurities through the pores of the skin.

Thalapothichil is, the person's scalp is completely applied with high value medicinal pastes. This enables the medicines to penetrate faster into the brain cells. The healing properties of the herbs also calm down the nervous system and rejuvenate the person. To start the treatment, the person sits on a chair, well relaxed. Selected medicinal herbs, thoroughly ground and made into fine paste, is then thickly applied on to his scalp. The head is then covered up with leaves, usually banana leaves, to form a perfect mask. This is done to allow the medicines to stay on and function well. The mask remains on the person's head for almost 40 to 50 minutes giving wonderful relaxation to the mind. The effect of the medicines calms down the nerves, relieves mental tension, increases the person's memory power and improves his sleep pattern.

Herbs and fruits such as gooseberry, henna, asparagus, guggul, lotus seeds, sandal, nut grass tuber etc. are used in the treatment. They are first moisturized in buttermilk before being ground to a paste form. The paste thus obtained becomes a rich blend of various cooling agents. Herbal medicines such as Lehyam (semi-solid) Choornam (powder) and Kashayam (decoction) for oral consumption may also be a part of the treatment. The duration and the herbs used are decided by the doctors depending on the age, body constitution of the person etc. However, 2-3 weeks of the treatment is advisable.

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 two commonly adopted Panchakarma treatments for eczema are Vamanam and Virechanam.

VamanamInduced vomiting, using herbal medicine is called Vamanam. This treatment is effective for eczema. It is one among the renowned Panchakarma treatments. Through vamanam, the toxins and acids of the upper parts of the body are completely eradicated. As the channels are freed from harmful toxins, the body tissues get recharged. The person's memory power also increases, the sense organs get better clarity and his digestive fire increases. In total, the person gets a powerful revitalized feeling. Vamanam, in addition to treating eczema, also rejuvenates the person's body and mind. The person is made to drink sweetened milk stomach full, followed by a single dose of medicinal decoction. In 2 or 3 minutes he vomits, throwing out all the excessive acids, and toxic substances from the body. The medicinal decoction used is made of black pepper, Gooseberry,beetle killer root,tamarind and liquorice. Salt and honey are also added to it when consumed.

Virechanam is the intake of oral medicines leading to the elimination of toxins through the anal route. It eliminates excess bile toxins from the mid zone of the body. Virechanam constitutes one of the treatments of Panchakarma. When the digestive tract is clean and toxic-free, it benefits the entire body system. As a result, the person's appetite increases, body strength enhances and the person becomes active and buoyant. Thus virechanam also functions as an excellent rejuvenating experiment. Herbal powder, medicated castor oil or herbal paste is commonly used as the purgative medicine. Avipathychoornam is the herbal powder generally used for the treatment. It is a mixture of herbs like turpith, embellia fruits, dry ginger, lotus seeds, long pepper,konch, sandalwood,cinnamon, etc. The treatment usually begins early in the morning. The person consumes the appropriate herbal medicine in empty stomach. The medicine does a good cleansing of the entire digestive system. And within 1 to 2 hours he empties his bowels, expelling along with it, all the accumulated toxins. The dose of medicines, diet patterns etc. are to be strictly followed as per the doctor's recommendation. Virechanam, using strong medicines, is mostly done only once in a month under the supervision of doctors.

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, restore and balance the body functions and maintain the overall health and well being of an individual for much longer periods after the Panchakarma course. Rasayana includes oral medicines and diet regulation.

Oral medicines for Eczema

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Oral medicines used for treating eczema will be extracts of pure medicinal herbs, leaves, spices etc. These are prepared specifically to restore the lost balance and to provide the needed inputs to cure eczema. Kashayam and Arishtam - herbal decoctions and fermentations Lehyams - semi solid formulation are commonly prescribed. Some of the herbs and spices used in the preparation of kashayams and lehyams for treating eczema patients include guggulu, neem, acaca arabica, linseed, madhuca etc

Diet regulation will be suggested for patients suffering from eczema during and after the treatment. They should consume pita pacifying foods as pita is aggravated when one is suffering from eczema and pita needs to be pacified. Besides, they should avoid eggs, fish , peanuts, sour foods, pickles, curds etc . They should drink large quantities of water and consume large amounts of fruit juices including orange juice; tomato juice etc.

Eczema patients can use turmeric in flavouring foods. The intake of foods that are easy to digest should be encouraged. Fruits and vegetables are recommended and should be taken in abundant quantities. Foods that may lead to constipation should be avoided at all costs. One should drink large quantities of water throughout the day as considerable amount of toxins from the body can be eliminated through urination. Excess intake of tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages should be avoided also.

Yoga and meditation are always beneficial and have always played a vital part in curing every type of disease. Yoga exercises done every day replenish and re balance the physical and emotional systems that are depleted by the everyday stresses that lie so heavy on our lives. Yoga makes it possible to rest on a strong base of confidence and strength within oneself. Light yoga postures, meditations and breathing exercises are advised. Pranayama pose, Sarvangasana pose and Shirshasana pose are recommended.

Life Style for Eczema

Patients suffering from eczema are advised to take at least one or two weeks of rest after the Panchakarma experience. At this time the body is weak after the purification process and needs time to get back to normalcy. Since Eczema flares up under the skin, one should avoid tension and stress. They should also avoid excess heat as sweat can make the skin more irritated and itchy. One should never scratch the affected area even if it itches. They should bathe using a mild soap and even then, they are advised to use as little soap as possible. Besides, the use of wool clothes, air tight clothing, exposure to extreme climates, terry wool, nylon and other synthetic fibres are to be discouraged. Some home remedies such as applying turmeric on the affected area as also rubbing the affected area with coconut oil is beneficial. Rubbing nutmeg against a smooth stone and using the paste on the affected area is also found to alleviate eczema. Sandal wood powder mixed with one tea spoonful of camphor and made in to a paste can also be applied on the skin

General Information

The ability to properly digest food is very important to sustain health. Incompletely digested foods create toxins and impurities in the body and disrupt body functions. This process plays a major role in a wide variety of chronic conditions. Your Ayurveda Doctor will advise you how to increase your digestion power.

The nervous system controls your bodily functions, and the chronic condition is affected in some way when the nervous system activity becomes imbalanced. Vata is the physiological principle at the basis of nervous system. Imbalance in nervous system or Vata Imbalance worsens symptoms of chronic diseases. Yoga and meditation would help you to avoid stress situations.

It is important to have a lifestyle that does not disturb natural bodily rhythms. When we eat, sleep and exercise in constantly fluctuating and disturbing patterns, the body loses its natural balancing cycles and cannot cleanse or heal itself as effectively. Therefore, regularity in our daily routine can be extremely effective in reducing physiological imbalance to avoid chronic disease.