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 allergy   

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 examination is 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 now a days for guests worldwide.

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.  

The following pre-purification methods are usually adopted in the treatment of allergy. 

Snehapanam is an important pre-purification therapy which consists of oral intake of medicated ghee and sesame oil for a specified number of days. This unique treatment helps flush out the toxins from the body. Amaltas, guggul, ginger, neem, onion, chopchini, tribhala etc. are some of the ingredients used for its preparation. A part from being a purva karma treatment for allergies, snehapanam also improves the delicacy of the skin, enhances memory and the grasping power of an individual. 

Swedanam is the process by which the body is made to sweat and perspire thus throwing out the waste products and ridding the body off impurities through the sweat glands. Through this process, all the channels are cleared and clogging is avoided.

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 over seen by doctors.  The commonly adopted Panchakarma treatments for allergies are Nasyam, Vamanam, Virechanam and Vasthi. 

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 blend of sesame oil mixed with herbs such as sida plants, bael, vitex etc. Nasyam is highly effective in the treatment of allergy. 
 
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 allergy. Herbs generally used in vamanam include – emetic nut, sweet flag, liquorices etc. 

Virechanam consists of intake of safe herbal medicines leading to the elimination of the poisonous wastes through the anal route. This cleansing of the mid zone benefits the entire body system. The appetite and body strength increases making you a more active and energetic person.Virechanam has been found to be highly beneficial in the treatment of allergies.  

Vasthi is an enema therapy and is considered the ace colon cleaning panchakarma treatment. In this form of treatment special medicines are introduced through the anal route for the evacuation of accumulated toxins and metabolic wastes. It is highly recommended in the treatment of allergy. 

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 treatment includes oral medicines and diet regulation. 

used for treating allergy will be extracted for pure medicinal herbs, leaves, spices etc. These are prepared specifically to restore the lost balance and to provide the needed inputs to cure allergy.  Kashayam and Arishtam - herbal decoctions and fermentations Lehyams – semi solid formulation are commonly prescribed.

Spices such as dry ginger, black pepper, basil leaves, cloves, camphor, coriander etc are some of the medicinal herbs and spices included in the ayurveda preparations for the treatment of allergy 

Home Remedies: It is found that five drops of castor oil in half a cup of any fruit or vegetable juice or plain water and taken in empty stomach in the morning is beneficial for allergies of the intestinal tract, skin and nasal passages. 

Lime is considered an effective remedy for any kind of allergy. Half a lime may be squeezed in a glass of luke -warm water and sweetened with a tea spoon of honey. It can be taken once daily first thing in the morning for several months. This remedy not only flushes the system of toxins but also acts as an antitoxic and anti allergic agent. However, .those who exhibit allergy towards citrus fruits should not take recourse to this remedy. 

One or two bananas a day are useful for those who get allergies after consuming certain foods and who consequently suffer from skin rashes, digestive disorders, or asthma. The fruit does, however, cause allergy   in certain sensitive persons and they are advised to avoid it. 

A quantity of 500 ml carrot juice or a combination of carrot juice with beet and cucumber juices have been found beneficial in the treatment of allergies. In the case of mixed juices, 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices should be mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice to prepare 500 ml or half a litre of mixed juice. This should be taken once daily.

Diet regulation will be suggested for patients suffering from allergy during and after the   treatment. Patients should always consume warm foods as these are easier to digest than cold foods.  Ayurveda suggests that one should avoid eating refined and processed foods as these are loaded with numerous chemical additives many of which cause powerful reactions and thus allergies. Also, consumption of foods prepared in the micro oven should be discouraged as this in some cases are known to destroy over 90 %of the protective anti oxidants in the food. Consumption of cold foods and drinks including ice cream and dairy products like cheese and yoghurt as also heavy foods are to be avoided. Those susceptible to allergy should avoid foods like tea, coffee and foods containing chemical additives and preservatives. Foods that should be avoided are tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, alcohol, sugar and products made from it, refined cereals, fish, chicken, tobacco, milk, cheese, butter, smoked and salted pickled foods, and foods containing any chemical additives, preservatives and flavourings. 

The best way to prevent or overcome allergies is to strengthen overall physical resistance so as not to fall an easy prey to every allergen that one comes across. To start with, the patient should fast on fresh fruit juices for four or five days. Repeated short juice fasts are likely to result in better tolerance to previous allergies. 

After the juice fast, the patient can take a mono diet of vegetables or fruits such as carrots, grapes or apples for one week.  After that one more food may be added to the mono diet. A week later, a third food may be added and so on. After four weeks, protein foods can be introduced, at one time. In case an allergic reaction to a newly introduced food is noticed, it should be discontinued and a new food tried. In this way, all real allergens can eventually be eliminated from the diet.  

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 rebalance 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.

For allergic conditions in which an element of mental stress is present as well, it is essential to employ such methods as relaxation, exercise, meditation, and mind control. These methods reduce or remove stress and thereby contribute towards the treatment of allergies. The recommended asanas such as yogamudra, ardh- matsyaendrasana, sarvangasana, shavasana and anulomaviloma pranayama are all beneficial in the treatment of allergy. 

Life Style for Allergy

Patients suffering from allergy should avoid tension, stress and anxiety in their daily lives. They are also advised to take at least one or two weeks rest after the Panchakarma experience. At this time the body is weak after the purification process and needs time to get back to normalcy. Allergic patients are advised not to expose themselves to extreme climates both hot and cold as climatic changes can cause allergy. One should also avoid strenuous exercise, late nights, viewing television for long periods and stimulating experiences.