PANCHKARMA IN AYURVEDA

The term 'Panchakarma' is composed of two words in Sanskrit, 'Pancha' meaning five and 'karma' meaning therapy. Panchkarma is a purifying therapy to enhance the metabolic process through food and herbal medicines. It is used in deep-rooted chronic disease as well as seasonal imbalance of tridoshas. As the wastes are eliminated from the body the person becomes healthy. Literally Panch means five and Karma means action. So Panch Karma means five types of actions or techniques or treatment. These types of therapeutics are based on elimination therapy. The treatment in Ayurveda can be broadly classified into two:
1. Sodhana Chikitsa - Purification Therapy
2. Shamana Chikitsa - Alleviating Therapy

Sodhana Chikitsa

The main aim of this treatment is to eliminate the internal causative factors of the diseases. A large quantity of toxic bi-products are formed in the body as a result of continuous metabolic process. Although most of these toxins are eliminated naturally by the body's excretory system, some may get deposited in the various tissues of the body, which ensures the vitiation of Doshas, Dhatus etc. and then the normal functioning of the system is impaired. Similarly, disease causing toxins accumulate in the body as a result of various factors like wrong body habits, wrong food habits, incompatible combination of food items, suppression of the body urges, emotional imbalance etc.

Various therapeutic procedures are used to facilitate the elimination of such harmful factors. They are:
1. VAMANA (Emesis Therapy): Internal oral medicines are administered to induce vomiting.
2. VIRECHANA (Purgation Therapy): Internal medicines are administered to induce purgation.
3. NASYAM (Nasal Medication): Herbal medicines in the form of oil or powder is administered through the nostril.
4. VASTHY (Medicated enema therapy): Herbal medicines in the form of decoction or oil is administered through the anus.
5. RAKTHAMOKSHAM (Blood letting therapy): In this procedure, impure blood is drained out of the body through various means (Needle-Pricking, Venesection, Leaching etc.)

These five procedures are collectively termed as Panchakarma. The word literally means five procedures to purify the body, to bring back the body functions to the normal tone. This is specially formed in a condition of increased Dosha vitiation.

Shamana Chikitsa

This is specially done after the shodhana therapy and in less vitiation. Herbal medicines are used internally and externally to correct the derangement of functions of Doshas, Dhatus, Malas and Agni and also to increase body immunity. The restoration of normality is brought about without any elimination.