Acidity
Acidity is a disease of excessive acid production in the stomach. Aamlapitta is the common name for acidity. It is mainly due to the aggravated pitta dosh. Pitta dosh is sometimes associated with vata dosh and/ or kapha dosh. Day todays hectic lifestyle of every individual is responsible for acidity. Nausea, vomiting, continuous belching, gas trouble, fullness of the stomach, abdominal pain, chest pain, indigestion, and loss of appetite are some of the symptoms that arise due to acidity.
Acidity may lead to stomach ulcer formation, esophagitis, and acid reflux disease.
Causes of Acidity
- Continue eating oily, spicy, fermented, junk food, fast food, packet food.
- Excessive stress, anxiety, tension
- Sleeplessness or daytime sleep.
- Lack of exercise, Sedentary lifestyle.
- Pain-killer consumption.
Ayurvedic Treatment for Acidity
Ayurvedic medicines and panchakarma therapies give complete cure for acidity problems. Aamlapitta denotes aamlata i,e, sour test in the mouth due to aggravated pitta dosh. Ayurvedic treatment aims to nullify the aamlata i.e. sourness and balance the pitta dosh.
Hurry, Curry, Worry are the main responsible factor associated with acidity. The ayurvedic treatment aims at the calm of mind, diet correction, improving digestion, balancing pitta dosh, and correcting the lifestyle.
Panchkarma therapy is a must for a complete cure. Vaman means medicated vomiting, always recommended in Urdhvag Aamlapitta. Virechan means medicated purgation recommended in Adhog Aamlapitta. Before Vaman or Virechan Poorvkarm is done. In Poorvkarma Ghrutpan, Sarvang Abhyang(full body oil massage), and Sarvang Sweden (steam bath) for 5 days is essential. Shirodhara also recommends relieving anxiety, tension, stress, and sleeplessness. Ayurvedic medicines like Sutshekhar, Kamdudha, Bhunimbadi Kadha, shankh, praval, shouktik, and Godanti are used as per the body constitution of every individual and dosh Pradhanya. Nadipariksha proves helpful in identifying body constitution and aggravated dosh.
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Peptic ulcer disease is the most common stomach disease it means actual damage to the lining of the stomach. It occurs due to excessive acidity in the stomach. For the stomach, to remain healthy there has to be a balance between acid production(aggressive factor) and the defensive mechanism of the stomach. The defensive mechanism is the mucus layer that protects the wall of the stomach and prevents acid from destroying the layer. The defensive mechanism might be down due to overuse of painkillers and ulcer formation in the stomach. The most common symptom is pain and discomfort related to meals. Burning sensation and typical acid-related complaints are common. Acid secretion increases after meals, as well as during deep sleep when something called a “Nocturnal Surge” occurs. It is very common for ulcer patients to wake up at night due to pain and burning sensation related to Nocturnal Surge.
Ayurvedic aspect of Peptic Ulcer Disease
Excess acidity most offend occurs due to H. Pylori infection of the stomach. The presence of H. Pylori can lead to inflammation of the stomach lining as well as to hormonal changes. The first part of the small intestine also gets affected by the excess acid. Today we have seen that, usually H. Pylori is the major cause behind the peptic ulcer. A peptic ulcer is described as Parinamshul in Ayurveda. Misbalancing of Pitta and Kapha dosh is responsible for Parinamshul. Rasvahsrotas and annavahsrotas dushti also causes parinamshul. Vataj, Pittaj, Kaphaj, and Tridoshaj are the types of Parinamshul according to Ayurved Granth.
In vataj parinamshul sneha basti, in pittaj parinamshul virechan, and in kapahaj parinamshul vaman is recommends. H. Pylori infection is completely cured by Ayurvedic medicines. Herbs like Jeshtamadh, vasa, Aamalki, Shatavai, Kakmachi, Matulung, etc. get excellent results in curing stomach and duodenal ulcers.
The treatment of peptic ulcer disease is the same as acidity. Only the difference is it takes more time to cure than acidity.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
The most common condition that causes reflux of excessive acid is GERD. This occurs when the sphincter muscle of the stomach doesn’t close properly, allowing excessive acid to rise in the esophagus and causing a burning sensation in the chest. The change in lifestyle, diet, and lack of exercise causes the loosening of the sphincter. Other causes include obesity, smoking, alcohol, spicy food, and caffeinated beverages acid reflux leads to complications such as esophagitis and ulcers.
Ayurvedic medicines with panchkarma, an appropriate diet, and yoga help to cure GERD. The treatment of GERD is similar to that of acidity. GERD is explained as Urdhvag amlapitta in Ayurveda. Vaman panchkarma with proper Ghrutpan eradicates GERD.
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is very common nowadays. It is an emotional as well as physical disease, which affects the large intestine. Spasmodic pain, cramping sensation, gas trouble, constipation or loose motion, indigestion, and bloating of the stomach are the common symptoms of IBS. It is a very chronic disease. IBS patients continuously feel like going to the toilet for at least 4 to 5 times a day. Every time he is not satisfied by deification. A stool contains mucus with sometimes blood. Fatigue is always there. IBS requires long-term Ayurvedic management. IBS is more common in women than the men. The symptoms of IBM are very much different from person to person.
The symptoms of IBS are generally as -
- Abdominal cramps
- Spasmodic pain
- Bloating of stomach
- Gaseous distention
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Mental Stress, anxiety
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
The symptoms of IBS are not always continuous. They can vanish only to come back. Some people may suffer continuous symptoms. In women, symptoms may exaggerated at the time of menstruation. The stress may worsen the condition.
Ayurvedic aspect of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
In Ayurveda, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is described as Pravahika. Misbalancing of vata, pitta, and kapha dosh may lead to Pravahika. Annavahsrotas, purishvahasrotas, and udakvahasrotas dushti is found in pravahika. Disturb lifestyles, wrong diet habits lead to illness of digestive fire.
Kledak kapha, saman vayu, and apan vayu get vitiated. This vitiated Kledak kaph stagnant to the large intestine, to expel that kapha from the intestine, a patient has to do straining. With multiple times of straining small faucal matter goes out. Continuous straining leads to vata Prakop hence fatigue occurs in the IBS patient.
Ayurvedic treatment for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
IBS needs long-term treatment. There is a complete cure for IBS in Ayurveda. Balancing the vata, pitta, and kapha dosha, improving the digestive fire, lowering the stress, and anxiety level, and increasing the function of the intestine are the main criteria to treat the IBS according to the Ayurveda.
- Caster oil and haritaki give good results. Herbs like sundh, ativisha, bilva, hing, kuttagkap, musta, naagkeshar, and bhallatak are use commonly to treat IBS.
Sangivani guti, kutaj parpati, bhallatak parpati use commonly.
Basti panchkarma procedure is used in every IBS patient. Piccha basti i.e. mocharas siddha basti used commonly. It gives excellent results in the complete cure of IBS. Before the main basti panchkarma procedure sarvang abhyang(full body oil massage) and sarvang swedan(steam bath) are given. To relieve stress, and anxiety levels Brahmi’s and Shankhpushpi’s oil Shirodhara gives an excellent result. The direction of the treatment mainly depends upon the dosh dushti and prakruti of the IBS patient. Nadiparikshan helps us to identify the dosh Prokop and Prakriti (body constitution) of that individual.
