Panchakarma

Panchakarma

Panchakarma is a guarantee of health and longevity

Panchakarma is a complex of healing treatments described in Ayurvedic treatises more than five thousand years ago. As you know, the cause of most diseases are toxins that accumulate in the body as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle and diet and it is Panchakarma that is aimed at getting rid of them. Nowadays this healing method is becoming very popular due to its effectiveness.

Panchakarma is a five-way body detoxifying method: cleansing of the small and large intestines with laxatives and enemas (Virechana and Basti), removal of toxins from the upper body and head by an emetic therapy and adding medicinal oil into nostrils (Vaman and Nasyam), as well as purification of blood through bloodletting (Raktamokshana). The preparation stage procedures are done before the main treatments and at the end the restorative period procedures (Rasayana) aimed at rejuvenation and longevity are done.

The effect of Panchakarma on the human body

Panchakarma is a serious and profound process affecting the human body with a help of individually selected treatments and diet, it requires special knowledge and high qualification of Ayurvedic doctors. That is why Panchakarma should be done under the supervision and control of a certified Ayurvedic doctor with Ayurvedic medical education. In India and Sri Lanka such education takes at least 6 years, so when choosing an Ayurvedic clinic for Panchakarma it is very important to be sure of the appropriate qualification of the doctor.

The results of high-quality Panchakarma:

  • Getting rid of pain, causes and symptoms of a disease
  • Overall improvement in well-being
  • Immunity enhancement
  • Restoration of metabolic processes and functions of all body organs
  • Improved digestion
  • Rejuvenation of all tissues and body systems
  • Getting rid of excess weight and gaining weight in case of an underweight person

It’s important to remember that in order to achieve such results on should follow the doctor’s. Depending on the patient’s health condition, it may be necessary to undergo Panchakarma several times.

The basic principles of Panchakarma

Purification path

Medicinal oils are the main ingredient of Ayurvedic therapies and particularly Panchakarma. There are internal and external oils made with different medicinal herbs according to classical Ayurvedic recipes. During the Panchakarma preparation process, a patient undergoes various lubrication treatments – oil massages and medicinal clarified butter (ghee) ingestion. As a result, fat molecules capture the toxins in the body and afterwards remove them during the cleansing treatments.

Experience and professional secrets

Highly qualified Ayurvedic doctors have their own professional secrets and big experience in the treatment of different patients. During Panchakarma, some patients may experience allergies to certain drugs, individual intolerance or psychological stress because of unusual treatments and methods. In these cases, professional secrets and experience of doctors always help out.

Basic techniques

The main method of Panchakarma consists in a gradual top-down cleansing of the body. Usually, in the beginning, the patient is prescribed to go for procedures related to the elimination of Kapha-dosha toxins (these are Nasya and Vaman), then Pitta-dosha (Virechana) and Vata-dosha (Basti) toxins are removed. In the end, blood purification (Raktamoksana) can also be performed. The cleanses are done in this order since Kapha is located in the upper part of the body, Pitta – in the middle and Vata – in the lower part. It’s not always necessary for every patient to undergo all five stages of cleansing – very often 2-3 cleansings are enough. At the end of Panchakarma, the patient undergoes a recovery course aimed at immunity enhancement and body rejuvenation (Rasayana). As a rule, the minimum duration course is 3 weeks, the recommended one is 4-5 weeks.

Panchakarma programme

After initial examination and consultation, an individual Panchakarma treatment plan is drawn up by a doctor. The first 5 to 10 days, depending on the expected duration of the treatment, are usually spent in preparation for cleansing.

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Panchakarma therapy information

Panchakarma is a healing method suitable for most patients. But there are some restrictions:

  • Age – children and adolescents under 16, as well as people over 75 years old.
  • Pregnancy – all cleansing treatments can be done during preparation for pregnancy and after lactation. Panchakarma should not be done during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Acute conditions – Panchakarma should not be done during the acute phase of a disease.

In all these cases, it is allowed to get some light treatments – massages, baths, nasal cleansing (Nasya), etc. A doctor decides whether Panchakarma can be done or not according to the results of consultation and diagnosis.