A review on Pain Management through Panchakarma

Abstract

Pain can be described as any physical or mental suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. No matter however mild the pain is anywhere in the body it lands person in state of discomfort and affects day to day activities. Ayurveda describes pain as the premonitory sign as well as symptoms of many diseases under different terminologies viz. Vedana, shool, ruja. According to Acharya Sushruta - “Vatat Rute Nasti Ruja” i.e. the root cause of all types of pain is Vata Dosha. In spite of recent advances in pain treatment including anaesthesia, its' management still remains challenged. In a world where everyone is looking for means and medicines to minimize and kill pain Ayurveda can be a ray of hope to understand its actual concept and provide new direction for its management. According to the cause, nature and duration of the pain, Ayurveda offers a wide range of Panchakarma therapies to manage and heal pain. Treatment modalities offered in Ayurveda such as Agnikarma, Jalaukaavcharan etc. offer immediate pain relief without much untoward effects. It is hence mandatory to explore the concept of Pain and its practical utility requiring establishment in pain care reconnoitred in Ayurveda. Critical review of the previously available classical references and facts about pain, its management through conceptual study of vitiation of Vatadosha responsible for pain with chief therapeutic procedures such as Snehan, Swedan, Agnikarma, Jalaukaavcharan, Vedhankarma, Lepankarma & Bastikarma utilized in Ayurveda with a modern lookout could find a way to address this grief.