A critical review on Dysmenorrhea with reference to Kashtartava and its Ayurvedic management

Abstract

Due to today’s sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, dysmenorrhoea is becoming today’s burning problem. In present-day life, women are effectively facing challenges encountered by stressful life resulting in Mithyaahara and Vihara, over exertion and malnutrition, this may direct to Vikruti in “Rituchakra’’ leading to various Vyadhi allied to menstruation. Ayurveda recommends Ritucharya and Dinacharya, diet modulation and Yoga in the form of Asanas, Pranayam and meditation on a regular basis so as to alleviate dysmenorrhoea effectively. Similarly, Uttarbasti, Garbhashaya Balya Aushadhi, Anuvasana or Matrabasti can also be administered if necessary. Today stress is becoming an inescapable part of modern life. In the incessant quest for material comforts, a woman has been losing her health. The basic reason why women are reeling under myriad problems is because she has not been following the codes of healthy living. She has disregarded the codes for the bodily health as well as healthy mind also. Menstruation is a natural event as a part of the normal process of reproductive life in females. This causes discomfort for women’s daily ensuing day to day activities and may result in missing work or school, inability to participate in sports or other activities. In the treatment of dysmenorrhea, no addictive, analgesic, antispasmodics are prescribed which are not good for health for longer use. In Ayurvedic classics Kashtartava (dysmenorrhoea) is not described as a separate disease because women were not suffering much from this problem in that era because of pin pointed Ritucharya and Rajasvalacharya. According to Ayurvedic text, there are many other diseases in which Kashtartava is considered and is described as a symptom. Hence, this study is particular about the description regarding Kashtartava on the basis of scattered classical references.