Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Snehana – oleation or lubrication remedy is a crucial remedy process in Ayurveda. It’s often administered as part of Purvakarma – preparatory process for conducting Vamana or Virechana. Vamana or Virechana would yield good outcomes solely after the affected person is ready with correctly administered snehana adopted by swedana – sudation.
Snehana is a process during which the medicated fat, ghee or oil often are administered in ‘every day growing dosage’ till the physique is saturated with Sneha. Correct saturation is recognized with the assistance of ‘Samyak Snigdha Lakshanas’ i.e. indicators of correct oleation.
Snehana might be primarily for –
– Shodhana – whereby great amount of Sneha ought to be administered to expel massive portions of doshas – This type of snehana is the purpose of debate on this article
– Shamana – to palliate the reasonably aggravated doshas, in situation the place shodhana – cleaning will not be required – utilized in average amount
– Brimhana – to strengthen the physique, whereby a small amount is used together with meals
Vicharana Sneha is a technique whereby small portions of medicated fat are given blended with edible meals in numerous methods.
Nitya Sneha is a small amount of Sneha administered every day, for a stipulated time interval in some illness situations.
The time period ‘Snehapana’ although relevant for all types of consumption of Sneha (pana = to drink), it’s typically utilized to explain the ‘shodhana snehana’ since massive portions of Sneha are given to drink on this process.
Can Snehapana go flawed?
Whereas every kind of Sneha administration can go simply, Shodhana Sneha ought to be administered with good planning, else it’d trigger –
– aggravation of current signs of the illness or
– might trigger some new signs or
– produce signs of indigestion
Why can these items occur?
The above mentioned untoward occasions can occur because of totally different causes. The principle ones are –
– Improper planning of snehana
– Mistaken calculation and administration of dose of Sneha – administered in too massive or too much less dose
– Administration of Sneha to these unfit or ineligible for the remedy – flawed selection of illness and diseased, administration in contraindicated situations
– Improper time of administration – Sneha administered throughout evening time would improve vata and kapha and trigger vata-kapha issues. Equally, Sneha administered at day time would worsen pitta and result in manifestation of pitta issues.
– Use of flawed sort of Sneha – instance – use of taila i.e. oil in excessive pitta situations (it’s contraindicated)
– Use of Sneha in flawed Rtus – seasons. Taila – oil is indicated in Pravrt season. Sarpi – ghee is indicated in Varshanta i.e. Sharad Rtu (Autumn). Different Snehas i.e. Vasa – muscle fats and Majja – bone marrow might be administered in Madhava or Vasanta – Spring season. Aside from the indicated seasons, if Sneha is utilized in another season, it may trigger issues.
– Improper follow-up (publish snehana procedures – dos and don’ts)
Methods to handle the untoward happenings?
Signs of illness for which Sneha is run can flare up because of any of the above-mentioned causes. Insufficient doses would set off and excite the doshas with out inflicting correct snehana. These doshas would improve the illness signs or trigger newer signs and issues. Extreme dose might trigger over-saturation and the Sneha would change into satmya – healthful or habituated to the physique. The intention of snehana is not going to be met with, indicators of over-oleation will manifest and typically purgation or emesis of drugs too might happen.
Is aggravation / flare up of signs at all times a degree of concern?
No. If the signs of the illness flare up after consuming Sneha, it could be a pure response or response of the physique and its tissues to massive portions of Sneha to which we aren’t accustomed to. The doctor mustn’t panic at this level. He also needs to have intimated the affected person that the signs might initially flare up.
Why does this occur?
The massive portions of Sneha consumed will produce snigdhata – unctuousness of all of the cells, as soon as it enters the physique and reaches the tissue ranges. This occurs because of the gunas – qualities of Sneha i.e. guru – heaviness, shita – coldness, sara – flowing, snigdha – unctuousness, manda – slowing down, sukshma – minuteness or deep penetrating, mrudu – smoothness and drava – liquidity. Because of these qualities, the Sneha will produce Sneha – unctuousness, visyanda – liquification, mardava – smoothness and kleda – dampness or moistness within the physique owing to related qualities of Sneha. These sudden modifications will put the physique right into a state of discomfort and would additionally trigger aggravation of illness signs or give rise to new signs.
If these signs change into insupportable with growing dose on consecutive days, the snehana ought to be stopped and remedy for elevated signs or new signs ought to be given. Snehana for these individuals ought to be deliberate in a exact manner and proper dosage and after analysing the standing of the affected person and the illness, it shall be restarted after a niche of greater than three weeks.
If the symptom flare-ups will not be troublesome and are gentle in nature, they shall be ignored contemplating that they’re induced because of the response of the physique to the medication.
Indigestion of Sneha can happen if Sneha is run when the affected person is having mandagni – inadequate digestive hearth / energy or when it’s administered in bigger doses.
Administration
In keeping with the precept, “….Virukshanam Viparitam!” – ‘inflicting dryness or implementing rukshana – drying therapies is antagonistic to extreme snehana’, Rukshana Chikitsa ought to be deliberate. Rukshana includes of meals, medicines and therapies which have reverse qualities as these of Snehana.
Meals ought to be of the beneath talked about nature –
– Dravam – liquid and simply digestible meals
– Ushnam – scorching and freshly ready
– Anabhishayndi – these which don’t produce extreme liquidity within the physique
– Naati snigdham – these which aren’t too unctuous i.e. having very much less amount of unctuous supplies like oil and ghee
– Asamkaram – combination of varied meals shall be prevented
Different cures –
– Kshut – withholding starvation, which is a kind of langhana
– Trshna – withholding urge for consuming water
– Ullekhana / vamana – emesis to throw away the undigested Sneha
– Sweda – sudation, which is of reverse nature of Sneha
– Ruksha anna pana – meals and drinks devoid of unctuous materials, dry in nature
– Takrarishta – fermented preparation ready on buttermilk base
– Khala – dish ready from curds
– Use of Pippali – Piper longum, Kshaudra – honey, Go mutra – urine of cow, Guggulu – Commiphora mukul, Yava – barley, Triphal
– Yathasvam Pratirogam cha Sadhanam Sneha Vyapadi – particular therapies for ailments or issues produced by Sneha as per the suggestions in these particular ailments