Panchakarma is one of the prominent Ayurvedic tools used to restore balance to the body.
Through the use of herbelized oils, body treatments, steam therapy, nasal therapy, vomiting
therapy, enema therapy, and purgation therapy, Panchakarma is designed to allow the body to
rid itself of wastes that have accumulated and lodged in the body, creating blockages in the
intelligent flow of various systems. Once this cleansing process is complete, the body can
resume its natural functioning without inference. Ayurveda cleansing therapies get to the root
cause of the problems and eliminate the deep seated toxic metabolites (ama) from the body
restoring equilibrium of the doshas and promoting healthy tissues.
Apart from providing a curative line of treatment, Panchakarma helps in promotion of health and
wellness and prevention of disease thus beneficial for both diseased and healthy.
There are three sequential steps in carrying out Panchakarma treatments in the classical way.
They are Purva Karma, Pradhana Karma and Paschyat Karma.
For proper and efficient administration of Panchakarma, it is essential to prepare the patient
before Panchakarma by deepana, pachana, snehana, and svedana treatments.
Deepana and pachana are the herbal therapies given to increase digestive fire and to promote digestion. They are administered orally in the form of powder, tablet or decoction to help to
enhance agni (digestive fire) and liquefy ama (toxic metabolites) so it can be eliminated from the
body by Panchakarma treatments.
Snehana is the process of administration of fats internally in the form of medicated ghee and
externally in the form of specific oils. Snehana helps in mobilization of the vitiated dosha from
the site of morbidity.
Svedana is a procedure of inducing perspiration by application of heat to the body. This helps in
liquifying the vitiated doshas and bringing them to the gastrointestinal tract from where they are
eliminated by various Panchakarma treatments.
The term Panchakarma is a combination of two words – “Pancha” meaning five and “Karma”
meaning procedures. The five Panchakarma therapies are: Vamana (Emesis), Virechana
(Therapeutic purgation), Nasya (Nasal medication), two types of basti: Anuvasanav Basti
(Medicated oil enema) and Niruha Basti (Herbal decoction enema), and Rakta mokshana
(bloodletting), which is advised in a very rare conditions and generally is not practised in the
USA.
Vamana is induced by oral administration of herbal emetics to remove the accumulated doshas,
especially vitiated kapha dosha from the body.
Virechana involves the use of oral purgatives to remove vitiated doshas, especially pitta dosha
by inducing purgation.
Nasya is one of the panchakarma therapies that helps in removal of vitiated doshas from the
head and sinus by instilling liquid medicines through the nose after massage and fomentation of
face and neck. This Panchakarma treatment is beneficial in disorders affecting the head, face
and neck.
Anuvasana basti is a treatment where medicated oil enema is administered through the anal
route for expelling vitiated doshas. It is highly beneficial for pacifying Vata dosha through its
tonifying effect.
Niruha basti involves the introduction of herbal concoctions into the rectum with the patient
lying in the left lateral position. Niruha Basti treatment is more purifying and effective for
balancing Vata dosha.
This is the process of gently returning the body to normal life in a way that preserves the
progress the Panchakarma treatment has made. Maintaining healthy eating habits, lifestyle
choices, and continuing to follow the recommended herbs and lifestyle for your dosha are vital
to enhancing the effectiveness of the first two PK steps and your life as a whole. Following up
regimen in regard to diet and lifestyle helps to intensify agni (digestive and metabolic fire),
restore physical strength as well as for optimal functioning of the body systems.
