Diagnosing Diseases the Ayurvedic Way

Wellness not only means that you’re free from ailments but also that your mind, body, and spirit are in perfect harmony. Or, as stated in ancient Ayurvedic scripts, your Tridoshas – Vatta, Pitta,Khapa – are well balanced. In this definition also lies a diagnostic method that can help avert the possibilities of severe health conditions before they surface as a threat. But before we dig into the diagnosis in Ayurveda, let’s take a closer look at its theories.

Maintaining wellbeing

Ancient yet timeless, Ayurveda gives us the means of attaining optimal well-being and maintaining it by fully controlling our health. The key here lies in the notion that everybody is built unique, so naturally, the solutions to their ailments need to be different as well. By understanding the uniqueness of a person and taking into account the season, geography, and so on, a wellness plan that is true to its nature can be curated. Prakriti and Vikriti are two theories that help determine this. 

1. Prakriti:

   The three doshas are present in everyone. They are all a necessary and integral part of the body. But each of us is born with our own unique dosha balance, known as our Prakriti. In other words, Prakriti is your fundamental dosha balance.

2. Vrikriti:

   In Ayurveda, any illness is viewed as a dosha imbalance which is called your Vikriti. These imbalances can manifest in multiple forms – from feeling that something isn’t right to experiencing the symptoms of a disease. To bring back the balance, the Ayurvedic system of medicine first tries to understand what caused the imbalance in the first place. This way of handling an illness is completely different from the western system of medicine. And in all fairness, this is what makes all the difference. An accurate or effective diagnosis is an important step before treatment. Better diagnosis helps yield positive treatment outcomes. But, whatever the treatment may be, the goal of Ayurveda is to reestablish the person’s natural balance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Types of diagnostic methods in Ayurveda

According to Madhava, the five main types of diagnosis in Ayurveda involve an examination of Purvarupa, Rupa, and Samprapti. These are further supported by the conduct of Upashaya and Ashtavidha Pareeksha. Confused? As new as these words may appear, their meanings are commonly known in the world outside of Ayurveda. We’ve compiled a summary to explain them all better.

1. Purvarupa:

   You may know this as prodromal symptoms. This refers to the early signs of disease. No, we don’t mean the symptoms, but all the way back to when you became vulnerable to being infected by a particular disease. They don’t affect your health directly nor warrant immediate medical treatment, but identifying them early is a huge advantage. As you have your best chances of preventing an illness from harming you in the first place. Purvarupa if left untreated eventually leads up to the full-fledged symptoms of the illness appearing in patients.

2. Rupa:

   They are manifested symptoms. All of the signs indicating a disease fall under this spectrum. You may think that a symptom is enough to identify a disease. But most of the time the underlying cause of the symptoms may go unnoticed as symptoms can be misleading or common. To carefully understand what’s ailing you, a vaidyan may use touch and percussion to judge the state of an individual’s health and problem.

3. Samprapti:

   It is the process of knowing how the dosha imbalance is caused that helps understand the root of the disease. In other words, pathogenesis traces the onset of symptoms in the patient all the way from the personal and family medical history of the patient. Also known as the Nidana stage. What plays a crucial role here is the status of the patient’s age, metabolism, and overall mental & physical condition.

4. Upashaya:

   These are therapeutic tests and techniques that help identify which out of the three – Vata, Pitta, Kapha – is the dominant dosha causing an imbalance in the body. After determining this, it becomes easier to treat and relieve patients from their discomforts. 

5. Ashtavidha Pareeksha:

   Lastly, the physical examination. This is a special stage where you will go through a thorough examination. The Ayurvedic Vaidya will inspect your:

Nadi (pulse):	Jihva (tongue):	Sabda (voice):	Drik (eyes) :
Mala (feces):	Sparsa (touch):	Mutra (urine):	Akruti (appearance):

These inspections can be done to identify the disease for both the prevention and treatment phases. And also help determine how far along you’ve come in your healing journey.

Takeaways

At Ayuvi you can connect with expert Vaidya who will not only help you with diagnosing your health problem but also treat it in a way that improves your overall health. All this while giving your body hardly any side effects and the best chances of stopping the recurrence of the disease. Get in touch with us to book your Ayurvedic consultation. We can help you deal with your health condition in the most natural way known in history.