All Classical Ayurvedic treatments are done at the Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam (Ayurveda hospital) under the able guidance of experienced physicians and well trained therapists. Facilities are available for Panchakarma as well as preparatory and post procedural management according to the need of the patient. List of major treatments and brief description given below.

Abhyangam

Abhyangam is application of oil on head and body followed by gentle massage of body by a trained therapist. The patient will be on the special table and will take seven positions like sitting, lying on back and side etc during the treatment. Abhyanga is done as a single treatment and as a preparation for or along with major treatments. The duration of this treatment is 45 minutes, followed by a bath using green gram powder to remove the oil. The physician will decide the suitability of the patient for this treatment and also the oils suitable for him/her. This treatment is done for a day or for any number of days as prescribed by the physician to suit the conditions and the treatment taken along with it.

Pichu

Pichu is an external oil application, superior to abhyanga in potency. Pichu is done only to the affected parts, like head, low back etc. It is done as a major treatment and a simplified version of it is done along with other oil treatments like abhyanga. A dry cotton cloth having the size sufficient enough to cover the area of application, when folded is taken. The thickness of the folded piece should be preferably that of the palm. A hole is made in the center of the folded cloth to pour oil perodically. Duration of the treatment varies according to the condition and the treatment along with which it is done. This treatment is done for a day or for any number of days as prescribed by the physician to suit the conditions and the treatment taken along with it.

Pizhichil

Pizhichil means squeezing. Pizhichil is the process where cotton cloth pieces are dipped in warm medicated oil and squeezed onto the patients body. Here the patient is smeared with appropriate medicated oils on the body and head. Then the therapeutic assistants two on either side of the specially designed wooden table dip clear cotton cloth in warm medicated oil and squeeze in onto the patients body. Like Abhyangam, Pizhichil is also done with patient in seven positions. This process is followed by a bath using a green gram wrap and warm water for the body and lukewarm water for the head

Thakradhara

This treatment is pouring of medicated buttermilk on the forehead. The treatments start with oil application on head and body. Then a cloth piece is tied around the patients forehead to protect oil from dripping to the eyes. Patient is made to lie on the treatment table on his back and the wick hanging from the Dhara pot should be 4 fingers above his forehead. Then medicated oil is poured into the Dhara pot after heating to mild warm condition. The flow is adjusted to make it straight and this is allowed to fall on patients forehead and this is continued for the specific duration. Oil massage is given to the patient at the end of this treatment

Sirodhara/ Shirodhara

In this treatment medicated fluids-oils, milk or buttermilk are poured on the forehead in a special way. The most common method is used with medicated oils. The treatments start with oil application on head and body. Then a cloth piece is tied around the patients forehead to protect oil from dripping to the eyes. Patient is made to lie on the treatment table on his back and tip of the wick hanging from the Dhara pot should be 4 fingers above his forehead. Then medicated oil is poured into the Dhara pot after heating to mild warm condition. The flow is adjusted to make it straight and this is allowed to fall on patients forehead and this is continued for the specific duration. Oil massage is given to the patient along with Dhara

Sirovasti

Sirovasti is the most intensive, potent external oil application. Sirovasti is a special technique to administer medicated oil on the head. The patient is made to sit upright on a wooden stool and medicated oil is applied on the body and head. Then a cap made of flexible leather, open on both sides is fitted on the head and the prescribed medicated oil, slightly warm, is poured onto the cap. The oil is allowed to remain inside the cap for about 45 minutes or till the manifestation of proper signs of efficient treatment, which ever is earlier, and drained out. Afterwards the head is wiped with a clean dry cotton cloth. Again medicated oil is applied on the body and head and the patient is given a body bath in warm water. This treatment is done for maximum seven days and requires equal number of days for preparation and for having the post intensive treatments (i.e.21 days are required for a full course)

Sirolepa

The application of herbal paste on the patients head is called Sirolepa. The most commonly used herb is pericarp of the fruits of Indian gooseberry cooked in buttermilk. The patient must sit on a stool facing east after applying oil on head and body. A piece of cloth is tied around the forehead just above the ears. Then the medicinal paste is applied on his head in a thickness of one finger. A gap is made at the center of the head by removing medicinal paste from that part. Banana leaf made into cone shape is kept over his head. Mild massage is done on his body and neck during the treatment.

Kizhi

Kizhi means bundle. This treatment is meant to induce perspiration. Bundles are made out of Herbal powder, Leafs, Special variety of rice. Kizhi treatments start with Oil application. Patient is given oil application on head and body lying on a wooden bed. Then Kizhi is heated in a pan with suitable fluids or oils and applied on patients body by therapeutic assistants standing on either sides of the table. One Therapist is engaged in heating the Kizhi. Usually eight or four or 2 Kizhi are prepared as per the requirement and half of them are heated while the others are used for applying on the patients body. It is applied in such a way that the Kizhi reaches all parts of the body except face and head.

Ilakkizhi

In Elakizhi instead of herbal powders, herbal leaves is used and procedure is similar to Podikizhi

Podi kizhi

Fomentation done with a bundle of medicinal powder tied in instead of herbal leaves tied with cotton cloth.

Navara kizhi

Navara rice is boiled and cooked in the mixture of milk and a decoction . This is then packed in cloth and tied into bundle .The patient has to lie on the table on his back after oil application on his head and body. Navarakizhi is heated in the same liquid mixture and taken in a vessel and are applied on patients body after checking the temperature. The therapy is done until the cloth bundle becomes empty.

Avagaha swedana

Performing fomentation in a tub filled with medicated decoctions etc., is known as Avagaha Swedana. After anointing the body with medicated oils the patient is asked to lie or sit in a tub containing Luke warm decoctions upto neck level.

Snehapaana

Snehapaana means drinking the sneha or the unctuous material like ghee (clarified butter), sesame oil, animal fat or marrow. However ghee (clarified butter) is most commonly used. This is the first step in the preparation of the person for an intensive cleansing of the system by vamana (inducing vomiting) or virechana (inducing purgation) procedures an dhelps in destabilizing the doshas (causative factors for diseases) pathologically accumulated. Swedana (inducing perspiration) that follows make the destabilized doshas to flow to the intestines for elimination. The prescribed dose of medicated ghee is given in the morning on empty stomach followed by a cup of hot water. Food, in prescribed quality and quantity, is allowed only after manifestation of proper hunger after this. The dose of ghee is usually minimal on the first day and increased everyday based on the response to the previous dose. This treatment is done for a maximum of seven days or till the appearance of physical and mental symptoms of saturation of the ghee in body, whichever is earlier.

Swedana

Steam chamber is used for this. Oil should be gently applied on the body and the patient is made to sit in the chamber where steam emanates from boiling herbal decoction. Treatment should be continued till the forehead and abdomen sweat very well. Eyes are to be protected and wrapped with a piece of cloth while doing sudation. Eyes, feet, palms, chest and testicles should not be heated very much. Bathing should be done after when the sweat is completely dried up. Slightly warm water should be upset for bathing. Food can be taken after one hour, which is warm, unctous and light.

Virechanam

Virechanam (including purgation) is a sodhana/purificaton treatment. Medicine should be taken on an empty stomach. This is usually done after proper snehapanam and 3 days of fomentation. Medicine shall be in any form, either liquid or powder or oil or jam or decoction. After taking the medicine the patient should drink hot water frequently till bowel movements start. Except hot water no other food shall be taken. The patient has to rest lying on the left hand side. Bowel movements starts with evacuation of solid stools first. After a few times it changes to semi-liquid. If the bowel movements are not satisfactory more and more hot water should be given to induce urge

Vasti

Vasti (administration of medicine through rectum) is another sodhana/purification treatment. Vasti is the treatment where herbal medicines like medicated oils/ decoctions/ medicated milk / ghee is administered through rectum using an instrument called Vasthiyantra. Vasti is of three types - Kashayavasti, Snehavasti and Uttaravasti. Among these Kashayavasti and Snehavasti are most commonly practiced. In Kashayavasti the treatment is done with a combination of honey, rocksalt, oil, herbal paste and decoction In Snehavasti-medicated oil and ghee is administered through rectum. In Uttaravasti, vasti is given through urethral or vaginal tract. A course of both Kashayavasti and Snehavasti. Kashayavasti is Sodhana - it purifies the body by expelling the impure doshas from the body where as Snehavasti is Brimhana - it nourishes and lubricates the body. These two treatments are always used in combination, thus producing a balance of purification and nourishment in the body. In the usual procedure Snehavasti is given first to lubricate the body. This followed by Kashaya to purify the body.

Kashayavasti

The medicine for Kashaya vasti is prepared by mixing Honey, Rock salt, Oil, Herbal paste and decoction. First honey and rock salt are mixed in a vessel. Then oil is added and mixed well. This is followed by paste and then decoction is added and mixed. This forms a homogenous mixture of honey, rock salt, oil, herbal paste and decoction. This mixture is filled in a sac made of leather after warming a little by keeping in a hot water. The sac is then tied at the end of the vastiyantra (instrument of vasti). The patient should have taken food in the previous night, evacuated and done ablutions in the morning. The patient has to lye down on a wooden cot. His body must be massaged with oil and abdomen should be warmed up. He should lie down on his left side, flexing the right leg and extending the left leg. The nozzle of the instrument and anus of the patient are lubricated first by applying oil. Then the nozzle is carefully introduced into the anus keeping the patient to relax and breathe out. The leather sac containing medicine is the pressed firmly once and medicine is injected into the rectum. A little of the medicine is left in the sac to prevent air entering into the rectum. Then the patient should lie down on his back after completion of vasti. His abdomen should be massaged gently. When urge to pass stool the patient can go to the toilet and evacuate. If he gets clear bowel movements then the treatment is successful. Afterwards he should take bath in warm water and have food

Snehavasti

The patient should take light food, then oil massage and bath is given. Soon after he should be laid on comfortable cot neither too high nor too low, on his left side, folding his right thigh and extending the other. The enema nozzle is lubricated with oil and apply some oil in the anus also. The instrument is then filled with the medicated oil and introduced into the rectum in the following manner. It should be pressed without shaking the hands in the direction of the vertebral column, neither too fast nor too slow neither with great force nor with low force in just one attempt. After the administration the person should lye facing upward. Then he should be given massage of abdomen, hand and feet. He must lay extending the entire body with a pillow under his heels. Oil should be smeared all over the body so that the sneha does not come out early. In normal case the enema liquid will go out after one or two hours. If the sneha returns properly at the right time the patient should fast at night and can take breakfast next day morning.

Uttara vasti

It is called douche in simple terms. It is done after the completion of menstrual cycle when the female genital tract is receptive to the administration of medicated formulation. It is indicated in uterine disorders, Bladder disorders, dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, primary infertility .3- 5 ml of medicated unctuous formulation can be administered into the uterine cavity by means of a 5 cc syringe guided with a cusco speculum. It is done for a period of 7 days with gradual increase of dose of the medicine. In men it is done in urethral disorders and known as Urethral douche.

Nasyam

Nasyam is meant for cleaning the head region. Patient is asked to lie down on his back on a wooden cot placed in a room devoid of breeze. Head should be placed slightly down and legs higher. Body especially head, neck and chest should be massaged with oil and fomentation is given Nasyam is of three types:
Virechana Nasyam: This type of Nasyam treatment purifies by expelling Doshas from the head region. In this type of Nasyam strong medicines are used to expel out the Doshas instantaneously from the head region.
Brimhana Nasyam: This Nasyam treatment nourishes and strengthens the head region, senses and intellectual functions. It builds up the weaker parts and is indicated in Vata diseases of the head like migraine, loss of voice, diseases of mouth, difficulty in opening eyes and difficulty in lifting hand. Meat soup and ghee medicated with herbs are used as medicines.
Samana Nasyam: This type of Nasyam subsidises the increase Dosha without expelling it out. It is moderate, neither too strong not too mild. This is good mainly in conditions like skin discolouration, hair loss, eye diseases, Medicated water and milk can be used for this purpose. Amount of medicines used: It can be either 4 drops or 6 drops of medicated oil depending upon the Dosha involvement.

Jaluka

A non-poisonous Leech is applied on the disease part to suck the vitiated blood from the body. The patient is asked to sit or lie down comfortably. Rub the place of Leech application with dry powder and apply the Leech. If the Leech does not catch the place pour one or two drops of honey, ghee, blood etc., or make a small incision. When it starts sucking blood it should be covered with a soft cloth soaked in cold water. If pain and itching is present at the site of Leech application then it indicates that the Leech is sucking pure blood and then the Leech should be removed. If the Leech wont leave easily then turmeric powder has to be sprinkled. Then the Leech is made to vomit the sucked in blood. The Leech should be preserved in water in an earthen ware or bottle. The Leech once used cannot be used upto 7 days. If the Leech vomits the blood completely it moves freely in water and its appetite is also increased. If it is not moving in the water or moving sluggishly then it means that the blood is not vomited completely. Then it should be made to vomit again.

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