How is Panchakarma Treatment Different from Shirodhara Treatment?
- February 25, 2020
- Posted by Dr. Vaidya Karanvir Singh
- 0 Comment(s)
In Ayurveda Panchakarma is one of the most well-known parts or treatment. It is a mainly five-step procedure to rejuvenate mind-body with the usage of herbal oil for massages, steam baths, enema to cleanse the body, a proper healing purifying practices are included in panchakarma.
Panchakarma is a technique to eliminate harmful toxins from the body and to balance the vitiated doshas. many ailments are healed and inner peace with clarity is achieved.
It’s not like a normal holiday spa with massages at the poolside with a glass of fresh juice. It is a body and mind detoxification through various channels of the body like mouth, ears, anal, nose, and many others.
Panchakarma procedure not only detoxifies the body, but it provides rejuvenation to the body. It provides strength to the immune system, and balance all three doshas which are required for personal well-being.
It is one of the most effective healing methods practiced in Ayurveda. It is recommended as per seasonal changes, as well as when an individual feels sick or is experiencing any kind of disease.
Panchakarma is not meant for a pleasing heart. It examines your mental ability, body changes, and spirit to a level that you have never experienced in your life before. It simply is purging out the old and accumulated waste material from your colon, stomach, and mind.
Table of Contents
Shirodhara
It meaning of word shirodhara is Shir: = head, Dhara = continuous or running liquid (like water coming from tap)
Shirodhara is a procedure of running (or continuous) medicated herbal liquid on the forehead region mostly for urdhva-jatru ailments (body parts covered in shalakya tantra; parts above the collar bone
The benefit of Shirodhara treatment is it provides relaxation to your mind which can be taken along with any bodywork treatment— it awakens your intuition, sleep gets improved or better, balance your Vata dosha and more.
What is Panchakarma?
Panchakarma is derived from a Sanskrit word which means “five actions” or “five treatments” or “five procedures. The main function of panchakarma is too deeply cleanse the body and remove all the toxic materials due to any disease, poor nutritional diet, and toxins present in the environment.
Normally the body has the inbuilt ability to efficiently process and remove these toxins, including the vitiated doshas from the body.
Many dietary indiscretions, poor physical activities, lifestyle changes, and genetic predisposition, the enzymes help in digestion, metabolic co-factors, hormonal imbalance, and agnis which are responsible for body regulation as the body’s internal homeostasis become misbalanced.
This can cause the spread and accumulation of toxins throughout the physiology which results in disease. This waste matter is called ama in Ayurveda. Ama is defined as a foul-smelling, sticky by nature, harmful material that needs to be eliminated from the body.
It is a very soothing experience that is done according to individual needs and may include:
- Abhyanga warm oil massage is done daily
- Swedana steam therapy with herbs
- Lymphatic massage
- Basti or herbal enemas
- Nasya or Nasal administrations with herbs
- Other special therapies
Panchakarma is a five-fold treatment; it is highly based on the patient’s needs which further depends on the Ayurvedic constitutional, imbalances of doshas, age of the patient, digestive function or strength, immune system, and many more factors.
As per the needs of the person, all of the five therapies are performed. Specially trained panchakarma therapists must perform these procedures sequence wise for a particular period.
Though Panchakarma is for soothing and relaxing therapy, there can be a stage of discomfort associated with the release of harmful toxins. It is necessary that a trained expert who can examine all the signs & symptoms properly and supervise the Panchakarma therapy. These signs were meticulously examined by the vaidya’s.
Purvakarma or pre- purification measures
Before the actual procedure of purification of the body, one needs to prepare the body with suggested methods to eliminate the harmful toxins. There two mainly two methods of purification known as Snehan and Swedana. Snehan means massage with medicated oil.
Oil is applied to the whole body with a prescribed type of massage that helps to eliminate the toxins through the gastrointestinal tract. With the Oil massage, one can have soft superficial and deep tissues, thus it also helps to remove stress and give nourishment to the nervous system.
For three to seven days snehan is given daily, as suggested. Swedana is sweating or sudation and is given daily after the snehan. An herbal decoction or herbs are added to the steam to loosen the toxins and remove them easily from the body.
Swedana liquefies the toxins and increases the mobility of toxins into the gastrointestinal tract. After three to seven days of snehan and Swedana, the doshas become well “ripened.” A panchakarma as per the condition of the patient is given and according to the type of disorder one is suffering from, based on Prakriti and vikruti, respectively.
Pradhana or Five Basic Cleansing or Shodhana Methods
- Induced or therapeutic vomiting or emesis(Vamana)
- Purgation or Virechan
- Enema or basti
- Elimination of toxins through the nasal passage or Nasya
- Detoxify the blood vessel or Rakta Moksha
Uses of Panchakarma therapy include
- Removal of toxins from the entire body system
- All three Doshas are balanced
- Healing of digestive system
- Build up the immune system
- Stress management
- Anti-aging
- Enhance skin glow and luster
- Weight-loss (if overweight)
- Relax the body deeply
- Outlook in life in a meditative way
- Enhanced mind energy
Diet after the Panchakarma therapy
The diet makes Panchakarma so effective during or after a procedure. You have only to take just kitchari that too strictly, which is a dish cooked with basmati rice and lentils slowly in medicinal spices and natural herbs.
- You have to avoid coffee, green juice or other aerated drinks anything besides tea.
- You have to avoid eating salads and smoothies because they give a cooling effect to the system, avoid meat, bread, and sugar because they are heavy and generate heat for the system.
- Avoid junk food like sandwiches, pizza, packed and processed foods to get better results of Panchakarma therapies.
Cleansing begins within and the kitchari diet is a very important part of the Panchakarma experience. Your diet must be purely sattvic, vegetarian and generate positivity, to evoke Ojas, the wellbeing of a person.
In the process of Panchakarma, you come to know your food addictions such as you need to eat something sweet after food, a piece of chocolate or any tasty snack in the afternoon. Everything is should be well-cooked, soupy and simple.
You realize how often you crave something sweet as a break or crunchy as a form of entertainment. Food provides nourishment, give sustenance and medicine, not a release of emotions, addiction or distraction .it makes you stronger than ever.
Seven Signs Your body needs Detoxification
- A coating of a thick layer on the tongue
- You feel tired throughout the day, especially after taking meals
- Body aches and pains
- Cravings that you can’t resist
- Foggy thoughts
- Your mouth stink badly, bad odor and flatulence
- One feels Constipated or diarrhea
Chandigarh panchakarma center
Chandigarh Ayurved Centre like any other service initiative began humbly. In 1890, Vaidya Gurbachan Singh with a vision to serve humanity began working as a Vaidya in Punjab. He later also came to be known as “Raj Vaidya”. Vaidya Gurbachan Singh is followed by 3 more generations of his family in the field of Ayurved.
Chandigarh Ayurved Centre was established in 1994 to promote healthy living and healing of the body through Ayurvedic herbs. Chandigarh Ayurved Centre was founded by Vaidya Jagjit Singh and was initially known as Janta Clinic initially started 1987.
Vaidya Jagjit with his son Vaidya Karanvir Singh get the experience of his parents Vaidya Bhagat Singh and grandfather Vaidya Gurbachan Singh knew since childhood that he had to become an Ayurvedic Practitioner.
The knowledge of Ayurved has flown in our family for 131 years. And at CAC we believe that traditional and scientific methods walk hand in hand towards healthier living. We use 100% organic & natural products in a standardized quantity at our hospital to treat our patients. Our Vaidyas guide the staff to prepare fresh medicines and provide them to the patient’s right at our clinics.
Dr. Vaidya Karanvir Singh is the younger Vaidya in Chandigarh Ayurved & Panchakarma Centre. He is the fourth generation in his family who is practicing as a general consultant in Ayurved & Panchakarma treatment at Chandigarh. In his practice, he had treated more than 1 Lakh Plus patients worldwide.