AYURPATRA

Your monthly health e-newsletter

Vol: 1-Diseases of - Above Shoulder region (Ear disease)

SERIES URDHWAJATRUGATA    XV – Nov 2005


This monthly e-feature of Ayurveda India brings for you heartiest wishes of Dhanwantari diwas and Diwali  . Lord Dhanvantari  is the physician of the Gods and an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He came out of the ocean that was churned by the Gods and the demons on the day of dhanteras. Lord Dhanvantari appeared with Ayurveda for the welfare of the mankind. Ayurpatra is a sincere effort in the same direction. Our web site (www.ayurplanet.com) has helped millions of people. Ayurpatra is loaded with lots of information, events and happenings related to Ayurveda including featured articles, details of very useful herbs, beauty tips and various herbal products and health supplements. The aim of this Newsletter is to serve humanity from health aspect by natural means. 

May this festival fill your life with happiness and bright cheer, and bring to you joy, prosperity and good health.


FEATURED ARTICLE- Tinnitus / Karnanada 

According to Ayurveda, tinnitus in not a disease but a symptom of prana vayu disturbance. Prana vayu is a subdosha of vata which resides in the head and governs all higher cerebral functions. If tinnitus goes untreated, other symptoms of prana vayu disturbance may follow, including anxiety, fear, nervousness, sleep disorder, tremors, and stuttering. There may be other symptoms of vata disturbance in the ear, specifically dried ear wax, pain, and deafness.

Sushruta says when vayu covered with doshas taking faulty passage get located in sound carrying channels,then the patient perceives various types of sound;this disease is known as pranada or Karnanada(ringing in the ears).

Vata principle governs movements in the body like circulation, digestive movements, sensory movement etc. It is made of air and space elements .If vata gets vitiated air and space elements get increased in physiology and disturb all the bodily functions of movements. This leads to pressure in the head , nervous system, dryness in the senses, tinnitus, loss of sleep, dry scalp, dry skin , tendency of unstability, anxiousness, nervousness etc.

In tinnitus the sound is experienced only by the patient, it is not external it is internal, it is not the persons imagination it is result of internal, vata, imbalance.

Because every individual has a different body constitution , the sound in tinnitus varies in different type of people. One may experience high frequency ringing or whistling sounds while other perceive low frequency or buzzing behind the head, or moderate wind blowing noise. People suffering with high frequency sound in the ears are the most sufferers; it disturbs their daily living activities, concentration, causes further increase of symptoms. People with the low frequency or moderate sounds some how they try to learn to live with it.

According to Ayurveda vata body type people are prone to suffer with high frequency, pitta body type people with moderate frequency and kapha body type people have the tendency to suffer with low frequency sounds.

 Tinnitus (karnanaad) may lead to hearing loss (baadhirya). It may not be necessary that all tinnitus cases cause hearing loss. People with high vata imbalance, vata body type are more prone to certain other disorders like hearing loss. So these people prone to a condition called hyperacusis (certain high-frequency sounds can be very painful, this condition is also known as hyperacusis.), concentration problems, sleeping problems, irritation and annoyance, hypersensitivity to sounds, or increased sensitivity in silence. chronicity of this problem causes despair, frustration and depression in many people.For these patients Ayurveda India has authentic treatments.

Another similar condition is karnasveda(sound in ears).Here Vayu aggravated by exertion, wasting, intake of rough and astringent food and also after head-evacuation and excessive use of cold associating with Pitta, kapha and Rakta gets located in the passage of ear and thus produces sound of bamboo in the ears.

The difference between karnanada and karnaksveda is that the former is caused by single vata with perception of various sounds while the latter is produced by vata associated with other dosha and with flute’s sound.

Causes and risk factors:

One cause of Tinnitus can be ear disorders such as ear infections, Meniere's disorder (which is a disorder of the inner ears, involving the semi-circular canals responsible for balance and equilibrium), or even a build up of wax in the ears. Tinnitus can also be associated with some hearing loss caused by exposure to very loud noise such as at a loud construction work site or loud music concerts.

Other possible causes of tinnitus are listed below.

  • Otitis media with effusion (an ear infection often known as 'glue ear' in children)
  • Acoustic Neuroma, a benign (non-cancerous) Tumour of the auditory nerve, which carries signals from the inner ear to the brain
  • High doses of drugs including aspirin, quinine and some antibiotics
  • Head injury
  • Disorders of the heart and blood vessels, particularly in the head
  • High blood pressure
  • Problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) - the joint between the jaws, which can also lead to pain in the head or face

Signs and symptoms

·         Noise in ear, such as ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing

·         Hearing loss

MANAGEMENT:

The Vata balancing therapies and herbs are beneficial in Tinnitus.

Nasya Vacha (Acorus calamus) oil nasya, has a powerful effect in calming and balancing the Prana vayu. A preparation of sesame oil medicated with calamus root is taken nasally, five drops per nostril, at night and in the morning. The nasya should be warmed to blood heat before administration. nasya helps to nourish the senses to eliminate excess vata from senses.

Abhyanga (Massage) Shiroabhyanga(head massage) and padabhyanga(Foot massage), wherein the soles of the feet are massaged with warm sesame oil, has a specific effect in calming the prana vayu. At bedtime, warm sesame oil should be applied to the soles of the feet and also to the scalp. This treatment rapidly normalizes the prana vayu.

Karnapooran(Ear drops)To calm the vata in the ears, ten drops of warm sesame oil is applied daily to each ear. The oil is allowed to remain in the first ear for five or ten minutes, then that ear is cleaned, and the same procedure is followed with the other ear, with the patient lying on the other side. Typically, this treatment should alleviate tinnitus, and most other symptoms of prana vayu disturbance, within eight to ten days.Bilwadi tail,Apamargkshar tail,Dashmool tail can be used for Karnpooran.

Kawala Gargling of medicated oils or certain liquids/Kwath is Kawala.It strengthens the nerves of eyes and ears and also pacifies aggravated vata.

Gandusha Withholding medicated oils or certain liquids in the mouth for a certain period of time is known as Gandusha and has the same benefit as Kawala.

Herbs and Formulations
Oral administration of sarasvat churna can be given in doses of a quarter teaspoon twice daily after meals. Ashwagandha,Jatamansi,Dashmool ,Rasna are the herbs and formulations like 101 avartit Ksheerbala , Anu tail, Brahmi ghrit  can be used in Karnanada and Karnashveda.

Lifestyle Changes
Consumption of caffeine, nicotine, or cocaine can disturb the prana vayu leading to tinnitus, as can excess television watching, excess use of computers, or sleeping near an electrical outlet. Lifestyle adjustments are thus an essential part of the effective treatment of tinnitus.

Moderation in sensory activities.especially ear sense -avoid too much exposure to loud noises, music, speakers, and professional activities which involve high frequency sounds.

  You may consult our Ayurveda experts through on line consultation or personally. 


HERB OF THE MONTH: Vacha

Vacha (Acorus calamus) is the important plant in the group of 'Medhya Rasayana'.

Properties:

Rasa (taste): Pungent, Bitter, Astringent
Virya (action): Heating
Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Pungent
Guna (quality): Dry, Light and Penetrating
Dosha effect: VK-, P+
Dhatu (tissue): Plasma, Muscle, Fat, Nerve, Reproductive
Srota (channel): Nervous, Digestive, Circulatory, Respiratory, Reproductive

Pharmacological Action: nervine, antispasmodic, sedative, stomachic, expectorant, emetic, laxative, diuretic .

 Clinical Research: The essential oil free alcoholic extract of the rhizome was found to possess sedative and analgesic properties; it has moderate hypotensive and respiratory depressant effects. When administered to experimental animals the oil reduces muscle tone and response to tactile and auditory stimuli. Asarone and beta-asarone are the constituents credited with the sedative and nervine effects. The alcoholic extract has also shown antifungal effects.

Traditional Uses: Sweet Flag is presently classified as an unsafe herb for internal usage by the FDA. It has been used for centuries, however, in Ayurvedic medicine as a renowned rejuvenator of the nervous system for conditions of anxiety, hysteria, insomnia, neurasthenia, and other nervous complaints. It is useful in all conditions of excess vata and is known to enhance awareness and improve memory. A decoction of the root acts as a carminative removing discomfort caused by excess intestinal gas. According to Duke, Orientals use the root decoction in bronchitis and as an aphrodisiac. A small piece of the root is chewed to overcome mental fatigue. The skin of the root is hemostatic. It has been used in dyspepsia, dysentery, headache, gout, and rheumatism. The juice of the root is applied to boils, carbuncles, and painful joints. In large doses it is emetic. The powdered root is used as a snuff to relieve nasal congestion and mental weariness.

Indications: mental fatigue, memory loss, anxiety, bronchitis, sinusitis, common headache, flatulence, joint pains

Uses
MIND: Its primary application is to open the mind, improve concentration, clarity and speech. It is often part of a formula made to treat depression where there is mental ama. This acrid root is also used in developmental problems in children and where there maybe speech difficulty post stroke. It encourages the flow of udana and pranavayu. By nourishing sadhaka pitta it specifically strengthens the ability of the mind to receive information and recall from memory. It actually scrapes mental ama and stagnation from the subtle channels of the mind.
GIT: Calms the nerves in the GIT, prevents fermentation and clears excess kapha from the intestines; dyspepsia, flatulence,. Vacha regulates samana vayu and kledaka kapha. High doses can cause vomiting.
LUNGS: Clears damp, wet coughs from the lungs. This is also connected with its affinity for the throat- it clears 'obstructions' from the throat. Excellent remedy for sinus congestion, nasal polyps and rhinitis from kapha aggravation.
URINE: Used traditionally for urinary gravel and infections by removing the kapha deposits.

                                                                    

AYURVEDIC ACTION: Deepana- awakens digestive fire, Pachana- digests toxins, Lekhan- remover of residues, Kriminashaka- destroys worms, Unmadaghna- benefits emotional problems, Apasmaraghna- used to treat epilepsy, Rasayana- rejuvenative to the mind, Shirovirechan- purges the orfices of the head of kapha and ama.(Charaka, Sushruta, Bhavaprakasha)     

 


BEAUTY TIPWinter Hand care

 

During winter, hands tend to get dry and rough. To overcome this, mash two ripe bananas; mix with the juice of one lime and some husk of oat. Apply this mixture on both the hands. When dry, scrub gently and wash with plain water. Your hands will become as soft as lotus flower

For personalized beauty related queries mail to:beauty@ayurplanet.com


 FORTHCOMING EVENT:

Event Name: AROGYA CHENNAI

Date: December 10-12

Venue: Convention Centre of Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam, Chennai

Details: Tel:  28554655,28587297 E-mail: itpochn@md4.vsnl.net.in

 


 NEWS: Ayurveda India clinic in UK

 

In the Light of spreading Ayurveda throughout the world we have started with another Ayurveda clinic project in Europe this month . This centre provides the consultation, Ayurveda treatments and Ayurveda education. Dr.Raghunandan Sharma is in UK for the developments of this endeovour. He can be reached at ayurplanet@gmail.com

 


AYURVEDA INDIA

An International Herbal Treatment and Panchakarma Center,
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New Delhi -110049,India.
Phone: 00 91 11 24648034 / 24641132 
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Our European center:

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:: Disclaimer: All details, thoughts and opinions shared by the writers in this monthly, are their own and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or management of this monthly. This monthly is meant only for information purpose and it is not intended to replace the services of a health practitioner licensed in the diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease. Any application of the material in this text is at the reader's discretion and sole responsibility. For all health concerns you are advised to consult with a duly licensed health practitioner We do not claim for any authenticity of the matter.     Thank you for taking the time for reading this newsletter.We hope you have found it informative.