Pizhichil is the continuous pouring of medicinal oil all over the body. The patient is made to lie on the wooden bed and the prescribed warm medicated oil is applied to his head and body. Clean cotton cloth is dipped in medicated oil and squeezed all over the body. Two to four attendants, two on either side of the patient, pour the oil continuously for 45 to 90 minutes based on need. After the treatment is over, the patient is given bath in warm water.
Svedana or inducing of sweat by different methods like the steam chamber increases the digestive capacity, improves the texture and complexion of the skin, increases hunger, cleanses the pores, makes one alert, and improves the movements of the joints.
This is one of the svedana (described above) treatments which is however more intensive and powerful, and is used in conditions like hemiplegia, muscular wasting and other vata conditions. Here a rice variety is appropriately cooked with specific herbs and milk and tied up in cloth to create small bundles. And then these bundles (which are kept hot in boiling milk-herbal decoction mixture) are used to massage the body of the patient. The time duration, the period of treatment and the restrictions are all similar to dhara.
Here fomentation is done by using bundles of medicinal leaves which are prepared together in neem oil/castor oil. And then these bundles (which are kept hot in warm medicated oil) are used to massage the body of the patient. The treatment is particularly effective in aches and pains, swelling, sports injuries.
Here the whole body or specific parts are made to sweat by using bundles of certain medicinal powders And then these bundles (which are kept hot in warm medicated oil) are used to massage the body of the patient. Podikizhi is indicated in diseases where there is vitiation of kapha, heaviness of body/extremities and obesity, etc.
Another treatment for the aggravated vAta in the head, here, a specially prepared herbal paste is carefully applied all over the head and removed after 30-45 minutes. The period of treatment and the restrictions are all similar to dhara.
This is especially useful to reduce pain in specific areas like the lower back, the thighs, the head etc. Here a cloth piece is soaked in warm medicated oil and applied to the particular part which is in pain. It is repeatedly soaked from time to time during the duration of the treatment which lasts from 30-45 minutes.
This is a series of five highly intensive purification procedures which primarily aim at removal of the toxins from the body. The five treatments in this procedure are emesis, purgation, oil enema, decoction enema, and nasal therapy. Each of these treatments has clearly prescribed preparatory and post-treatment procedures which have to be properly applied to ensure the maximum benefit and also to avoid side effects.
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