Visúchiká (Gastro Enteritis)
Symptoms: When persons suffer from indigestion,
mad food cravings, careless eating habits, and
overeating, they may experience pricking pain (as if
needles are sticking them). Other symptoms include
fainting, diarrhea, vomiting, severe thirst, burning
sensations all over, poor complexion, tremors, pain
in the heart area and head, and twisting of the arms
and legs. (Therapies below)
Alasaka
Symptoms: Severe abdominal distention, delusion,
crying helplessly, upward-moving gas (i.e., blocked
downward movement of the gas), not eliminating gas
and stool; thirst, belching. (Therapies below)
Vilambiká
Excess Kapha and Váyu remains in the body and
cannot be expelled. This condition is very difficult to
heal or cannot be healed.
Therapies:
If these 3 conditions can be healed, therapies
include dry heat (fomentation), strong emetics and
purgatives, fasting, bathing, or sprinkling emetic or
purgative decoction water, and non-oily enemas.
Herbs include vachá, hi´g, or ativißhá with tepid
water. Rock salt, ghee, triphalá, pippalí, and t^ikatu
are also useful. A mixture of pippalí and ginger in
hot water is also effective.
Peyá (thin gruel), digestive and appetizing herbs
(e.g., cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel, etc.) are
taken when hunger returns.
Anáha
This condition occurs when áma and/or feces
accumulate in the digestive tract, obstructing normal
movement. Accumulated áma produces thirst, runny
nose, burning sensation in the head, stomach pain
and heaviness, heart pain, stiff joints in the back and
waist, obstructed feces and urine, fainting, vomiting
of feces, difficult breathing, and other symptoms of
alasaka (see above).
Therapies:
When áma obstructs the digestive tract
1) First, emetics are administered, then digestive
herbs and foods.
2) If vomiting of feces does not occur, the body receives
dry heat fomentation and digestive herbs are
taken.
3) Purgative herb powders can be blown into the
intestines with a tube (through the rectum).
4) Purgative herbal past suppositories (vartis) are
then used.
5) Persons can take emetic or purgative decoctions.
6) Once áma is removed, non-oily enemas are used
(purgative herbs, honey, and rock salt). 7) If
needed, an oil enema can also be used
