Psoriasis is a common skin disease affecting about 1-2% of general population. The word psoriasis is derived from the Greek word "Psora" and "Iasis". Psora means Itch or scale and lasis means condition.Acharya Charak has described the involvement of Vata and Kapha in Ekkushtha.
Psoriasis is an inflammatory disorder that affects the skin and nails. It is marked by patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales that occur primarily on the elbows, knees, lower back and scalp. Although not life-threatening, it can be painful and cause psychological and emotional distress.
Psoriasis develops when the ordinary life cycle of skin cells accelerates. Normally, skin usually die and flake off in weeks but in people with Psoriasis this process happens within days. This is a chronic condition, where there are periods when it becomes really bad alternating with times when in imporves or goes into remission.
Leucoderma: Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in the human skin. The human skin contains special skin cells (melanocytes) that produce the pigment melanin which colors the skin. In Vitiligo, the special skin cells (melanocytes) as well as the tissues (mucous membranes) that line the inside of the mouth, nose, genital and rectal areas, and the retina of the eyes are destroyed. As a result, white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body.
Cancer: It is a term meaning Malignanacy. It is the second most dreaded killer after coronary heart disease in the world today. Older men and younger women are at a greater risk of developing cancer. Tobacco has been identified a s a major causative agent. It is believed to have a number of carcinogens( cancer causing agents ) in it.
Varying factors are believed to be responsible for the etiology of cancers. These include food, light, tobacco, contraceptive pills and many other things like viruses, bacteria, etc., but most of these have not yet been confirmed. Modern science has come to accept a few things partially about cancer which are coherent with the Ayurvedic concept of health; in the sense that climatic factors are essentially governing the health of a person after the his own basic principals of Vata, pitta and Kapha.
Ayurveda does accept climatic factors to be one of the important causes of cancer. Even though there is no explicit mention of Cancers in Ayurvedic texts, the description of Granthi and Arbuda are very similar to that of the malignant tumors. The prognosis of these tumors is described to be dependent on the site of the tumor and associated signs and symptoms with it. This fact to is very much in coherence with ayurvedic concepts.
Panchakarma: Athrava Ayurveda has developed its own unique methods of PanchKarma to obtain maximum benefit from it. All the "KARMAS" (Steps of PanchKarma) are tested scientifically with the help of different techniques and methods. Ayurveda emphasizes preventative and healing therapies along with various methods of purification and rejuvenation.
Ayurveda is more than a mere healing system, it is a science and art of appropriate living which helps to achieve longevity. It can also guide every individual in the prevention of disease and long term maintenance of health. To achieve this balanced state of body, mind and consciousness, Ayurveda prescribes Panchakarma Therapy for the cleansing of body toxins
PanchKarma is a part of the purification therapies of Ayurveda. "Panch" means five and "Karma" means action so literally translated, it is a set of five systematic actions used for Purification of the Body. It is used to bring the aggravated "Doshas" imbalance in balance and to flush out the accumulated "Ama" toxins from the body using the normal modes of eleminations like intestines, sweat glands and the urinary tract.
The logic being that as a cloth needs to be purified or cleaned of impurities and dust before it can be permeated with a new color, similarly the body needs to be purified before it can be permeated with new colors of youthfulness, health and vigor etc. In fact, most of the time, Panchakarma is an end in itself rather than a prelude to other therapeutic measures.
Elimination is a natural body instinct but over a period of time and in cases of dosha imbalance these wastes are not effectively eliminated from the body. Thises wastes tend to stick into the minute channels of the body known as the "Srotas" and start producing disease. PanchKarma is consisted to be the most radical way to cleanse the body and thereby eliminate, once and for all the disease cauing doshas and the toxins.