Chronic stomach pain, pancreatitis, PCOS

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Chronic stomach pain

 

The stomach pain is a very common complaint which an ayurvedic healer

encounters. While modern science has an array of complex tests

available for easy dignosis of an ailment, the native system

practitioner has only his hands and senses as his tools. Darshan

(visual checks), Sparshan (touch checks) and Prashnottari (questions

to patient, mostly on symptoms, their frequiency/acuity, lifestyle,

food habits etc) is a natural sequence a practitioner uses to sharpen

the diagnosis. Though ancient texts mension tests on urine, stool,

sweat etc, the tests are seldom followed in the same way in todays

ayurvedic practice. In old days, vaidya was pathologist also. This

preamble is given here to describe one case from practitioners diary.

 

Though stomach pain is very simple to describe, the pain can lead to

at least sixty different disease conditions. Indian vaidyas resort

to "Prashnottari" as a last resort to diagnosis. Their mastery is

assessed by their patients by the ability of a vaidya to find out the

patient's complaint without a single word about it from the patient.

 

One day a patient walked in. Pulse indicated Vata vitiation and a

little kapha unbalance. During abdominal examination, he felt pain

when the pancrea region was pressed. A hardness in the region was

felt together with local coldness. No other areas on stomach or

pelvic region had any pain. Author told him that the reason for his

pain is some enlargement/swelling/growth on pancreas. They are not

functioning properly. The pulse also indicates hypoglycemic

condition. The patient was surprised with acccuracy of the diagnosis

and told the history, in his own words:

 

" I am suffering from this pain for last six months. Whenever pain

started and continued for few days, I could not even do my

professional work satisfactorily. When I went to nearby hospital as

out-patient, I was subjected to various tests to diagnose the

disease. The urine and stool tests revealed the presence of pin

worms. One month medication for worms relieved the pain somewhat, but

it continued, almost five days a week. Further tests revealed stomach

acidity, but no ulceration. I was prescribed anti-acidity medications

for a month, but pain continued without any reduction. I was tested

for gall bladder stones but nothing was detected. Full colonoscopy

was also carried out but indicated that colon does not have any

problem. Finally, a senior aged doctor suggested taking a CT/MRI

scan of pancreas. This revealed a cyst/benign tumor. One group of

doctors believed that pain will not reduce unless the cyst is

removed, while another group felt surgical removal is difficult, and

if something goes wrong, I may have to live with insulin shots for

rest of my life. Being from a economic middle class, I can not afford

expensive surgey and especially when it is not known whether it will

succeede. Now I have come to find if ayurvedic system has something

to offer me. If my pain is relieved, I do not want to undergo any

surgery even if some charity institution funds the expenditure."

 

Ayurvedic term for pancreas is `Agnashaya'. It means the place

of `Agni'. Since it is a ductless gland, it releases digestive agni,

meaning insulin. Though ayurveda did not have chemical laboratory,

nor knew the word insulin, it has termed it as the fountain of

digestive juice, `Agnashaya'. If this Agni increases, blood sugar

decreases causing hypoglycemia, while if the agni reduces, a

situation termed `agnimandya' in ayurveda, blood sugar increases,

causing diabetis mellitus. When this Agnashaya is affected by

tumors/cysts, several symptoms are indicated. Lack of hunger,

constant fatigue, reduction of Ojas/Tejas, vomitting, pains etc.

There are not many cases involving pancreatic cysts/tumors. Which

makes, as suggested by most senior doctor of allopathic hospital, the

diagnosis very difficult even in ayurveda. When Agnashaya is excited

by food habits, excess insulin, coupled with insulin intolerance by

body can cause Polycystic Ovaries, a leading cause of infertility.

This serious disease (POCS) is now spreading from western countries

to oriental countries, a curse of adopted lifestyle.

 

>From ayurvedic angle, there are eight different types of pains

originating from vitiation of Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Aama accumulation

etc. Most ailments causing pains arise from Vatic disorders. Hence

vata treatment helps. When tumors are involved, Kapha vitiation

dominates. Even if a vaidya does not know the name of a disease, the

percentages of Vata, Pitta, Kapha vitiation can be assessed by pulse

diagnosis, symptoms, prakruti etc. Darshan and Sparshan (Visual

examination, pulse, touch) help in assessing this. This may also

reveal why diagnosis in ayurveda is difficult online.

 

Ayurveda offers herbs which can activate Aganashaya/Agni. Ginger,

black pepper, peeper longum, Chitrakmul, Peeparamul etc increase

digestive juices/hormones. Pearl, Licorice, Praval aid digestion and

metabolism. There are herbs which cause increase of dhatus. Vaidya

should select appropriate combinations depending on percentages of

doshas.

 

After starting personalized treatment, the patient started feeling

increased hunger and vigor by end of the first week. Within three

weeks, the pain gradually reduced as also local hardness. In next

four months, the pain came only twice, only for a day each time,

which could be linked to slight indigestion due to inappropriate food

served in a celebration party. Now patient was unwilling to go for

Scans to check if cysts/tumors were still existing. That is the

spirit. Due to medical insurance cover, nowadays everyone wants to

have regular checks such as ECG, mamograms, lipid profile, pap smear,

ultra sounds, etc. Since reference ranges are variables themselves,

the tests often confuse.

 

Though one gets confused when dignosing stomach pain, there are

benefits of getting it treated in ayurveda, homeopathy or

naturopathy, whatever be the cause. When various agnis such as that

of stomach, liver, gall bladder(pittashaya), agnashaya, when they

become unbalanced, they cause disease. In all such ailments, it is

necessary to follow the diet restrictions. Oils, ghee, sour items,

fats should be stopped. Alcohol to be avoided at all costs. Cooling,

shamanic, deepak and pachak (herbs aiding appetite and digestion)

should be combined in treatment. Isabgol, cardamom, grapes, cummin

seeds, crystal sugar, petals of rose and lotus, indian sarsaparila, giloy,

aamalaki, Nagkesar are various herbs which can be combined to improve

intestinal tone or functioning of all organs causing agni. When agni

is properly balanced, it causes removal of aamvisha (accumulated

toxins). Formulations such as Sutshekhar Ras, Shankhavati,

Chitrakvati are very useful to restore complete metabolism. When

disturbed metabolism exists, obessity, hypoglycemia, POCS are the

likely diseases. The Agni together with balanced Apana Vata aids the

fertility, regular and adequate painless menses. Hence most of the

herbs aimed at treating dismenorrhea balance liver function and Apan

Vata.

 

If the disease is correctly diagnosed, it does not require much time

to heal. Thousands of medicinal herbs exists in India. Even if

disease is not correctly diagnosed, the following of balanced food,

lifestyle and some simple herbs will cause adequate relief, though

disease may not get eliminated. To this end, author now gives few

home preparations, which can be easily followed everywhere, whenever

stomach pain starts on a reglular basis. Related complaints such as

gas, acidity, bloating, low hunger can also be tackled to some extent

by these remedies.

 

Take mint leaves 10 grams, ajwain, cloves and cardamom each 5 gms.

Soak them in 250 ml water overnight. Make a distillate nexty day

using pressure cooker and a glass tube to cool down the steam coming

out. This distillate can be preserved and taken one teaspoon thrice a

day whenever there is stomach pain. Helps in Gas, indigestion, low

hunger, anorexia. Very useful in cholera epidemic. Prevents one being

a cholera victim. This distillate is very digestive also.

 

Asfoetida, Ajwain and black salt, take each 5 gms, grind them

together, add in a pearl of garlic and bind into small pea sized

tablets. Two tablets when taken thrice a day is an adult dose to

cure indigestion, stomach pain, bloating. They are digestion aids

also.

 

A simple remedy known to almost every second grand-ma in India is the

mixture of Haritaki, ginger powder (half by weight of Haritaki) and

jaggery as a binder to make tablets the size of moth balls, These

three to four tablets, when taken at bedtime, cure old constipation.

Abhayabhaskar churna or mixture of Haritaki and Lavan Bhaskar Churna

also serve the same purpose. If suffering from semi loose motions due

to ama, bloating, pain are common symptoms. In such cases these

churnas have prooved useful, harmless. Imagine returning from a

weekend party and getting up with stomach pain in the midnight.

Though round-the-clock treatment is available in cities, the tension

and worries can be imagined. All churnas aimed at restoring stomach

unease should be taken with a little warm water, whereby they become

more and fast active.

 

In the conclusion, though stomach pain can be treated with simple

ayurvedic herbs/powders, avoiding such a situation by limiting the

type and quantity of food suitable to ones prakruti is the best

remedy. Simple and effective water therapy is known to eliminate half of

digestive system problems. That this therapy overloads the kidney is a myth. On

the other hand, it simplifies kidney's job! Kidney is another wonderful doctor

provided to us by Almighty.

 

Dr Bhate

[kiranmaye reddicherla 0]

Hi,

 

I have been suffering with PCOS from several yrs ..

 

I am 26 and suffering badly due to weight gain ..

 

 

Hello ,

 

I am under treatment for Hypothyroidism , PCOS. from 6 yrs ..

 

I have been put on 1)metformin 1500mg per day

 

2)Diane 35

 

3)Thyronorm 75mg

 

I have high tendency of putting on weight ..

 

I have been to a Ayurvedic doctor who just prescribed panchasav tonic to me ..

 

I am not satisifed with his prescription ..

 

 

I was checking out the net and the products of Himalaya ..

 

1) trikatu

2) Shatavari

3)guggulu

 

 

Their description seem to be apt for my case ...

 

 

I do not get a doctor who can suggest me about the above ..

 

None of them respond properly ..

 

Please help ...

 

Can people on allopathic drugs ,take the above tablets ...

 

Will there be any complexities later ..

 

what do you suggest ..

 

if possible please let me know a reference in india whom i can contact

for the sam e..

 

 

Please please please help .. i ahve turned helpless , none of the

docotrs suggest me properly ..

 

I am put on lots of weight ..

 

 

Please respond ..

 

 

Thankyou,

 

Regards,

 

Kiran