Snehan :
It is the olation therapy. It is of two kinds:
Internal Snehan : In this treatment medicated oils and ghee (clarified butter) etc. are given for internal use. These sneha are so subtle that they can enter into minute pores of cell membrane. They have a tendency of pushing or mobilising the impurities from there so that their elimination becomes easy. Ghee (clarified butter) prepared from cow's butter is best for this use.
External Snehan : This comprises of different kinds of massage. Medicated oils are applied on the body and different methods are used for that. These massage techniques are many times used in the treatment of muscular fatigue, loss of motor functions, arthritis, paralysis, migraine, spondylitis and bodyache. They also induce sound sleep by relaxing the nervous system, increase immunity of the body and are beneficial to increase skin's lustre.
Swedana :
It is the second purva karma. It means fomentation or heating therapy. Different types of fomentations like steam bath and poultices are used on specific parts of the body. Many kinds of warm medicated oils, water, milk and herbal decoctions are also used. They are either used in a bath tub or are poured on the body. These types of fomentation treatments are very beneficial in diseases like pains in the joints, neck, lumbago, hemiplegia, urinary disorders, renal diseases, muscular dystrophy, common cold, asthma and loss of muscle functions. Swedana or fomentation liquifies or digests the doshas and opens the mouth of blocked channels and pores of cell membrane. This makes the elimination of wastes easy when the actual Panch Karma are performed. So after doing these purva karma or preparatory treatments the main karmas (panch karma) are done.
Paschat Karma : After doing the Panch Karma, it is normally followed by: |