Siddha Concepts

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Signs and Symptoms:

It is a condition dealing with the involvement of upper back which is identical to the cervical spine comprising the symptoms of pain over the nape of the neck, radiating pain in the upper limbs, feeling of heaviness, giddiness, burning sensation of eyes and constipation.

Etiology :

1. Excessive consumption of bitter, astringent, pungent foods.
2. Drinking polluted water.
3. Changing sleep rhythm.
4. Excessive starvation.
5. Lifting heavy objects.
6. Excessive consumption of tubers, fruits, curd etc..

Pathology:

The etiological agents causes vitiation of vayu, akayam, man and thee affects the 3 uyir tathu. Simultaneously udal tathu get deranged.

Vai: Derangement of viyanan, there is a pain in cervical and dorsal spine. Pain along upper limb like scorbion bite and heaviness. Abanan derangement causes constipation.Tevatattan derangement causes mental depression.

Azhal: Derangement of catakam causes giddiness.

Aiyam: Derangement of tarpakam causes burning sensation of eyes.

In udal tathu, caram,cenneer, oo?,kozhuppu,e?pu are affected.

The whole events contributes the clinical symptoms .

Modern concepts

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The clinical symptoms of cakana vatam correlates with cervical spondylosis.

1. Stiff neck.
2. Radiating pain to bottom of skull to shoulder and down the arm.
3. Parathesia.
4. Muscle weakness in the neck, shoulder, arms and hands.

Line of Treatment in Siddha

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Line of treatment:

According to the Siddha principles, the vitiated vata can be neutralized by inducing purgation and then internal drugs are administered.

1. To normalize the vitiated vata, first prescribe the kazhiccal drugs.
2. Anti vata drugs.
3. External medications such as massage, fomentation etc.
4. Yogic exercise .
5. Diet restriction.

Medicines :

As there are many Anti vata drugs ,here we list out some of the potent Anti vata drugs from our clinical experience.

1. Arumuka centuram
2. Ayaveera centuram
3. Cantamaruta centuram
4. Itivallati meluku
5. Kala meka narayanac centuram.

Varmam in Siddha

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Siddha system of medicine emphazise different modalities of treatment. Among them drugless therapy is considered to be supremo and Varma therapy comes under this category. As the geriatric patients suffer with a complex of diseases, no new drug has been discovered so far,for the total geriatric health care. This makes the patients to take specific drugs for each disease which lead them to frustrate over its adverse effects. So they prefer to have a drugless therapy as Varma therapy plays a unique role in it .

In case of cakana vatam, some of the Varma points are triggered during the course of massage.

In the neck (Kannan Rajaram, 2007)

1. Vilanku varmam
2. Kakkattai varmam
3. Aka, pura tarai varmam
4. Kilimuka varmam

In the hand (Kannan Rajaram, 2007)

1. Koccu  varmam
2. Pura tarai varmam
3. Kuru nati varmam
4. Tutikkai varmam
5. Vellai varmam
6. Peruviral kavali varmam

Method

1. The Varma points are stimulated as and when during the course of massage.
2. Directly stimulating the varma points is not advisable.
3. Massage should be done for both head and neck to get a better relief.

Duration: 5–7 days.

Contraindications for massage:

1. Cervical rib
2. Severe stiffness
3. T.B. Spine.
4. Giddiness
5. Insomnia

Case Study

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Case studies:

In our hospital, we observed 8 geriatric patients and group them into with drug therapy and drugless therapy.

See Illustration 3

Results : There is a good relief in the group A and a moderate relief in the group B

Factors influencing Varma therapy:

There are certain factors which have impact over the treatment and delays the cure.

1. Gastritis.
2. Diabetes mellitus.
3. Occupation.
4. Psycological status.

Among the above the psychological status contributes much in delaying the cure.

Conclusion

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Varma therapy gives a good relief to the geriatric patients. Eventhough a holistic approach over geriatric patients fulfils the treatment and instills confidence of being a healthy person.

References

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1. Kannan Rajaram. (2007). Varma pullikainl iruppitam. kanyakumari: A.T.S.V.S.
2. mudaliar, K. (1954). Pothu maruthuvam. Chennai: Tamilnadu Siddha Medical Council.
3. Natarajan, V. (2008). Muthiyarvalukkana cattunavu. Chennai: Nalam.
4. Thiyagarajan. (1974). Sirappu maruthuvam. chennai: Indian Medicine Dept.

Source(s) of Funding

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None

Competing Interests

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None

Disclaimer

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