Abhyanga ksr

Abhyanga ksr

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  Abhyanga – Anexternal Oilation therapy SCIENTIFIC APPROACH OF ABHYANGA (MASSAGE) IN AYURVEDA Dr.K. Siva Rama Prasad Vedas are expe- life, veda means knowledge, together riences of individuals, Ayurveda deals with knowledge of life. LIFE, recorded and trans- when it is elaborated it can be “ Living In Fine formed one generation Ecstasy “ or living with happiness in coordi- to another generation. It nation with nature. Charaka explains the life is not necessary to as unification of body (Shareera), sensory check whether Sun organs (Indriya), mind (Manas) and soul rises only from East or (Atma). West. If the regularly ris- The main motto of Ayurveda is to keep ing Sun changes his position and rises from an individual hail healthy with regimens ex- West, it becomes News. Various facts of life plained within the texts. The Ayurveda cares are recorded in the form of Hymns and doc- about not only physical health but also psy- trines in Vedas. Such doctrines speak about chological. The health can be physical or happy and healthy living in accordance with psychological. nature. The Upaveda (sub-veda) of Adharva Healthy person (Swastha) is defined veda, Ayurveda explains ways of perfect liv- by the Susruta as whoever maintains the ing in purified form as regimens of day, night three body humors (Tridosha), equilibrate di- and seasons. Regularity in practice of purity gestive fire (includes other pancha leads to the destination of mankind. It may Bhootagnis, Dhatwagnis - tissue fires and be materialistic or philosophical. If a person Jatharagni or the main digestive fire), proper mear wish to have materialistic benefits by evacuation of urine and stools (Mala), with fair following the rules of purity, certainly it offers. soul, sensory organs and mind. To maintain But such purity is lacking holistic approach, health Ayurveda dictated regimens according where mind body co-ordination is not seen. to the day, night and season. The normal This non co-ordination leads ones to suffer- functions in human are always maintenance ing. Co-ordination benefits to attain eternity, of Doshas in accordance with diets. All the as a process of holistic approach in associa- food materials may be of animal or plant ori- tion with materialistic benefits. gin leads to either aggravation or subsidizing Few assumptions about the purity are - of the three humors, which may even have 1. The physical body is constricted by only its effect over the mind. Not only the food habits elements and they are subjected for impurity but also other exogenous factors such as all the time. seasons also responsible for the alteration of 2. Multiple cells in a regular pattern constrict the body humors. The other factors are en- the physical body, which are going to be ex- dogenous which always alters the state of pressed is offspring’s too. humors in the body there by no time all the 3. There is no involvement of mind purity, only Tridosha are in the state of perfect equilibra- physical purity is sufficient to have a healthy tion. Thus the state of perfect health is not body. possible at any time in the body. For the al- 4. Ego and states of personality doesn’t have tered state of Doshas to maintain in equili- any influence on construction of purified body. bration we need a specific elimination proce- 5. Impurity development in the body is nec- dures when they are subjected to aggrava- essary and natural. tion. Usually palliative or Shamana therapy is Root of Ayurveda developed from two being prescribed with out elimination espe- individual words Ayu and Veda. Ayu means cially when the patient is not fit for the cleans-
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  ing procedure. Whoever seek the perfect ness but it is not perceived by eye. Sneha is health by rooting out the Disease State pre- explained as perceived by eye, which is a fers the elimination therapy under the condi- quality of Agni mahabhoota. According to tions of fitness. Susruta it consists of Pridhvi (Earth) and Ap Massage is not a new concept. It is (water) elements in it, there by it also can be the earliest known form of healing developed perceived by the skin also. Because of the over years of constant observation. Almost earthy element, it should and must have even every culture has employed massage, includ- a common smell but it is not observed such ing Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Japanese, and they have their own smells of different. Chinese, Swedish and the Ayurvedic man- The Abhyanga is said to be an exter- age by Indians. What are described additional nal Oleation (Bahya sneha) therapy described techniques here comes under Naturopathy in dinacharya, ritu charya and also in Sneha system of healing is a muscular manipula- Vicharana i.e. roots of administration of unc- tive Swedish oriental technique. tuousness. Massage is a systematic rubbing and manipulation of the body to prevent stiffness, promoting circulation and positive health. Massage is one of the most valuable of re- medial measures. When combined with wa- ter treatment accomplishes wonderful results. Basis of massage is touch, and there is a increasing medical evidence to show the great value of touch. OILATION: The Abhyanga or system of massage in Ayurveda gives its message to achieve a better perfect health in normal and diseased state. This massage even though practiced with out unctuous material it is preferred to do with unctuous materials under different explained methods, as it produces lubrica- tion. The unctuous quality is in Sneha Dravya and its use is said as snehana or Oleation. Oleation is made for the externally to create softness. Snehapana is a special internal Initially when human are developing, Oleation therapy meant as pre Panchakarma they were learned about the importance of procedure. This procedure is specially to get pressure and its effect. They realized that the the Doshas, which are in Sakha (tissues) to pressure can give relief from pain and it can Kosta (Alimentary canal). Here Sneha be used as a therapeutic technique. As ex- Dravyas (either Ghee, Oil, Tallow, Bone mar- ternally to purify the body they were taking bath row or a combination of above) are given in- with water. In that process they observed the ternally in specific dose for a prescribed pe- unctuousness of water and searched for a riod or externally used for Abhyanga for the better unctuous medicinal effective sub- said effect. stance. The Oil i.e. Til oil was said to be the Sneha derived from “Sniha” which best unctuous and have the effect of nullify- means adhesion, sticky, wettish, unctuous, ing or pacifying the Doshas which are in the oily and bending or an unctuous liquid. Sneha vitiated condition. is defined as affection, oily, oil, and softness, Cross-references and usage of mas- which runs, which flows, liquidy and soft. Out sage is witnessed in Bible and practiced by of five maha bhootas or basic elements, only Hypocrites, Galen, Pare and most famous Ap (water) maha bhoota having unctuous- physicians of western medicine.
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  MENTION OF ABHYANGAIN SEASONAL b) by using non metallic objects - Four variet- REGIMEN: ies of unctuous substance In almost all seasons except B. Yukti vyapashraya Abhyanga Greeshma (only lepa) in all other seasons a) by using hands massage - lepa, abhyanga, Abhyanga is recommended as Abhyanga, etc. Utsadana or Pragharshana. b) by using legs – Padaghata QUALITIES OF SNEHA (ABHYANGA) 2. According to the site of operation: Sec- DRAVYAThere are nine qualities explained by ond classification defined according to the site Charaka. They are – of operation of massaging. It is divided into 1. Drava - liquid two sub groups as regional or local and gen- 2. Sookshama - minuteness eral. In local it can be further divided in to or- 3. Sara - flowing gan based and site based. Siro abhyanga, 4. Snigdha - unctuous padabhyanga are explained in this context. In 5. Pichila - gelatinous Ayurveda no reference of organ based mas- 6. Guru - heavy sage but with interpretation to marma therapy 7. Seeta - cold we can adopt organ massage as being done 8. Manda - slow in some areas of the world. For the general 9. Mrudu - soft or sarvadaihika abhyanga the seven standard Out of the above said qualities some are not postures are used for 35 minits. When ever seen in many of the Sneha Dravyas. local abhyanga is indicated only 15 minuts or CONTRA INDICATIONS FOR ABHYANGA: according to the requirement one can opt the Ajeerna time schedule. Ama Peedita A. General Abhyanga - sarvadaihika Taruna jwara B. Local or Regional Abhyanga People suffer from Kapha predominant a) Organ massage - kidney massage disorders b) Site wise massage - padabhyanga All Kapha personalities 3. According to the pressure applied the Santarpana janya diseases division is as follows. After Vasti 1. lepa - application of oil over the body2. After Vamana Abhyanga - application of unctuous sub- After Virechana stances along with necessiate pressure CLASSIFICATION OF ABHYANGA: 3. Udvartana or shareera parimarjana - re- 1. According to materials used verse application of pressure 2. According to region 4. Udghrshana - rubbing with ununctuous 3. According to pressure exerted substances (Rookshana vidhi) 4. According to Guna of dravya 5. Utsadana - rubbing of unctuous pasts 1. Based on the materials used: First clas- 6. Mardana - application of more pressure sification of Abhyanga is based on the direct towards midline of body or indirect methods based on the materials 7. Unmardana - holding and pulling of the used. In tradition people use it as Daiva muscles vyapashraya Chikitsa especially for inflamma- tory conditions offered massage with metal rods apart from a standard medicinal oil mas- sage. These metal substances are not unc- tuous but soft. Pressure is exerted with them give rise reasonable results. This group con- sists of medicinal oil massage in association with manual pressure. This can be divided into two once again, either by using hands or legs. A. Daiva vyapashraya Abhyanga a) by using metallic objects - Iron rods
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  4. According toGuna of Dravya He did not specify how much time It is clear that we use unctuous ma- Abhyanga to be done in case of Sukra gata terial for the Abhyanga. Out of such materi- Vyadhi. But we can consider with above ma- als Ayurveda offers four best unctuous ma- terial, further Abhyanga can lead to Sukra. If terials viz. Taila, Ghrita, Vasa and Majja (Oil, we follow above schedule it takes approxi- Ghee, Tallow and Marrow). Based on the mately 5 minutes for each posture Abhyanga qualities of the material used it gives effect and totally 35 minutes. When it is to be done over the doshic triad. A qualified and experi- for only one part then 15 minutes massage is enced physician selects the materials ac- recommended. cording to the necessity in association to the BEFORE THE START OF MASSAGE specified Dravya or Dravya vargas which are (1) Massage should be done in a comfort- capable of pacifying the Doshas and dis- eases. a. Oil b. Ghee c. Tallow d. Marrow POSTURES OF ABHYANGA: There are seven postures for proper Abhyanga. 1. Sitting 2. Supine (lay on back) Sitting 3. Left lateral 4. Dorsal (lay on abdo- men) Supine able environment. Choose a warm, peaceful room with dim lights, with light music at the 5. Right lateral background. 6. Supine (lay on (2) Person who takes massage to be made back) to lie down on a table with height does not 7. Sitting strain the back of the massager RULES FOR MASSAGER Left Right 1. One who gives massage should be abso- lateral Lateral lutely relaxed. 2. Massager should keep the back straight throughout massage. 3. Massager should never stay in one posi- TIMING OF ABHYANGA: tion for long to avoid gravitational pull. According to Dalhana, commentator of 4. Should wear loose fitting, washable clothes, Susruta Samhita has given elaborated sci- flat shoes, or go barefoot. entific explanation about Abhyanga. Daily 5. Massager should use the weight of the body massage of - to give rhythm and depth of massage. 300 matras = 95 sec. Enters into Hair fol- 6. Hands and wrists of the massager should licles be flexible and warm. 400 matras = 133 sec. enters into Skin TIPS FOR A GOOD MASSAGE 500 matras = 160 sec. enters into Rakta 1. Most important element of massage is 600 matras = 190 sec. enters into Mamsa rhythm. 700 matras = 228 sec. enters into Medas 2. Massage should be pleasurable constantly 800 matras = 245 sec. enters into Asti keep inquiring to find out any of the move- 900 matras = 285 sec. enters into Majja ments that is painful or unpleasant.
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  3. Mould yourhands to the cantor of the body. 6. Massage the entire right leg and do right 4. One hand should be always in contact with knee and hip joint movements the body of the person who takes massage 7. Massage the entire left hand, followed by throughout. wrist, allow, and shoulder joints movements. 5. Vary the pressure as per the need of the 8. Massage the entire right hand followed by person. wrist, elbow, shoulder joint movements. 6. Concentration on massage is important 9. Massage the abdomen, should not talk unnecessarily while massag- 10. Massage the chest. ing. 11. Massage the entire back 7. A massager should be totally relaxed while 12. Massage head, neck, and face followed massaging. neck movements. 8. One should not worry if movements seen DURATION chimsy with continuation the rhythm develops. Form 30 to 45 minutes. PRECAUTIONS BASIC TECHNIQUES A) STROKING: Flowing movements of strok- ing form the basic of a massage and it is most frequently used one. It is a smooth upward movement is done in 4 ways. 1. Massage should not be given if one is suf- fering infection, contagious skin disease or high fever. 2. Massager should not massage if he has a) UP WORD STROKING: place one hand fever or infections disease. on the part to be massaged move the other 3. Massage should not be given incase of hand in upward direction keep making con- acute pains of the muscles and joints. tinuous movements with one hand at a time 4. Never massage a burse, skin infection or with both hands. abscess, or inflammatory conditions of lower limbs such as thrombophlebitis, vericose veins. 5. Stomach of pregnant women would not be massaged. MASSAGE SEQUENCE Massage sequence should always follow this order: 1. Lubricate the part to be massaged. 2. Massage the left foot, do left ankle joint movements 3. Massage the leg 4. Do knee joint and hip joint movements 5. Massage the right foot, do right ankle joint movements.
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  b) FAN STROKING:Done on wider area like These friction movements are best given chest abdomen and back. Glide both hands around joints, shoulder blades, and soles of feet hands and legs. a) Rotary friction: Place both hands on the slightly in upward direction and slightly pull the hands to sides’ fan out your hands and again return to original place. Continue this movement 3-4 times c) CIRCULAR STROKING: Place both hands on one side of the body with 15 cm apart, then stroke round and round in wide curves, making a circle, Arms cross as one hand completes the circle. One hand does whole circle while the other does only half a circle. Keep one hand over the other arm, and continue stroking with the other hand. Place your hand gently on the skin and repeat. d) THUMB STROKKING: On smaller areas, stroke with thumbs, either with one thumb or area to be massaged and roll gently in the upward direction b) Spiral friction: Place one hand around the area to be massaged and more in the direc- tion resembles a spring. C) PERCUSSION: Percussion movements both the thumbs. B) FRICTION: Friction bests done with the four fingers, but can be done with just the thumbs or the palm of the hand. These are circular movements that go deep into the muscle. There are rotary and spiral frictions.
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  are striking, slicing,backing, chopping move- d) Pummeling: Form hands into loose fists ments done in a rapid rhythmic motion. They and with relaxed wrist start beating with bonny are brisk and bouncy, useful on fleshy, bulky, movements with softer side of fist. muscular areas. Never percussion move- D) POUNDING: With your fists loosely held, ments on bonny areas never percussion using hard, bonny movements start knocking movements on bonny areas. Percussion on the fleshy part of the body with knuckles movements are further divided into varieties. side of fist. a) Clapping: Hold both hands like a cup and keep rhythmically tapping one hand at a time continuously and rhythmically, in upward di- E) KNUCKLING: Knuckling is small circling strokes employed on shoulders, chest, palms and feet for relief or treatment. Cure the hand into loose fists and with the knuckles of the rection. fist move round in circular movements. b) Tapping: Hold both hands with soles of F) VIBRATIONS: Rapid shaking or trembling the hands facing each other and gently over movement on the skin’s surface without brak- one hand after other with finger tapping the ing the contact. Fingers or the palm of the area gently and rhythmically with bonny move- hand is used there are few variations in the ments. movement. c) Hacking: Holding both the hands firmly to- a) Static vibration: Keep the palm of the gether, loosening the wrist loosely start hit- hand on the bulky fleshy area and give a gentle ting the area hard and movements be bonny shaky and trembling movement for some time in upward direction and then move to another area.
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  b) Running vibration:Keeping the palm b) Circular pressure: firmly placed on the body move the hands Press and then make creating shaky and trembling movements. small penetrating, cir- G) KNEADING: This movement is like mix- cular and movements circling the skin against the underlying muscle. SOME SPECIAL LOCAL MASSAGES BACK MASSAGE: Back massage is useful in Relief of pain from muscle spasm. Relaxing the back muscle. Entire sympa- thetic, parasympathetic nervous system gets to need up. Relieving broncho-spasm in Asthma and Bronchitis ABDOMINAL MASSAGE: Often people find it uncomfortable ing the wheat flour with water before making while taking ab- Chapathis. It is useful on fleshy parts of the dominal massage body. due to the tickling a) Light kneading: On less fleshy areas such sensation felt while as shoulders and arms lift, squeeze and roll taking massage. It is the flesh between thumb and fingers of one useful in - hand glide it towards the other hand, and - Relieving abdomi- squeeze the flesh with the second hand. nal pain and dis- H) PETRISSAGE: Method is as same as light comfort kneading but done with more pressure. - Relieving constipation I) PRESSURE: Deep, direct pressure to re- - Weight reduction lease tension and fatigue of muscles, on ei- - Stimulating liver and pancreas. Hence use- ther side of spire and around shoulders. ful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hy- pertension. HEAD MASSAGE: Head massage is highly invigorating and relaxing. useful in - - Relieving headaches, migraine - Dandruff - Hair growth by stimulation on scalp. FACE MASSAGE: -it is more of cosmetic importance. It is very use- ful in: - -Relieving tension, anxi- ety, headaches spe- cially frontal - Treatment of sinusitis a) Static pressure: Place the pads of thumbs -Clearing dark circles on the skin and gradually lean on to them. around eyes. Press for few seconds, then release and glide - Treatment of acne to the next point.
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  OVERALL BENEFITS OFMASSAGE tabolite found by researchers in depression 1. Overall well being and schizophrenia. Giving albumin bound of Individual protein tryptophan to the brain with proper diet 2. Relaxation of body and massage should theoretically increase and mind brain serotonin. In practise the abhyanga re- 3. Relief of pain from lieves systems like those caused by seroto- aching muscles nin depletion, anxiety, irritability, etc. 4. Relief from fatigue The fluids of internal environment sub- stiffness of the joints jected for movement because of osmotic 5. Increased blood pressure and hydrostatic pressure. Here circulation to skin abhyanga causes mechanical hydrostatic surface improving pressure in the extra cellular compartment i.e. skin function in the peripheral vascular area. A forceful ex- 6. Removal of im- pulsion from peripheral vessels causes pure verious blood splanchenic pooling of the blood. It helps fluid 7. Removal of wastes through lymphatic to enter in to viscera and tissues and dilutes drainage the toxins accumulated. When it refills the 8. Relaxation of central, sympathetic, and peripheral vessels after the completion of pro- parasympathetic nervous systems cedure the diluted toxins are brought in to 9. Improvement of overall functioning ability general circulation and in due course of elimi- of internal organs nation procedures such as Vamana and 10. Improvement of functioning of the endo- Virechana they are oozed or pulled in to gut crine glands. and expelled. 11. Useful as an adjuvant for the weight re- 2. Physical pressure causing electrical duction charge to the body - phizoelectricity 12. Useful in improving rest and sleep Phizo electricity is said as pressure 13. Enhances bodies immunity. electricity. Today we witness different modes COMPLICATIONS OF of generation of electricity, such as thermal, EXCESSIVE MASSAGE hydro, nuclear etc. The phizo electricity is 1. Increases Kapha derived from friction and pressure. This theory 2. Increases Medas was invented in 1880. Phizoelectricity devel- 3. Decreases Agni i.e. digestive fire oped from Tormalin quartz is more used in 4. Develops Ama in system Watch, Microphone and Phonographic indus- 5. Develops Glani tries. 6. Develops Jwara (fever) Here in Ayurveda we may not be us- DYNAMICS OF ABHYANGA: ing the term of phizo electricity, but the tech- 1. Physical pressure moving the fluids in nique leads to the same effect. When utiliz- internal environment ing a medium of unctuous substance to re- The Abhyanga is acting over the skin, duce the friction, a good amount of rhythm if which is a seat of Vata. The skin not only a uses a specific pressure developed and cre- seat of Vata but also for Lasika (lymph). Thus ates magnetic field and electricity in the body. the lymphatic drainage will be the prime ef- At present context we have to remember that fect of Abhyanga. Lymph possesses a rela- human body is made of metallic and also non- tively large amount of the amino acid tryp- metallic compositions and subjected for mag- tophan, especially when compared with the netic meridian. From physics, we learned that dietary intake. It likewise has a large amount any object is being rubbed towards one-di- of albumin (protein), glucose and histaminase rection get electricity charged. The same is (breaks down histamine). Hypothetically, going to happen in the body surface area and blood aminoacids like tryptophan increase the charged molecules will attract the mol- after massage. An increase in plasma tryp- ecules of susceptive and drag them from tophan subsequently causes a parallel in- sakha to kosta, by interrupting the crease in the neurotransmitter (chemical be- doshadooshya sammurchana. tween nerve endings) at motor end plates, Secondly by such charging, the con- and serotonin, which is made from tryptophan. ductivity of nerves will be increased. The nor- Serotonin has been implicated in several mal velocity of electric conductivity in a nerve phychiatric diseases with low levels of me- fiber is said as 0.5 meter per second which
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  may go upto 100 meters per second. In nerve synthesized from tryptophan is a neuro fiber electricity is discharged in regular inter- chemical causes pleasantness and calming vals and moves in circular pattern. Interrup- effects in the process of massage. Apart from tion to the momentum or hyper electrical dis- the effect said the toxins that are settled in charges results in to the state of disease. the nerve fiber or myelinated sheet and inter- Treatment is said as rectification of the state rupting the conductivity of the nerve impulse of disturbance. Thus the method of Abhyanga are drained out by the exertion of physical that depolarizes the excessive electrical pressure on peripheral nerve endings, espe- charge in exited state of nerves and also in- cially motor and also sensory. duces perfect charged phizo electricity to 6. Physical pressure acting over Hor- bring into normalcy. monal controls 3. Physical pressure acting as counter ir- Melitonin, a newly discovered brain ritant hormone is rhythmically secreted in the pi- While doing Abhyanga pressure is neal gland of the brain. Radioactive tryptophan applied. That pressure acts as an irritant to has been found to accumulate in pineal, so the surface and the effect of irritation produced we can assume the pineal uses it to form as the effect of inflammation and color - rise serotonin and melatonin. The pineal gland has of local temperature and dolor - mild pain is a diurnal rhythm and is sensitive to light. Dur- produced. And robor -rising the peripheral ing the day the pineal produces high levels of vascularisation is witnessed at the end of pro- serotonin, and at night produces high levels cedure, which fill the splanchenum during the of melatonin. Melatonin has been found to procedure. This shuffling of extra cellular com- decrease thyroid activity, adrenal and gonadal partment fluid makes the sedentary or accu- activity as well as diminish growth hormone mulated impurities at the level of tissues to and melanocyte stimulating hormone levels. move, said in Ayurveda as movement of In all melatonin decreases protein synthesis Doshas from sakha to kosta. In various con- in the hypothalmus and pituitary resulting in a ditions of Vata disorders where pain is a decrease in six of the seven anterior pituitary symptom, the counter irritation produced by hormones (three of six confirmed in man). massage cures by its classical color and Melatonin turns down the body’s hormonal robor actions, by which phagocytosis occurs. activity. Giving melaronin to human results in 4. Physical pressure acting over skin sleep or sedation (depending upon the dose The main objective of Abhyanga is and way of administration), vivid dreams, EEG creating softness in the external skin and changes, which resemble those of a medita- smoothing of internal viscera and tissues. tive state, and a feeling of well being and mod- When softness is induced in skin, the skin erate elation. becomes lustrous, attains complexion and Ayurveda explains the action of colour. More over an oily or unctuous skin is Abhyanga as Brimhana, Sodhana and going to prevent the body from exposure of Shamana. The further processional analysis heat and dust. The depositions of dust and has to be elucidated by scientific methodol- tidy particles are going to cleansed and ogy under the shade of scientific knowledge. cleaned physically by applying the pressure, especially procedures such as udgharshana. 5. Physical pressure acting over Neural controls At motor end plates acetylcholine acts as transmitter in the presence of Calcium ion and facilitates synaptic action potential. The nerve fibers have a myelinated sheet where lipids are the chief ingredients. Na (sodium) and K (potassium) ions are responsible for repolarisation in the nerve fiber. Out of elec- trolytes, calcium, Hydrogen, sodium and po- tassium produce depolarization and chlorine and potassium are responsible for hyper polarisation. This action with the association of melatonin a byproduct of serotonin also