KAYACHIKITSA

Ayurveda is having holistic approach towards life mainly concerned with the treatment of body, mind and soul. Kayachikitsa is the first branch of ashtang ayurved that deals with general medicine, where kaya means body and chikitsa means treatment. Kaya also refers to agni on entire ayurvedic therapeutics is based on the concept of Agni. Correction of Agni is the basic line of treatment for most of the diseases.

Kayachikitsa is the first branch of ashtang ayurved that deals with general medicine, where kaya means body and chikitsa means treatment. Kaya also refers to agni on entire ayurvedic therapeutics is based on the concept of Agni. Correction of Agni is the basic line of treatment for most of the diseases.

Kayachikitsa deals with the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of disorders like, geriatric medicine (Rasayana), Aphrodisiac medicine (Vajikarana), skin disorders, Diabetes and other lifestyle disorders, general medical disorders, arthritis and joint disorders. Kaychikitsa department is the backbone of Ayurveda medicine. Diseases like skin disorders, diabetes, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis and many other disorders are diagonised and treated with Ayurveda medicines.

PANCHA KARMA

Panchakarma is a method of cleansing the body of all the unwanted waste after lubricating it. Panchakarma ("Pancha" means five and "karma" means actions) is essentially 5 karmas or actions done to detoxify the body according to Ayurveda. It includes Vaman, Virechan, Basti, Raktamokshan, and Nasya. However some other procedures are also involved in the list of Panchakarma and the list goes beyond 5.

SHALYA

Shalya tantra a branch of Ayurveda which deals with  Ayurvedic surgery and provides a basic understanding of the principles of modern surgery. Area of strength in Ayurvedic surgery is management of vrana(wound).Surgery mainly deals with wounds so Maharshi shushruta has described a lot about vrana (wound)in his text and it’s treatment. Bhagna (fracture and dislocation) and it’s chikitsa (treatment), Kshar sutra use in many ano-rectal diseases like Arsha (haemorrhoids), Bhagandara(fistula in ano),Warts , tumors etc. Para surgical measures like Jalaukaavcharan(leech therapy), Alabu(cupping therapy), Agnikarma (cauterusation),  Kshar karma for various diseases have been described in Shalya Tantra.

Though modern surgery has advanced in leaps and bounds, the Ayurvedic principles of pre and post operative care still has relevance today. Judicious application of Ayurvedic principles of surgical care can prevent complications and facilitate early recovery from surgical interventions. Ayurveda has historically made foundational contributions to the development of the branch of surgery. The practice of dissecting dead bodies to study anatomy, learning surgical procedures by practicing on dummies, development of sophisticated surgical instruments and the art of plastic surgery constitute the hallmark of classical Ayurvedic surgery. Sushruta, the Ayurvedic surgeon of yore is revered today as the father of surgery.

SHALAKYA

'Shalakya tantra' is a branch of ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine.

Ayurveda has eight major branches. They are named as Kayachikitsa, Balachikitsa, Grahachikitsa(Manorogachikitsa), Salakyatanthra, salyatanthra, vishachikitsa (damshtrachikitsa), rasayana (jarachikitsa)and Vajeekarana.

'Salakyatanthra is the branch which deals with the health and disease of head and neck portions of the body. The father of this speciality was Nimi (king of videha), He learned this science from lord Sun. This tantra deals with health and disease of head and neck portions of the body. Mainly they include.

'Nethrachikitsa (Ophthalmology) Karnachikitsa (otology) Nasachikitsa (rhinology) Mukharogachikitsa (oral hygiene Dentistry and Laryngology) and Shirorogachikitsa (diseases of the cranium).

'Of these, ophthalmology is the most widely practised sub-speciality, In this field total 76 eye diseases have been described with classification such as Vartma gata roga i.e. diseases of the lids, Krishnagata roga (Diseases of cornea)etc. In India, especially in the southern state of Kerala, almost all these branches are still alive and popular.

'There are special treatment procedures for the treatment of the organs of head and neck. They include Nasyam, Dhoomapnam, Gandoosham, Kabalam, Shirodhara, Shirovasthi, Anjanam, Tharpanam, and Pratisaranam.

'Ayurvedic ophthalmology is seen to be highly effective in many degenerative ailments as well as infectious diseases.There are several methods advised in the classical textbooks of ayurveda regarding proper care and prophylactic measurements for eyes.

PRASUTI TANTRA and STRI ROGA

Prasuti Tantra & Streeroga provides training in Ayurvedic Gynecology, Obstetrics and Pediatrics. Prasuti tantra deals with pregnancy, labour and puerperium and Streeroga deals with management of diseases manifesting specially in women. The program offers theoretical and practical knowledge in Gynecology and Obstetrics, management of antenatal and postnatal care, common gynecological problems and menopausal syndrome to utilize the techniques of female health care and to achieve a healthy baby.

KAUMAR BHRITTYA - BAL ROGA

In Ayurvedic texts ‘Kaumar’ word means a child 0 up to the age of 16, and ‘Bhritya’ means child care. So the subject ‘Kaumar Bhritya’ deals with the child care both preventive as well as curative.

Our Acharyas believed that care given during this age group is the back bone of their whole life that is why the facts and Clinical knowledge contained in those texts is gaining popularity day by day.

SWASTHA VRITTA & YOGA

Swasthavritta mainly emphasizes on following a proper daily regime as well as seasonal regime. Daily regime deals with instructions for day-to-day living like morning routine, basic cleanliness, natural urges, evening routine etc. Apart from this there are added features like the importance of medicinal smoking and tambula chewing. The seasonal changes and climatic changes also have a particularly important effect on the health. Hence Ayurveda has recommended a seasonal specific conduct. These activities help us to cope up with the changes in the environment.

Swasthavritta also includes Sadvritta that can be classified into five types i.e. Good mental conduct, Good social conduct, Good religious conduct, Good personal conduct and Good moral conduct.

Food, Sleep and controlled sex are regarded as the pillars or tripods holding life and health. Timely intake of suitable and good quality food, regular sleeping habits and controlled indulgence in sex ensure long and healthy life. Maintenance of one mental balance is also equally important and Ayurveda offers spiritual and mental treatments for ailments in which no physical relief can be offered.

Thus SVASTHAVRITTA means the behaviour or act by which a person can maintain health and lead a healthy life. Health and Longevity are certain to follow, if the rules of maintaining health, as given in Ayurveda, are strictly followed.

AGADATANTRA

Agada is one of the eight branches into which ayurveda medicine is traditionally divided. Literally, gada means a disease and agada means any agent which makes the body free from disease; however the term agada is used specifically for the branch of medicine dealing with toxicology, the description of the different types of poisons, and their antidotes.

Agada Tantra is defined as a section of toxicology that deals with food poisoning, snakebites, dog bites, insect bites, etc. The school of toxicology was founded and expounded upon by Kashyapa, also known as Vriddhakashyapa, a contemporary of  Atreya Punarvasu . He lived in  Taksashila  in what is now Pakistan. His text was called the Kashyapa Samhita. This, however, is a different book than the Kashyap Samhita of  pediatrics . This text is not available now but the references of this text are found mentioned in different commentaries. Some other texts written by Alambayana,  Ushana ,  Saunaka , and Latyayana were known to exist. However except for references to them, the original texts are no longer available.

The traditional practice of toxicology is still practiced by different families of  vishavaidyas  (poison doctors) who specialize in toxicology. However, their knowledge is limited compared to the knowledge possessed by the earlier ayurvedic physicians. In ancient times, it was the job of Vishavaidyas to protect members of the royal families from being poisoned, as well to poison enemies of the kings.