Monsoon is one of the worst seasons as far as the skin is concerned. Whether you have a seasonal infection or a chronic skin disease, Ayurveda offers the right natural solution for your problem. Through this case study of Psoriasis – a common skin disorder – we would like to highlight how Ayurveda helps treat skin ailments.
The Case
Mr. Kushal Singh (name changed), a 67-year-old retired government official from Kanpur, India, had the problem of cracking of heels from the age of twelve. For the last ten years, he has had red patches of thickened, raised and dry skin on his hands and legs. This skin flaked off sporadically and he even experienced swelling in winters. The patient had additional complaints of constipation, flatulence and anorexia.
History of Treatment
For ten years, Mr. Singh had been taking medicines for his condition. The patient was administered bath solutions and moisturizers, mineral oils, and petroleum jelly to soothe affected skin and reduce the dryness which accompanies the build-up of skin on psoriatic plaques. He was also taking strong medication on a daily basis to keep the problem in control.
On someone's recommendation, the patient called the Jiva TeleMedicine Center to try Ayurveda as an option in addition to his ongoing treatment.
What is Psoriasis?
The Modern View
Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disorder that causes scaling and inflammation. It is suspected to be autoimmune in origin. The scaly patches caused by Psoriasis, called psoriatic plaques, are areas of inflammation and excessive skin production.
The Ayurvedic View
According to Ayurveda, Psoriasis or Mandal can be caused by an imbalance of any of the three Doshas or Ayurvedic humors in the body. In Mr. Singh’s case, the prime doshas involved are Vata and Pitta. Vata symbolizes air or wind and is cold, dry, mobile, and light in nature; Pitta symbolizes fire and is heating in nature. Vata and Pitta manifest in the skin and cause accumulation of ama or toxins. These toxins accumulate in body tissues such as rasa (nutrient plasma),rakta (blood), mansa (muscles) and lasika (lymph). These toxins cause further contamination of deeper tissues, leading to skin conditions like Psoriasis.
Jiva’s Treatment Plan
According to Ayurveda, most skin problems have deep-rooted causes that are often ignored. Use of local creams or antibiotics can only mask the symptoms; they do not provide long-term relief. Therefore, Jiva recommended a customized treatment plan to Mr. Singh that included right diet, lifestyle and some specialized herbal combinations.
The Ayurvedic medicines worked on pacifying the aggravated Vata and Pittadoshas. They also helped in purifying the blood, cleaning the channels of toxins, and rejuvenating the skin cells. This resulted in an improvement in digestion levels and ultimately helped in healing the skin rashes and inflammation.
The Result
Mr. Singh took Jiva’s medicines and adhered to our diet and lifestyle guidelines for ten months. After the treatment, there were no new eruptions in his skin and the subsequent winter passed off very calmly. The patient is continuing with the medicines in order to get long-term relief from his problem.
“Skin disease can be really painful and embarassing. In my case, despite applying creams and taking antibiotics on a daily basis, I could not get a sustainable solution to my problem. I tried Jiva Ayurveda on someone’s recommendation and I would say it’s been like a boon for me. In ten months of treatment, my skin eruptions had stopped completely – something that had not happened in ten years! I am continuing with the medication in the belief that a permanent cure is near.”
Thanks for this great article…
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