Ayurvedic massage is known as abhyanga. The word ‘abhyanga’ is composed of two Sanskrit words, abhi and anga. Abhi means ‘towards’ and anga, in one of its meanings, refers to ‘movement’.
Oil massage should be resorted to daily. It wards of old age, exertion and aggravation of vata. It bestows good vision, nourishment to the body, long life, good sleep, and good and strong healthy skin. It should be done to the feet, head, ears and palm.
Abhyanga may be done using oil, herbal powder, herbal pastes or ghee. It is a part of the dinacharya or the daily routine suggested by Ayurveda. It is used for relief of pain, stiffness and tiredness. It also forms an important part of snehana or oleation which is an indispensable prelude to panchakarma treatments, the five Ayurvedic detoxification therapies.
The scientific reason for abhyanga may be to
increase the blood flow towards the most distal
parts of the body and avoid overwhelming the
heart through increased venous return if the
massage is done towards the heart, or in other
words, in the direction opposite to that of the
body hair.
Abhyanga is considered an important treatment modality for balancing the doshas. The choice of oils should preferably be made according to your dosha and the area to be massaged. For the head, generally oils with cooling properties are used.
For Vata constitution, use sesame, olive or castor oil.
For Pitta constitution, use coconut, sunflower oil or ghee.
For Kapha constitution, use mustard, sesame, corn or olive oil.
In Ayurvedic pharmacy there are several herb-infused oils available for different purposes and can be selected following the advice of an Ayurvedic Practitioner for example Mahnarayan oil to relieve Joint pain in Arthritis.
At Ayurveda heaven, your Ayurvedic massage treatment will begin with a consultation with me (Dr.Kanchan Sharma, Ayurveda consultant). I will go through your health and lifestyle check-up to establish your needs and expectations and choose suitable oil for you. This is completely confidential and will take around 15 minutes. Depending on your need and prescribed treatment, the massage can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. The oil,especially mixed for your condition, is heated and applied directly to your skin.
Please bear in mind that you may feel very relaxed after the treatment, so it's suggested not to plan any strenuous activities following the treatment to match this feeling. Make sure you stay warm after your massage.
Ayurvedic massage should not be done in the following conditions according to Ayurveda.
Along with a well structured approach to diet, Ayurvedic arthritis home remedies can also be very helpful, especially if the condition is not chronic or severe.
A cure for Rheumatism and other aches:
Take half a teaspoon of this mixture along with water, thrice daily.
It is advisable to consult an Ayurvedic consultant before taking any herbal preparation.
In Ayurvedic pharmacy there are several herb-infused oils available for different purposes and can be selected following the advice of an Ayurvedic Practitioner for example Mahnarayan oil to relieve Joint pain in Arthritis.
The ayurvedic procedure of instilling medicated oils in the ears is called Karna Purana. It is beneficial in ear diseases including hearing loss, tinnitus, Meniere’s disease (characterized by mainly vertigo), swimmer’s ear and other diseases related to the ears.
It’s best to use a herbalized oil that is significantly more moisturizing than a plain vegetable oil.
2 to 15 drops of medicated oils are instilled in the ears during karna purana therapy.
The procedure should be followed continuously for a week for better and desired results. If patient has not got the desired results, then repeat the Karna Purna procedure after a month.
Karna Purana has many benefits in ear disorders. It helps to treat the incurable diseases such as tinnitus. It improves hearing quality, helps in hearing loss and reduces frequent ear infections. Other benefits of Karna Purana are given below:
Karna purana therapy is contraindicated in following cases:
There are very rare side effects with Karna purana. These are:
Nasya' is an Ayurvedic practice that encourages nasal administration of medicinal herbs, decoctions and oils. Commonly such treatments are known to clear sinus congestion, help clear accumulated toxins from head and neck region.
In Ayurveda Nasya is considered one of the most important holistic self-care that encourages internal detoxification. Many Vaidya’s consider Nasya as a part of Ayurvedic Daily Routine and conducts in every day by putting 3-5 drops of warm ghee or sesame seed oil into each nostril in the morning.
Nasya helps to lubricate the nasal passage, clean out mucus and sinuses, improves voice, mental clarity,smell and vision.
In Ayurveda various substances are used to do Nasya. The most common Nasya oil is herbal infused oil which is both nurturing and nourishing, and alleviating numerous discomforts. Following are some dosha specific Nasya Oil formulas.
Vata Dosha: Sesame oil, ghee, or vacha (calamus) oil. Pitta Dosha: Brahmi ghee, sunflower or coconut oil. Kapha Dosha: Vacha (calamus root) oil. Other nasya oils available in the market are balancing formula for all three doshas.
Anu Taila: Is a classical Ayurvedic formula for Nasya that was described in Asthanga Hrdaya. It treats sinus problems, clears nasal passages, strengthens head, ears, eyes, throat, tongueand shoulders. Prepared in a base of sesame seed oil it contains 30 herbs and goat’s milk.
Herbs such as jivanti, devadaru, twak, gopi, musta, shatavari, lotus, vidanga, cardamom, cinnamon and vitex are used in Anu Taila. Anu Taila positively effects Tridosha and has no known side effect if administered correctly.
Apart from the above mentioned benefits Nasya as a Daily Routine can relieve you from
Nasya also nourishes the body by
Do not apply Nasya oil under following circumstances
Massage of the body with some extra pressure in a reverse way i.e. from toes towards head is called Udvartan. There are two types: Snigdha Udvartan and Ruksha Udvartan Dry herbal powders or herbal paste prepared with medicated oils is used in this herbal powder massage.
Snigadh Udvartan - Is powder massage done with herbal paste prepared mixing herbs’ powder with medicated oils. This herbal paste is rubbed over the skin. Ruksha Udvartan - In Ruksha Udvartan, dry powders of herbs are used for rubbing. It is beneficial for diabetic people with insulin resistance. Ruksha Udvartana is useful in obese people.
For Weight Loss
For Glowing Skin
However, the maximum benefits can be achieved when ayurvedic massage therapist does Udvartana
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28 Florian Avanue, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3QH.
Maitri Natural Health Centre,
252 Streatham High Road,
Streatham, London, SW16 1HS