Ayurveda : Upshaya

It refers to the treatment of the ailment i.e. Aushadhi (medicine), Anna (diet) and Conduct, which is helps to cure the disease. The opposite of this is unupshaya. Treatments are classified as follows:

(1) Hetuviparit (anti factor)

This refers to the treatment that is opposite to the factor, which causes the disease and can be classified in three sub categories, namely:

• Hetuviparit aushadhi: They are the medicines that control the ailment.

  Example: In Kaphaj jwar dried ginger is the medicine as it corrects the imbalance of kapha dosha in the body, which cures kaphaj jwar. Here medicine i.e. ginger is opposite of the factor i.e. kapha dosha.

• Hetuviparit anna: The diet opposite to the disease-causing factor is called hetuviparit anan.

Example: To have chicken soup as diet in shramaj jwar (fever due to tablets). That is caused due to over exertion leads to imbalance of vat dosha and chicken soup balances the vat dosha in the body and removes tiredness.

• Hetuviparit vihara: This refers to the type of conduct that controls the disease-causing factor.

  Example: Sleeping in day- time disturbs the kapha dosha in the body which leads to kapha (cold and cough), thus the treatment for this is to sleep at night, which controls the disturbed kapha dosha, and ultimately cures the disease.

(2) Vyadhiviparit (anti disease)

This refers to specific means to cure certain disease.

• Vyadhiviparit Aushadhi: These are the medicines specifically for a certain disease.

  Example: Kutaj (Holarrhena anti dysenteric) is the specific medicine for diarrhea.

• Vyadhiviparit Anna: It refers to diet specific to the disease.

  Example: In diarrhea pulse of masoor is the specific diet.

• Vyadhiviparit ViharIt refers to the conduct specific to the disease.

  Example: In Udhavart (a kind of disease in which excreta comes out through mouth) pravahan (make effort by abdomen to defecation) is the specific conduct (vihar).

(3) Hetuvyadhiviparit (anti factor & anti disease)

This refers to the treatment, which is specific to the disease and yet is an anti factor.

• Hetuvyadhiviparit Aushadhi: It is the medicine that controls the positive factor and ciures the ailment.

  Example: The medicine dashmool is specific for vatajshotha. Here dashmool controls the disturbed vatadosha in the body. It is also specific to control the shotha (edema).

• Hetuvyadhiviparit Anna: It is the diet specific to the disturbed doshas and is specific to the disease.

  Example:Takra (buttermilk) is the specific diet for vatajgrahani (a type of indigestion). Here takra controls the disturbed vatadosha in the body. It also improves digestion of the body.

• Hetuvyadhiviparit Vihar:This refers to the conduct that is specific to control the disturbed dosha and is specific to for controlling the ailment.

  Example: Tandra developed due to excessive use of fatty things and day time sleep. Rukshavihar (conduct which reduces fat, such as running walking etc). Exercise like running walking etc controls the disturbed kapha dosha in the body.

(4) Hetuviparitarthkari (anti causative subjective)

This refers to the factors that initially might be supporting the causative factor but helps in curing the ailment at the end.

• Aushadhi (medicine)

  Example: The suppuration of boil is caused by disturbed pittadosha. When upanha (type of poultice) is used for the treatment of boil it enhance the process of suppuration of boil by exciting pittdosha. Here the medication seems to enhancing the causative factor i.e. pitta dosha. As after suppuration of boil puss is drained which support healing. This way upnha, which seems to be a pro causative factor ultimately cures the boil.

• Anna (diet): To take vidahi anna (the diet which imbalance the pitta dosha ) as diet in boil. Here also the vidahi anna excites the pitta dosha, which enhance the suppuration of boil. After suppuration puss is drained out from the boil, which supports healing.
• Vihar (conduct): According to ayurveda the fear disturbs vatdosha to treat vatik unmad (a form of psychotic disorder) patient is feared and angry. Here anger and fear excite the vata dosha, but the action of scolding and fear control the patient and ultimately he get cured.

(5) Vyadhiviparitarthkari (anti disease subjective)

This refers to the means, which are supposed to be exaggerating the disease, but it ultimately it cures it.

• Aushadhi (medicine)

  Example: Madan phala (Randia dumetorum) exaggerate vamana (vomiting). In the treatment of kaphaj vaman it helps to remove unwanted cough by exaggerating vaman (vomiting).

• Anna (diet)

  Example: Milk is a mild laxative which may promotes diarrhea. In dysentery milk helps to remove mucous from the gastro intestinal tract by promoting evacuation. Thus to take milk in dysentery helps in its cure.

• Vihar (conduct)

  Example: To promote vomiting (vaman) in the disease vaman (vomiting) helps to remove polluted cough from the body but it relives patient and accurate it.

(6) Hetu- Vyadhiviparitarthkari (anti factor & anti disease subjective)

This type of treatment seems to be anti causative factor and disease promoting but the ultimately it cures the disease.

• Aushadhi (medicine)

  Example: According to ayurveda Agru (type of herb) promotes warmth in the skin. Agru is applied on the burns and scalds as its treatment. Inspite of its warm nature it enhances the blood flow to the effected part, which helps in healing.

• Anna (diet)

  Example: In a chronic alcoholic patient to avoid withdrawal syndrome, alcohol in small amount is provided

• Vihar (conduct)

  Example: According to ayurveda frozen shoulder develops due to the disturbance in equilibrium of vata dosha. As cold water and the conduct of swimming both may disturb vata dosha. This conduct seems to be disease promoting but during swimming the heat produced by the action get trapped in the effected area (frozen shoulder). This warmth corrects the disturbed equilibrium of vata dosha and ultimately the disease is cured.