Ayurveda Enema Therapy for Back pain and Menstrual Problems

Ayurveda medicated enema therapy

Ayurveda recommends detoxification therapies for protection of health and management of disorder. Of which almost emphasis is given for enema or medicated enema therapy as it does purification, rejuvenation etc. Some the Ayurveda expert claims that without vasti – enema the purification therapy is not complete as it controls the functional element (vata dosha) of the human body. 

Ayurveda medicated enema therapy is classified based on the medicine and organ (anatomy), numbers and action

Based on the anatomy

·         Through vagina into the uterus

·         Through rectum to large intestines

·         Urethral- vesicle

·         For wound/abscess

Based on the medicine

·         Decoction enema

·         Oil enema

Based on the action

·         Purification enema- Used for expelling the doshas forcibly

·         Oleation enema - Used for Oleation effect

·         Scrapping enema  - Used for scraping the fats/vitiated Kapha in the body

·         Rejuvenative enema - For rejuvenation

·         Detoxification enema - Expels all the unwanted doshas

·         Pacifying enema - Pacifies the doshas

·         Strengthening enema  - Gives complexion and color/strength

·         Aphrodisiac enema - Increases the quality and quantity of semen

Classification according to the numbers

·         Karma vasti - 30 in numbers

·         Kala vasti - 16 in numbers

·         Yoga vasti - 8 in numbers

Decoction Enema 

In this, honey and oil are the basic elements. The common formula is as follows:

Honey	48 ml
Oil	96 ml
Decoction	400 ml
Paste of herbs	12 gm

Oil enema

It can be given daily and does not cause any complications if retained in the body; in the combination of medicines, oily drugs are predominantly used; the said therapy is named as Sneha Vasti.

According to dosage, it can be named as follows:

·         Sneha vasti dosage – 150 ml

·         Anuvasana vasti – 75 ml

·         Matra vasti – 30 ml

Karma vasti: Total 30 enemas are given, out of which18 are decoction enemas and 12 are oil enemas.
Kala vasti: Total 16 enemas are given; among them 10 are decoction enemas and 6 are oil enemas.
Yoga vasti: Total of 8 enemas are given; among them 6 are decoction enemas and 6 are oil enemas.

Indications

·         Any disease of Vata nature

·         Stomach disorders

·         Retention of urine, stools etc.

·         Diarrhea

·         Colic pain

·         Fistula in anus

·         Insanity

·         Convulsions

·         Back, joints or any types of pain in the body

·         Debilitated conditions of tissues and waste products

·         Swellings

·         Fever

·         Cataract

·         Urinary calculi

·         Facial paralysis and general paralysis

·         Parkinson's disease

·         Gout

·         Hemorrhoids

·         Impurities/diseases of breast/breast milk

·         Diseases of female and male genital system

·         Obstructed pregnancy

·         Diseases of semen and male reproductive system

Contraindications

·         Indigestion

·         Excessive oleo conditions

·         Less gastric fire

·         After vomiting/diarrhea

·         Person suffering from fear, giddiness, wheezing, cough, hiccough as acute conditions

·         Diabetes

·         Skin diseases/leprosy

·         Anemia

·         Anorexia

·         Debilitated person/aged/children/pregnant women

·         Prolapsed rectum

·         Swelling all over the body

Contraindications of Oil Enema

·         All the above

·         Immediately after food- empty stomach

·         Fever

·         Anaemia

·         Jaundice

·         Diabetes

·         Haemorrhoids

·         Running nose

·         Anorexia

·         Poor digestive fire

·         Weak person

·         Diseases of spleen and liver

·         Stiffness and pain in the thigh due to the vitiation of Vata and Kapha

·         Diarrhoea

·         Poisoned conditions

·         Artificial poison

·         Heaviness of the stomach and body

·         Elephantiasis

·         Abscess/tumours

·         Worm infestations

·         Obesity

Pre-Treatment Procedures For Enema Therapy

Depending on the vitiated doshas, medicine, land, season, acceptability, digestive capacity, psychic state, age and strength, the types and dose of enema should be carefully selected.

Vasti Karma

Induction of Medicine:

After completion of local and general oleos and sudation therapies, enema should be administered.

·         Local warming of the stomach and back

·         Enema should be prepared and bladder/rubber bag/plastic cover should be filled.

·         Patient should lie down on left side with left lower extremity straight and right lower extremity flexed on knee and hip joint.

·         Person is asked to take a deep breath during induction of medicines

·         Shivering of hands should be avoided as it may cause injury to the anal region

·         Variable speed of induction of enema is not advisable; it should be only at a constant speed to avoid the obstruction of vata dosha in the intestines, which may cause acute pain.

·         Enema tube should be pulled out immediately after administering the medicines

·         Person should be lying in the same position for the next 30 minutes

·         Afterwards, the person should wait for the urge to eliminate and as soon as he gets it, he should eliminate.

Duration of the elimination of enema is very important; 48 minutes is the maximum time mentioned in Ayurveda. If it does not happen during this period, the person may die or it may cause severe pain with complications like distension of the stomach, cutting pain in the large intestines, cardiac pain and fever. In such cases, strong purgatives should be administered to eliminate the unwanted materials in the stomach.

Adequate Therapy	Inadequate Therapy	Excessive Therapy
Natural elimination of the injected materials mixed with or without faeces	Severe pain in different parts of the body	Body pain
Normal elimination of flatus	Edema	Debility
Elimination of faeces, Pitta, Kapha and Vata in that order	Running nose	Tiredness
Lightness in the body	Cutting pain in the anal region	Tremors
Control of the diseases	Nausea	Sleepy mode/dullness of the body
Improvement of health	Retention of urine, flatus and faeces	Giddiness
	Dyspnoea	Hiccough
	Improper elimination of enema	Mental disturbances
	Loss of taste	Drowsiness
	Heaviness of the body and head

Regimen of Post-Enema Therapy

·         Rest

·         Warm water bath

·         Milk mixed with well-boiled rice

·         Non-vegetarian soup

·         Avoid excessive sitting, sleeping

·         Avoid sex, untimely and incompatible food

·         Avoid suppression of natural urges, cold, sunlight, anxiety and anger

Complications of Enema

Complications due to improper administration of enema:

·         If complete medicine is not administered, air goes in and causes severe pain in the intestines. Mild sudation therapy is advised to relieve the pain.

·         Administering and removing the enema tube may causes pain, discomfort, dysuria, rigidity and lumbar pains. Vata reducing treatment is advised to manage such condition.

·         Improper introduction of enema tube leads to improper entry of medicines and causes improper enema therapy symptoms.

·         Introducing the enema tube deeply may cause ulceration/puncture of blood vessels, and if administered superficially, the medicine may not reach the intestines.

Uttara Vasti

Vasti if given through urethra/vagina is known as Uttara Vasti.

Dosage: 15-2- ml

Indications: Most of urinary, vaginal and uterine diseases.

For women, Ayurveda recommends that enema should be administered on 4th day/after 4th day of menstruation.