Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Snehana – oleation or lubrication remedy is a vital remedy process in Ayurveda. It’s normally administered as part of Purvakarma – preparatory process for conducting Vamana or Virechana. Vamana or Virechana would yield good outcomes solely after the affected person is ready with correctly administered snehana adopted by swedana – sudation.

Snehana is a process through which the medicated fat, ghee or oil normally are administered in ‘day by day rising dosage’ till the physique is saturated with Sneha. Correct saturation is recognized with the assistance of ‘Samyak Snigdha Lakshanas’ i.e. indicators of correct oleation.

Snehana might be primarily for –

–        Shodhana – whereby great amount of Sneha ought to be administered to expel giant portions of doshas – This type of snehana is the purpose of dialogue on this article
–        Shamana – to palliate the reasonably aggravated doshas, in situation the place shodhana – cleaning isn’t required – utilized in reasonable amount
–        Brimhana – to strengthen the physique, whereby a small amount is used together with meals

Vicharana Sneha is a technique whereby small portions of medicated fat are given combined with edible meals in numerous methods.

Nitya Sneha is a small amount of Sneha administered day by day, for a stipulated time interval in some illness circumstances.

The time period ‘Snehapana’ although relevant for all types of consumption of Sneha (pana = to drink), it’s typically utilized to explain the ‘shodhana snehana’ since giant portions of Sneha are given to drink on this process.

Can Snehapana go fallacious?

Whereas every kind of Sneha administration can go simply, Shodhana Sneha ought to be administered with good planning, else it’d trigger –

–        aggravation of current signs of the illness or
–        might trigger some new signs or
–        produce signs of indigestion

Why can this stuff occur?

The above stated untoward occasions can occur because of totally different causes. The primary ones are –

–        Improper planning of snehana
–        Incorrect calculation and administration of dose of Sneha – administered in too giant or too much less dose
–        Administration of Sneha to these unfit or ineligible for the remedy – fallacious selection of illness and diseased, administration in contraindicated circumstances
–        Improper time of administration – Sneha administered throughout night time time would improve vata and kapha and trigger vata-kapha problems. Equally, Sneha administered at day time would worsen pitta and result in manifestation of pitta problems.
–        Use of fallacious sort of Sneha – instance – use of taila i.e. oil in excessive pitta circumstances (it’s contraindicated)
–        Use of Sneha in fallacious Rtus – seasons. Taila – oil is indicated in Pravrt season. Sarpi – ghee is indicated in Varshanta i.e. Sharad Rtu (Autumn). Different Snehas i.e. Vasa – muscle fats and Majja – bone marrow might be administered in Madhava or Vasanta – Spring season. Aside from the indicated seasons, if Sneha is utilized in another season, it may trigger issues.
–        Improper follow-up (submit snehana procedures – dos and don’ts)

The way to handle the untoward happenings?

Signs of illness for which Sneha is run can flare up because of any of the above-mentioned causes. Insufficient doses would set off and excite the doshas with out inflicting correct snehana. These doshas would improve the illness signs or trigger newer signs and issues. Extreme dose might trigger over-saturation and the Sneha would grow to be satmya – healthful or habituated to the physique. The intention of snehana won’t be met with, indicators of over-oleation will manifest and generally purgation or emesis of drugs too might happen.

Is aggravation / flare up of signs at all times a degree of concern?

No. If the signs of the illness flare up after consuming Sneha, it is perhaps a pure response or response of the physique and its tissues to giant portions of Sneha to which we’re not accustomed to. The doctor mustn’t panic at this level. He must also have intimated the affected person that the signs might initially flare up.

Why does this occur?

The massive portions of Sneha consumed will produce snigdhata – unctuousness of all of the cells, as soon as it enters the physique and reaches the tissue ranges. This occurs as a result of gunas – qualities of Sneha i.e.  guru – heaviness, shita – coldness, sara – flowing, snigdha – unctuousness, manda – slowing down, sukshma – minuteness or deep penetrating, mrudu – smoothness and drava – liquidity. Resulting from these qualities, the Sneha will produce Sneha – unctuousness, visyanda – liquification, mardava – smoothness and kleda – dampness or moistness within the physique owing to comparable qualities of Sneha. These sudden modifications will put the physique right into a state of discomfort and would additionally trigger aggravation of illness signs or give rise to new signs.

If these signs grow to be insupportable with rising dose on consecutive days, the snehana ought to be stopped and remedy for elevated signs or new signs ought to be given. Snehana for these folks ought to be deliberate in a exact manner and proper dosage and after analysing the standing of the affected person and the illness, it shall be restarted after a niche of greater than three weeks.

If the symptom flare-ups usually are not troublesome and are delicate in nature, they shall be ignored contemplating that they’re induced as a result of response of the physique to the medication.

Indigestion of Sneha can happen if Sneha is run when the affected person is having mandagni – inadequate digestive fireplace / energy or when it’s administered in bigger doses.

Administration

In keeping with the precept, “….Virukshanam Viparitam!” – ‘inflicting dryness or implementing rukshana – drying therapies is antagonistic to extreme snehana’, Rukshana Chikitsa ought to be deliberate. Rukshana contains of meals, medicines and therapies which have reverse qualities as these of Snehana.

Meals ought to be of the beneath talked about nature –

–        Dravam – liquid and simply digestible meals
–        Ushnam – scorching and freshly ready
–        Anabhishayndi – these which don’t produce extreme liquidity within the physique
–        Naati snigdham – these which aren’t too unctuous i.e. having very much less amount of unctuous supplies like oil and ghee
–        Asamkaram – combination of varied meals shall be averted

Different cures –

–        Kshut – withholding starvation, which is a sort of langhana
–        Trshna – withholding urge for ingesting water
–        Ullekhana / vamana – emesis to throw away the undigested Sneha
–        Sweda – sudation, which is of reverse nature of Sneha
–        Ruksha anna pana – meals and drinks devoid of unctuous materials, dry in nature
–        Takrarishta – fermented preparation ready on buttermilk base
–        Khala – dish ready from curds
–        Use of Pippali – Piper longum, Kshaudra – honey, Go mutra – urine of cow, Guggulu – Commiphora mukul, Yava – barley, Triphal
–        Yathasvam Pratirogam cha Sadhanam Sneha Vyapadi – particular remedies for ailments or issues produced by Sneha as per the suggestions in these particular ailments