Masso Therapy (Massage Therapy)

Masso Therapy
Massage is an excellent form of passive exercise. The word is derived from the Greek word ‘massier’ which means to kneed, from French "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough”. Massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical (anatomical), functional (physiological), and in some cases psychological purposes and goals. If correctly done on a bare body, it can be highly stimulating and invigorating.

Massage is also a modality of Naturopathy and quite essential for maintaining good health. Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized massage modalities. It aims at improving blood circulation and strengthening bodily organs. In winter season, sun bath after massaging the whole body is well known practice of preserving health and strength. It is beneficial to all. It bestows combined benefits of massage and sun rays therapy. In disease conditions, necessary therapeutic effects can be obtained through specific techniques of massage. Massage is a substitute of exercise for those who cannot do the same. The effects of exercise can be derived from massage.

Various oils are used as lubricants like mustard oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, olive oil, aroma oils etc. which also have therapeutic effects.

There are seven fundamental modes of manipulation in massage and these are: Touch, effleurage (stroking), friction (rubbing), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), vibration (shaking or trembling) and Joint movement. Movements vary according to disease condition and parts applied.

Another form of massage helpful in most ailments are the vibratory massage, Powder massage, Water massage, Dry massage. Powders of neem leaves, rose petals and are also used as lubricants for massage.

 Physiological Effects of Massage
 Reflex Effects (responses mediated by the nervous system)
· Vasodilation of arteries
· Stimulation of peristalsis (aids in digestion)
· Increase or decrease in muscle tone
· Increases activity of the organs in the abdominal cavity
· Triggers the relaxation response
· Soothing or stimulating effect on muscles
· Stimulates the heart, increases strength and rate of contraction
· Increases efficiency of the immune system
Mechanical Effects (responses resulting from directly applied manual pressure)
· Increased venous return
· Increased lymphatic flow, Lymphatic drainage
· Circulatory efficiency
· Loosening of mucous (respiratory system)
· Breakdown of fibrosis/adhesions
· Stretch to shortened muscles/loosens muscle fibres
· Increased muscle temperature
· Increased metabolic rate locally and gaseous exchange
· Stretches scar tissue
· Decreased muscle tone/increased muscle tone
· Increased range of Motion
· Restoration of proper joint mechanics/biomechanics
· Elimination of muscle imbalances
· Strengthen weakened muscles

Benefits of massage
The general massage, dealing with all parts of the body, is highly beneficial in many ways. It tones up the nervous system, influences respiration and quickens the elimination of poisons and waste material from the body through the various eliminative organs such as the lungs, skin, kidneys and bowels. It also boosts blood circulation and metabolic processes. A massage removes facial wrinkles, helps to fill out hollow cheeks and neck and eases stiffness, sore muscles and numbness.  
Peer-reviewed medical research has shown that the benefits of massage include pain relief, reduced trait anxiety and depression, and temporarily reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and state anxiety. Theories behind what massage might do include blocking nociception (gate control theory), activating the parasympathetic nervous system which may stimulate the release of endorphins and serotonin, preventing fibrosis or scar tissue, increasing the flow of lymph, and improving sleep but such effects are yet to be supported by well designed clinical studies.

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is a branch of Nature Cure. It is the treatment of disorders using different forms of water. These forms of water application are in practice since age-old days. Hydrothermal therapy additionally uses its temperature effects, as in hot & cold baths, saunas, wraps, etc and in all its forms-solid, fluid, vapour, ice and steam, internally and externally. Water is without doubt the most ancient of all remedial agents for disease. This great healing agent has now been systematized and made into a science. Hydriatic applications are generally given in different temperatures, the temperature of application are given in the below table.

Sl.No.  Temperature o                    Fahrenheit o Celsius
1           Very Cold(Ice Application)   30-55         -1-13
2            Cold                                       55-65         13-18
3
Cool65-8018-27
4
Tepid
80-92
27-33
5
Warm
(Neutral)
92-98
(92-95)
33-37
(33-35)
6
Hot
98-104
37-40
7
Very Hot
Above 104
Above 40


Effects & uses of Water:

1.    Taking bath properly with clean cold water is an excellent form of Hydrotherapy. Such baths open up all the pores of the skin and make the body light and fresh. In the cold bath all systems and muscles of body get activated and the blood circulation improves after bath. The old tradition of taking bath in rivers, ponds or waterfalls on specific occasions is virtually a natural form of Hydrotherapy only.
2.    It is the most flexible medium for producing the thermic and mechanical effects desired and can be applied to a limited area or to the whole body surface.
3.    It is capable of absorbing heat and also gives out heat with great readiness. It can, therefore, be used either for abstracting heat from the body or communicating heat to it. Though cold water is chiefly used, the purpose is not to take away or reduce the bodily heat, but to increase the vital power to generate more heat than what is lost.
4.    Being a universal solvent, its use internally, in the form of Enema or Colonic Irrigation or Water drinking aid greatly in the elimination of uric acid, urea, salts, excessive sugar, and many other blood and food chemicals that are waste products.

In should also be noted that the successful use of these methods needs a certain level of vital power. Where that power is too low, these are useless. As in acute conditions there is a higher degree of vital power, and hence there is a certainty of vital reaction. In chronic cases, where the vital power is lower, these baths are less useful, but in such cases the packs are useful because they are milder in their application.

Water is used in many forms in treatment. The various forms of treatments are:-

1.    Compresses and Fomentation:
a)    Cold Compress: Abdominal Cold Compress.
b)    Heating Compress: Chest pack, abdominal pack, wet girdle pack, throat pack, Knee pack, and full wet sheet pack.

 Hot and Cold Compresses: Head, Lung, Kidney, Gastro-Hepatic, pelvic & Abdominal hot and cold compresses.
c)    Fomentation

2.    Baths:

a)    Hip Bath- Cold, Neutral, Hot, Stiz Bath and alternative hip bath.
b)    Spinal Bath & Spinal Spray:-Cold, Neutral, Hot
c)    Foot and Arm Bath: Cold, Hot Foot Bath, Arm Bath, Hot Foot and Arm bath Combined, Contrast Arm Bath and Contrast Foot Bath.
d)    Steam Inhalation & Steam Bath
e)    Sauna Bath
f)    Sponge Bath

3.    Jetspraymassages:
a)    Cold, Neutral, Hot, Alternate, Circular jet Spray massage
b)    Affusion Baths: Cold Affusions, Neutral Affusions, Hot Affusions, Hot and Cold Affusions
c)    Cold Shower
d)    Trauma

4.    Immersion Baths: Cold Immersion Bath, Cold Immersion with Friction, Neutral Immersion Bath, Hot Immersion, Neutral Half Bath, Graduated Immersion Bath with Epsom Salt, Asthma Bath, Whirlpool Bath, under water massage.

5.    Enema: Graduated Enema, Vaginal Irrigation, Cold Irrigation, Neutral Irrigation, Hot Irrigation.
One of the modalities of Hydro therapy is Colon Therapy.

Colon Hydrotherapy
It is the process of cleansing and flushing out colon or large intestine. The treatment is similar to an enema but is more extensive. It uses clean filtered water under gentle pressure (without pain) to wash out or detoxify colon of stagnated faecal materials. The number of sessions will depend on individual. Most people require a series of 3-6 treatments to receive a thorough cleansing of the colon.

Benefits and Physiological effects of Hydrotherapy:

The recuperative and healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on its mechanical and/or thermal effects. It exploits the body’s reaction to hot and cold stimuli, to the protracted application of heat, to pressure exerted by the water and to the sensation it gives. The nerves carry impulses felt at the skin deeper into the body, where they are instrumental in stimulating the immune system, influencing the production of stress hormones, invigorating the circulation and digestion, encouraging blood flow, and lessening pain sensitivity. Generally, heat quiets and soothes the body, slowing down the activity of internal organs. Cold, in contrast, stimulates and invigorates, increasing internal activity.

Its mechanical action occurs during the bath when the body weight decreases by 50% to 90% when submerged in a bath, a pool, or a whirlpool, experiences a kind of weightlessness. Body is relieved from the constant pull of gravity. Water also has a hydrostatic effect. It has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, in motion, stimulates touch receptors on the skin, boosting blood circulation and releasing tight muscles.

Cold Application is defined as the therapeutic application of any substance to the body that removes heat from the body, resulting in decreased tissue temperature. Cold application decreases tissue blood flow by causing vasoconstriction, and reduces tissue metabolism, oxygen utilization, inflammation and muscle spasm. Topical cold treatment decreases the temperature of the skin and underlying tissues to a depth of 2 to 4 cm, decreasing the activation threshold of tissue nociceptors and the conduction velocity of pain nerve signals. This result in a local anesthetic effect called cold-induced neuropraxia. Thermotherapy is the therapeutic application of any substance to the body that adds heat to the body resulting in increased tissue temperature. Heat therapy is delivered by three mechanisms: conduction, convection, or conversion. Increased blood flow facilitates tissue healing by supplying protein, nutrients, and oxygen at the site of injury. A 1ºC increase in tissue temperature is associated with a 10% to 15% increase in local tissue metabolism. This increase in metabolism aids the healing process by increasing both catabolic and anabolic reactions needed to degrade and remove metabolic by-products of tissue damage and provides the milieu for tissue repair.

Naturopathy

Definition of Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a system of man building in harmony with the constructive principles of Nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual planes of living. It has great health promotive, disease preventive and curative as well as restorative potential.

According to the manifesto of British Naturopathic Association, "Naturopathy is a system of treatment which recognises the existence of the vital curative force within the body." It therefore, advocates aiding human system to remove the cause of disease i.e. toxins by expelling the unwanted and unused matters from human body for curing diseases.

Diet Therapy
According to this therapy, the food must be taken in natural form. Fresh seasonal fruits, fresh green leafy vegetables and sprouts are excellent. These diets are broadly classified into three types which are as follows:

i).Eliminative Diet
Liquids-Lemon, Citric juices, Tender Coconut water, Vegetable soups, Butter milk, Wheat Grass juices etc.
ii).Soothing Diet
Fruits, Salads, Boiled/Steamed Vegetables, Sprouts, Vegetable chutney etc.
iii).Constructive Diet
Wholesome flour, Unpolished rice, little pulses, Sprouts, Curd etc.


Being alkaline, these diets help in improving health, purifying the body and rendering it immune to disease. To this end, a proper combination of food is necessary. Our diet should consist of 20% acidic and 80% alkaline food for maintaining health. A balanced food is a must for any individual seeking good health. Food is regarded as Medicine in Naturopathy.

Fasting Therapy
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. The word id derived from the old English , ‘ Feastan’ means to fast, observe, be strict. In Sanskrit ‘ Vrath’ means ‘determination’ and ‘Upavasa’ means ‘ near to God’.A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting. Fasting is an important treatment modality for health preservation. In fasting, mental preparedness is an essential pre-condition. Prolonged fasting should be done only under the supervision of a competent Naturopath.

The duration of the fast depends upon the age of the patient, the nature of the disease and amount and type of drugs previously used. It is some times advisable to undertake a series of short fasts of two or three days and gradually increase the duration of each succeeding fast by a day or so. No harm will accrue to fasting patient provided they take rest and are under proper professional care.

Methods of fasting are  water, juices or raw vegetable juices. The best, safest and most effective method is lime juice fasting. During fasting, the body burns up and excretes huge amounts of accumulated wastes. We can help this cleansing process by drinking alkaline juices. Sugars in juices will strengthen the heart, juice fasting is therefore the best form of fasting. All juices should be prepared from fresh fruit immediately before drinking. Canned or frozen juices should not be used. A precautionary measure, which must be observed in all cases of fasting, is the complete emptying of the bowels at the beginning of the fast by enema so that the patient is not bothered by gas or decomposing matter formed from the excrements remaining in the body. Enemas should be used at least every alternate day during the fasting period. The total liquid intake should be approximately six to eight glasses. A lot of energy is spent during the fast in the process of eliminating accumulated poisons and toxic waste materials. It is therefore, of utmost importance that the patient gets as much physical rest and mental relaxation as possible during the fast.

The success of the fast depends largely on how it is broken. The main rules for break in the fast are: do not overeat, eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly and take several days for the gradual change to the normal diet.

Benefits and Physiological effects of Fasting:

Physicians of most cultures, throughout history, have recommended extended fasting as therapy for various conditions from ancient to modern. Though earlier observations were studied without scientific methodology or understanding they still point to utilization of fasting as a therapeutic modality. Earlier observations were based on animal behaviour but today they are based on animal physiology. We will try to discern in this article as to how best fasting could be useful in promoting ones health through review of literature that describes physiological and metabolic benefits.
Prominent among the physiological effects conferred by fasting (Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting) are the following: increased insulin sensitivity that results in reduced plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and improved glucose tolerance, reduced levels of oxidative stress as indicated by decreased oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA, increased resistance to various types of stress including heat, oxidative and metabolic stresses and enhanced immune function.


Both gross and cellular physiology is profoundly affected by caloric restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) regimes. With respect to gross physiology there is of course a significant reduction of body fat and mass, which supports a healthy cardiovascular system and reduces incidents of myocardial infarction. In addition to cardioprotection a greater tolerance to stress is induced in the liver, the nutrient core of homo sapiens. The presence of alternative energy stores such as ketone bodies (e.g. β-hydroxybutyrate) enable homo sapiens to survive additional stresses of life. Excessive and deleterious blood glucose is curtailed by an enhanced sensitivity to insulin (Ins) and glucose and its utilization as an energy source.

Mud Therapy
Mud therapy is very simple and effective treatment modality. The mud used for this should be clean and taken from 3 to 4 ft. depth from the surface of the ground. There should be no contamination of stone pieces or chemical manures etc. in the mud.

Mud is one of five elements of nature having immense impact on the body both in health and sickness. Advantages of using mud:-

Its black colour absorbs all the colours of the Sun and conveys them to the body.
Mud retains moisture for a long time, when applied over the body part it causes cooling.
Its shape and consistency can be changed easily by adding water.
It is cheap and easily available.
Before using, mud should be dried, powdered and sieved to separate stones, grass particles and other impurities

Mud Pack-Local Application
Keeping soaked mud in a thin, wet muslin cloth and making it into a thin flat brick depending on the size of the patient’s abdomen, apply it.  The duration of the mud pack application is 20 to 30 minutes. When applied in cold weather, place a blanket over the mud pack and cover the body as well.

Benefits
When applied to abdomen it relieves all forms of indigestion. It is effective in decreasing intestinal heat and stimulates peristalsis.
A thick mud pack applied to head in congestive headache, relieves the pain immediately. Hence this is recommended whenever there is necessity for a prolonged cold application.
Application of the pack over the eyes is useful in cases of conjunctivitis, hemorrhages in the eyeball, itching, allergy, errors of refraction like short sight and long sight and especially useful in glaucoma where it helps to reduce eyeball tension.
Mud Pack for Face
Soaked mud is applied on the face and allowed to dry for 30 minutes. This is helpful in improving the complexion of the skin and removing pimples and open skin pores which in turn facilitate elimination. This also is helpful in eliminating dark circles around the eyes. After 30 minutes, face should be washed thoroughly with cold water.

Mud Bath
Mud may be applied to the patient in sitting or lying position. This helps to improve the skin condition by increasing the circulation and energizing the skin tissues.  Care should be taken to avoid catching cold during the bath. Afterwards, the patient must be thoroughly washed with cold water jet spray. If the patient feels chill, warm water should be used. The patient is, then, dried quickly and transferred to a warm bed. The duration of mud bath may be 45 to 60 minutes.

Benefits:
The effects of mud are refreshing, invigorating, and vitalizing.
For wounds and skin diseases, application of mud is the only true bandage.
Mud therapy is used for giving coolness to body.
It dilutes and absorbs the toxic substances of body and ultimately eliminates them from body.
Mud is used successfully in different diseases like constipation, headache due to tension, high blood pressure, skin diseases etc.

Gandhiji used to take mud pack to get rid of constipation

History of siddha Medicine / Special treatments

Treatment
The basic therapeutic approach is, that alone is the right treatment which makes for health and he alone is the best doctor who frees one from disease. This sums up the principal objectives of Ayurveda, i.e. maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure of sickness.

Treatment of the disease consists in avoiding causative factors responsible for disequilibrium of the body matrix or of any of its constituent parts through the use of Panchkarma procedures, medicines, suitable diet, activity and regimen for restoring the balance and strengthening the body mechanisms to prevent or minimize future occurrence of the disease.

Normally treatment measures involve use of medicines, specific diet and prescribed activity routine. Use of these three measures is done in two ways. In one approach of treatment the three measures antagonize the disease by counteracting the etiological factors and various manifestations of the disease. In the second approach the same three measures of medicine, diet and activity are targeted to exert effects similar to the etiological factors and manifestations of the disease process. These two types of therapeutic approaches are respectively known as Vipreeta and Vipreetarthkari treatments.

For successful administration of a treatment four things are essential. These are

The physician

The medicaments

The nursing personnel

The patient

The physician comes first in order of importance. He must possess technical skill, scientific knowledge, purity and human understanding. The physician should use his knowledge with humility, wisdom and in the service of humanity. Next in importance comes food and drugs. These are supposed to be of high quality, wide application, grown and prepared following approved procedures and should be available adequately. The third component of every successful treatment is the role of nursing personnel who should have good knowledge of nursing, must know the skills of their art and be affectionate, sympathetic, intelligent, neat & clean and resourceful. The fourth component is the patient himself who should be cooperative and obedient to follow instructions of the physician, able to describe ailments and ready to provide all that may be needed for treatment.

Preventive Treatment and the concepts of Aetio-Pathogenesis
Ayurveda has developed a very vivid analytical description of the stages and events that take place since the causative factors commence to operate till the final manifestation of disease. This gives this system an additional advantage of knowing that possible onset of disease much before the latent symptoms become apparent. This very much enhances the preventive role of this system of medicine by making it possible to take proper and effective steps in advance, to arrest further progress in pathogenesis or to take suitable therapeutic measures to curb the disease in its earliest stage of onset.

Types of treatment

Shodhana
Shodhana treatment aims at removal of the causative factors of somatic and psychosomatic diseases. The process involves internal and external purification. The usual practices involved are Panchkarma (medically induced Emesis, Purgation, Oil Enema, Decoction enema and Nasal administration of medicines), Pre-panchkarma procedures (external and internal oleation and induced sweating). Panchkarma treatment focuses on metabolic management. It provides needed purificatory effect, besides conferring therapeutic benefits. This treatment is especially helpful in neurological disorders, musculo-skeletal disease conditions, certain vascular or neuro-vascular states, respiratory diseases, metabolic and degenerative disorders.

Shamana
Shamana therapy involves suppression of vitiated humours (doshas). The process by which disturbed humour subsides or returns to normal without creating imbalance of other humours is known as shamana. This treatment is achieved by use of appetisers, digestives, exercise and exposure to sun, fresh air etc. In this form of treatment, palliatives and sedatives are used.

Pathya Vyavastha
Pathya Vyavastha comprises indications and contraindications in respect of diet, activity, habits and emotional status. This is done with a view to enhance the effects of therapeutic measures and to impede the pathogenetic processes. Emphasis on dos and donts of diet etc is laid with the aim to stimulate Agni and optimize digestion and assimilation of food in order to ensure strength of tissues.

Nidan Parivarjan
Nidan Parivarjan is to avoid the known disease causing factors in diet and lifestyle of the patient. It also encompasses the idea to refrain from precipitating or aggravating factors of the disease.

Satvavajaya
Satvavajaya concerns mainly with the area of mental disturbances. This includes restraining the mind from desires for unwholesome objects and cultivation of courage, memory and concentration. The study of psychology and psychiatry have been developed extensively in Ayurveda and have wide range of approaches in the treatment of mental disorders.

Rasayana
Rasayana therapy deals with promotion of strength and vitality. The integrity of body matrix, promotion of memory, intelligence, immunity against the disease, the preservation of youth, luster and complexion and maintenance of optimum strength of the body and senses are some of the positive benefits credited to this treatment. Prevention of premature bear and tear of body tissues and promotion of total health content of an individual are the roles that Rasayana therapy plays.

Diet and Ayurvedic Treatment
In Ayurveda, regulation of diet as therapy has great importance. This is because it considers human body as the product of food. An individuals mental and spiritual development as well as his temperament is influenced by the quality of food consumed by him. Food in human body is transformed first into chyle or Rasa and then successive processes involve its conversion into blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone-marrow, reproductive elements and ojas. Thus, food is basic to all the metabolic transformations and life activities. Lack of nutrients in food or improper transformation of food lead to a variety of disease conditions.

Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) was created in March,1995 and re-named as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November, 2003 with a view to providing focused attention to development of Education & Research in Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems. The Department continued to lay emphasis on upgradation of AYUSH educational standards, quality control and standardization of drugs, improving the availability of medicinal plant material, research and development and awareness generation about the efficacy of the systems domestically and internationally.



Department of Ayush,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
AYUSH BHAWAN
B Block,
GPO Complex, INA
New Delhi - 110 023

History of siddha Medicine / Special treatments

Health and Sickness
Health or sickness depends on the presence or absence of a balanced state of the total body matrix including the balance between its different constituents. Both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors can cause disturbance in the natural equilibrium giving rise to disease. This loss of equilibrium can happen by dietary indiscrimination, undesirable habits and non-observance of rules of healthy living. Seasonal abnormalities, improper exercise or erratic application of sense organs and incompatible actions of the body and mind can also result in creating disturbance of the existing normal balance. The treatment consists of restoring the balance of disturbed body-mind matrix through regulating diet, correcting life-routine and behaviour, administration of drugs and resorting to preventive Panchkarma and Rasayana therapy.

Diagnosis
   In Ayuveda diagnosis is always done of the patient as a whole. The physician takes a careful note of the patients internal physiological characteristics and mental disposition. He also studies such other factors as the affected bodily tissues, humours, the site at which the disease is located, patients resistance and vitality, his daily routine, dietary habits, the gravity of clinical conditions, condition of digestion and details of personal, social, economic and environmental situation of the patient. The diagnosis also involves the following examinations:

General physical examination

Pulse examination

Urine examination

Examination of the faeces

Examination of tongue and eyes

Examination of skin and ear including tactile and auditory functions.

History of siddha Medicine / Special treatments

Special treatments are available for :
Bronchial asthma
Lumbar Spondilosis
Frozen shoulder
Cervical spondilosis
Arthritis
Skin diseases
Infertility (male and female)
Gastric ulcer
Diabetes mellitus
Hypertension
Ischemic heart disease
Hemiplegia etc etc.

Ayurveda
Ayurveda
The Body Matrix  
Panchamahabhutas  
Health and Sickness 
Diagnosis  
Treatment 
Preventive Treatment and the concepts of Aetio-Pathogenesis 
Types of Treatment  
Diet and Ayurvedic Treatment 
Institute of Post Graduate Teaching & Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar (Gujarat) 
National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) Jaipur 
Rashtriya Ayurved Vidyapeeth, New Delhi 
ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDA  


http://indianmedicine.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=110

History of siddha Medicine / சித்த மருத்துவ வரலாறு - 5

HOLISTIC HEALING

On conclusion any medical science, cannot be fulfilled unless the overall wellness of the human body is accomplished. A holistic approach involves seeking the wellness of the patient both physically and mentally. Holistic healing treats the physical and pschycological imbalances, choosing to live in harmony of mind and soul. It is not an alternative to conventional medical care, rather it’s an integrative option for the betterment of human life.

CONTEMPORARIES OF SIDDHA MEDICINE

With a march of time, Siddha medicine, which was constrained in palm leaf manuscripts had a reawakening. Many Indian universities have included the basics of Siddha medicine as a subject. In Tamilnadu and Kerala, there are eight collages which teach Siddha medicine as professional course, 1000 primary health care centers and several district and taluk level hospitals.

The pivotal role played by the department of Ayush under the centre council for Indian medicine, New Delhi, in promoting Siddha is the establishment of national institute of Siddha, Chennai. Private  organizations like Arogya health care are indeed concerned with the promotion of research in Siddha medicine apart from clinical grounds.

On conclusion, Siddha system strives hard only to restore the blessing of nature to human beings.

For further details: Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)