11.2. Akshepaka Chikitsa
Akṣepaka Vyādhi (अक्षेपक — convulsive / spasmodic disorders)
1. Samprāpti-Vighaṭana (breaking the pathogenesis)
| Step to break | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1. Remove Kapha-āvaraṇa | Vāta is “trapped” by sticky Kapha ⇒ first liquefy / expel Kapha with rukṣa-uṣṇa sveda, vamana or mṛdu virecana. |
| 2. Pacify & re-channel Vāta | Once the track is clear, saturate Vāta with sneha (taila / ghṛta), basti and mūrdha-taila to restore its normal gati. |
| 3. Nourish Snāyu–Mañjā (nerves & marrow) | Convulsions injure tissues; use brimhana, balya & rasāyana to protect / rebuild. |
| 4. Soothe Manas & Buddhi | Spasms often precipitated or aggravated by mental shock; employ medhya drugs, dhūmapāna, prāṇāyāma. |
2. Cikitsā-Sūtra (therapeutic maxim in one line)
“Rukṣa-sveda → Vamana/Virecana | Sneha-svedana-pāna | Yoga-basti + Mūrdha-taila–Nāsyādi | Balya-Medhya-Rasāyana”(First un-block, then pacify, finally strengthen.)
3. Cikitsā (practical toolbox)
a. Śodhana (after due snehana & sveda)
- Vamana – Madanaphala + Yashtimadhu; ideal in sāma-kapha stage.
- Mṛdu Virecana – Trivṛt-lehya, Aragvadha; chosen when pitta joins.
- Yoga-Basti (8 / 15 / 30 schedule)
- Nirūha: Daśamūla-kaṣāya + taila, madhu, lavaṇa
- Anuvāsana: Daśamūla-bala-taila / Mahānarāyaṇa-taila
b. Śamana Core
| Procedure | Common Oils / Drugs | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Abhyaṅga + Nāḍī-/Avagāha-sveda | Karpūra-, Sarṣapa- or Sahacarādi-taila | Loosen kapha, relax spasm |
| Śiro-basti / Śiro-dhārā | Ksheerabala 101, Mahānarāyaṇa | Prāṇa-udāna re-alignment |
| Nasya | Bṛhat-Bala-taila, Ānūtaila | Cranial vāta pacification |
| Dhūmapāna | Agnimantha, Haridra, Guggulu sticks | Dry up residual kapha |
c. Oral / Internal Yogas
- Daśamūla-kvātha + Bala-Aśvagandhā chūrṇa
- Yogarāja-Guggulu or Vataghna-vatī (pain & stiffness)
- Mahā-kalyāṇaka ghṛta / Aṣṭāṅga ghṛta (if manas involvement)
- Rasāyana follow-up: Brahmī-ghan, Aśvagandhā-lehya, Śatāvarī-ghṛta
d. Pathya-Apathya
- Warm, slightly unctuous, easy-to-digest diet: kṣīra, ghee, māsa-yūṣa, wheat gruel.
- Favor madhura-amla-lavaṇa tastes; avoid excessive kaṭu-tikta-kaṣāya, dry salads, cold drinks.
- Regulate sleep, avoid suppression of urges, loud noise, fright.
e. Adjuvant Yoga / Physiotherapy
- Gentle Anuloma-Viloma, Bhrāmarī prāṇāyāma once acute phase subsides.
- Light passive stretches; no violent exercise.
Key Take-aways
- Think “Kapha-āvarita Vāta” lodged in snāyu & mañjā.
- Treatment sequence matters: unblock → lubricate → expel → nourish.
- Long-term ghṛta-, bala- and medhya-based rasāyana prevents relapse.