Deevya Ayurveda & Panchkarma Centre

It is normal to be disinterested in engaging in sexual activity from time to time owing to the variation in libido levels in the body of an individual. However, disinterest in sex can be a cause of concern if it goes on for a long period. This could be due to stress or an underlying health condition. 

Inactive sex drive can be frustrating for both the partners and can play a havoc in your married life if not attended to the early stages. Though it is a common occurrence in people as they age but this condition has now become very prominent in people of a much younger age. Let us look at some of the causes and the possible solutions. 

The causes of low libido/sex drive: 

Sex drive is something that starts from your brain and leads to the other organs. It is a sync of your organs that results in a climax. Like most human traits sexual drive also varies from person to person. Most of the men have a normal sex urge while some of them are hyperactive. They get addicted to it and could never get enough of it and some of the men do have low sexual urges. The biggest reasons for low libido levels could be stress followed by medical conditions. Apart from it, the family surroundings and the environment can all play a role in the sex drive. In some rare cases, the loss of libidocan be a genuine case of low testosteronelevels. 

Stress can play havoc with such symptoms and since your brain is pressured it may not work in sync with your reproductive organs. The other factors can include medical conditions such as diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Hormones too play an important role in the sex drive and the lower hormone levels can lead to a low sex drive. It often comes with age and as a person ages his urges start to diminish and he may be unable to perform and satisfy. 

Treatment: 

Every cause of low sexual desire has its own treatment plan. Most of the cases also involve psychology counseling as a part of its treatment plans. Sex therapy may be imparted to men who lack in the techniques and the strategies for getting their composure back. In case if it has been identified that the lack of libido is due to purely low testosterone, the people can try out herbal testosterone boosters for increasing their libido. However, these herbs or herbo mineral compounds should be taken only under the care of a medical supervisor and not privately as it can lead to complications. Men can even opt for psychological counseling sessions if their problems are identified on a much more personal level. Their family related issues and their compatibility with their partners can be brought under discussion and treatment plans can be charted out based on it.

Anal fistula is an anorectal disorder for which different treatment methods have been advocated from time to time. Certain conventional surgical methods like Fistulotomy and Fistulectomy have been used but they are associated with complications like delayed healing, the risk of stenosis (abnormal narrowing of the blood vessels or other tubular organs) etc.

Modern techniques of surgery like the ‘lay-open' method and ‘anorectal pathology' come with a similar number of intricacies like high rates of recurrence and anal incontinence, prolonged hospitalization etc. Therefore, even today this particular disease has no satisfactory method of treatments in modern surgery.

However, in Ayurveda, about 2000 years ago, the great Indian Surgeon Acharya Sushrata first narrated about the ‘Kshara', which was later, compiled into the work ‘Sushrat Samhita'. Kshara Sutra is a minimal invasive ayurvedic parasurgical technique, effective for the treatment of anorectal disorders like hemorrhoids, fistula-in-ano, Anal fissure and pilonidal sinus.

Why is it used to treat Fistula-In-Ano?
In this technique of surgery, a thread also called a Kshar Sutra thread is specially prepared which acts by herbal chemical cauterization (the medical practice of burning a part of the body to remove or close off a part) and cures diseases. Hence, this is the safest and cost-effective method to treat Fistula-In-Ano.

Procedure-
The Kshar Sutra is a surgical linen thread of size 20 is coated with ayurvedic herbs with no side effects. There are three types of Kshar Sutra based on the number of coatings and the quality of materials used. Each patient gets customized treatment as per his or her own requirements.

First, a malleable probe is made to pass through the external opening of the fistula to the internal aperture in the anal canal. It is then taken out gently through the anal opening along with the Kshar. Later both the ends are tied together.

A cumulative effect of the drugs coated on the Kshar exerts a powerful debridement effect on the fistula tract & prompts healing by new & healthy granulation tissues. Thus, this mechanism of drug delivery directly heals the tissues involved in an optimal time period.

The thread is changed once every week that gradually helps heal the infected tract. As the result, the chances of recurrence are minimal.

Benefits of Kshar Sutra over modern surgery techniques-

1. An out-patient treatment, it is mostly conducted under local anesthesia
2. The most significant benefit of Kshar Sutra therapy over conventional modern surgeries is that the muscles that support the anus and controls bowel movements are not dissected and hence the chances of anal inconsistency are lowered.
3. The probability of anal stenosis (narrowing of the anal canal after treatment) are almost nil
4. There is no damage done to Anal Sphincter
5. Minimal chances of recurrence and bleeding
6. Hospital stay is only for 4-5 hours
7. There is no need for antibiotic coverage.
8. The patient can get back to routine life after 3-5 days of the surgery
9. Post-treatment recovery is speedy and without any complications

Ayurveda is one of the oldest medicinal schools in the world, accessed by Indians far before the advent of allopathic medicines. One of the leading Ayurvedic treatment procedures is Panchakarma. It involves 5 stages of treatment – emesis, purgation, decoction enema, insertion of medicine through nostrils, and oil enema. But did you know the lesser known fact? Panchakarma can be highly beneficial for the treatment of female infertility as well.

1.) It helps in increasing both physical and mental fitness.
Panchakarma is a part of Ayurveda – which means it has to include holistic fitness therapies like yoga. Now, yoga has a number of proven health benefits, one of which is stress removal and mental rejuvenation. Stress, being, one of the greatest killers of the 21st century and a major cause of female infertility, Panchakarma ensures your condition does not relapse. In addition, with the diet charts that generally accompany a treatment cycle, acid reflux and toxins in your diets are also done away with.

2.) Reduced danger of side-effects
Side-effects have been a major con of medicine throughout the ages. Panchakarma works with holistic and non-chemical treatments like yoga, massages and oil treatment, and not with pills, drugs and surgery that can potentially turn invasive. As a result, harmful foreign substances do not enter and fester in your body. In the long run, this reduces the risk of a lot of chronic and acute diseases.

3.) Slows down fast ageing due to lifestyle-related causes of infertility.
Factors such as stress, emotional trauma, and addictions are root causes of female infertility. They also are direct triggers for accelerated aging, leading to further physical, mental and fiscal problems. Panchakarma helps to check these tendencies of your body by including diets and workouts that rid your bodies of toxins (AMAs) and rekindles your metabolic fire (AGNI).

Female infertility is a disappointing condition, and easy to treat with medications that further harm your body. A one-stop solution is the Ayurvedic process of Panchakarma, which provides umpteen benefits without the side effects.

A woman’s hair is the first most noticeable part of her beauty. It enhances her personality. It is not only true for women but also for men. A bad hair is just a bad day and nowadays bad days are very common because of frequent hair problems.

Common hair problems:

Excessive hair fall

Premature graying

Dandruff

While in modern life, for achieving their goals and position and even to compete for the basic needs people have to work more stressfully. Due to this, dinacharya and ritucharya have taken a back seat, moreover faulty dietary habits and faulty hair caremethods with an unending race for chemical cosmetics from fashion industry, exposure to sunlight, water and air pollution etc. Lead to greying of hair or fall down at a younger age.

Here are some probable causes:

Inheritance (heredity)

Stress

Hormonal imbalance

Excessive salty and spicy food

Lack of sleep

Lack of nutrition

Indigestion, stomach infection

Frequent different hairstyles

Over combing / overbrushing of hair

Improper usage of heated hair appliances

Constant coloring of hair

Nutrition and development of hair

According to ayurveda, from the ingested food, body forms assimilable nutrition fluid. Nutrition fluid gets divided into essential fluid and waste matter. The waste matter is responsible for the formation of urine, hair, sweat etc. The color of hair is based on one's prakriti (body constitution. Vata prakriti: dry and low-density hairpitta prakriti: yellowish hairkapha prakriti: thick, black and curly hair.

Hair problems:

1. Excessive hair fall:

The vitiated vata dosha and pitta dosha having recourse to the root of hair make hair fall off while vitiated blood and kapha fill up the follicles and thus blocking fresh growth.

2. Premature greying:

Stress, anger, fatigue and sorrow increase agni which vitiates the pitta which having recourse to head make the hair prematurely grey.

3. Dandruff:

It is due to vitiated kapha and vata. They cause hairy parts of the body hard and dry and itchy. So, the skin or scalp gets cracked, hence lead to dandruff.

Ayurvedic solution

Hair loss problem is of great concern. Various synthetic medicines are available for hair loss treatment which does not treat permanently and also have severe side effects. Turning to ayurveda is the safer and better option in the long run. Herbal medicines, hair oils, lifestyle and diet regimens, panchakarma procedures help to prevent premature greying, hair fall, dandruff and promotes hair growth. So, ayurveda has the holistic approach towards the solution of hair problem.

Diet:

Avoid packaged food including ready to eat food, tetra pack juices, biscuits, chips etc.

Avoid salty, spicy and stale food.

Eat fresh vegetables and fruits

Keep yourself hydrated.

Avoid incompatible diet e. G. Milkshakes, fruit ice-creams, curd with fish, milk with food etc.

Lifestyle modification

Do exercise regularly

Avoid stress

Take proper sleep

Follow proper daily and seasonal regimens according to ayurveda

Avoid heavy hairstyles, use of chemicals on hair, frequent combing etc.

Wash hair twice a week.

Do not comb wet hair.

Internal medicines to be taken under proper guidance:

Jatamansi, guduchi, musta, gokshur, amalaki, methi, vidanga, nimba, shatavari, ashwagandha etc.

Ayurvedic iron and calcium supplements.

Local treatments: 

Shiro-abhyang (head massage):

Massage with ayurvedic hair oils containing maka, neelibhringa, hibiscus, aloe vera, bala, malati, dhatura, gunja, black sesame, tiphala, sariva, yashtimadhu etc according to hair problems.

Lepa: 

Local application of some herbs like hibiscus, aloe gel, daruharidra, gunja powder etc. Lepa can be used for hair problems under proper guidance.

Hair wash using shikekai, ritha etc.

Shiro basti:

Shirobasti means pooling the liquid medicines, especially herbal oils and or ghee in a chamber or compartment constructed over the head.

Shirodhara:

Shirodhara is continuous & gentle pouring of medicated oil, liquids or decoction on the forehead. Shirodhara immediately calms, relaxes and has a cleansing effect on mind and nerves.

Shiro pichu:

The shiro pichu treatment involves keeping a gauze piece or cotton soaked in warm medicated, herbal oil over the affected area. 

Panchakarma

The procedure and the medicine for panchakarma can be used according to hair problems and their cause.

Vaman: induced vomiting in scientific method for removal of vitiated kapha and pitta.

Virechan: induced loose motions in scientific method for removal of vitiated pitta, vata and kapha.

Basti: removal of toxins by using medicated oil or herbal decoction enema.

Nasya: removal of toxins from head-neck region by nasal administration of medicated oil or powder. It also facilitates cleansing of sensory organs and endocrine glands.

Raktamokshan: removal of toxins through bloodletting. It is achieved by venesection or by application of leeches.

Premature ejaculation or early ejaculation is the expelling of semen with minimum sexual stimulation, almost immediately after (or sometimes before) sexual penetration. This is a common sexual problem for men below the age of 45 in addition to erectile dysfunction. Premature ejaculation can be a result of several physical and psychological factors. If the root cause is not serious, the problem can be solved by a few simple techniques, such as:

1. Breathing exercises

Relaxation techniques like breathing exercises and meditative practices can help you to concentrate. It also moderates the tension and stress levels, which are directly related to arousal. Avoid short and rapid breaths as they can put undue pressure on the heart and increase the pulse rate. This often results in early ejaculation. On the other hand, if you take deep breaths and practice holding them in for three to five seconds, you can also use the technique during arousal.

2. Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises can help both men and women with their sexual problems. In men, these help to strengthen the pubococcygeus muscle by repeated contraction and relaxation. The pubococcygeus muscle helps to control urination too. If you use the same technique when you are close to an orgasm, you can delay your ejaculation. 

3. Squeeze technique

This technique is used to reduce excessive and rapid rate of arousal. When you are close to orgasm, you can squeeze the base of the penis to curb the erection somewhat so that it can build up again. This will automatically delay ejaculation. It is a good idea to practice this technique on your own first and then try it with your partner.

4. Stop and start exercise

This exercise was perfected by the masters and johnson team of sexual research. This technique is also to be practiced individually for the first few times. You can masturbate alone and stop just before reaching the climax. You can practice this again and again by bringing yourself closer to ejaculation every time until the point you cannot control or regulate the process any more. This will help you to know the limit till which you can stop and regulate the ejaculation process. You can then use this technique during sexual activity with your partner.

5. Reduce stress

The stress hormones in your body prevent the secretion of testosterone which is responsible for your sex drive. Alcohol, tobacco or nicotine and other illegal drugs used to combat stress can also have an adverse effect on your sexual arousal and cause premature ejaculation.

Losing of hair at an alarming rate can be a very intimidating sight, especially if you are young. Although it is okay to experience gradual hair loss with age, but a sudden burst of it can hamper your self-confidence and image. Today, due to high levels of pollution and stress, hair loss has become a growing concern among the majority.

Ayurveda states that hair is a by-product of the bone tissue formation (Asthi). Any disruption in the tissue metabolism can severely affect the quality of the hair. It is also dependant on the digestive fire of the body. It is based on the philosophy that people suffer from diseases due to imbalance of energy in the body. When the organic processes in the body are restored to its original state, this energy itself can be channeled to fight diseases effectively. Ayurveda terms consistent hair loss as ‘khapitya’ and it categorized under ‘shirorga’.

Causes-
Romakupagata/Keshamulagata, also called bhrajaka pitta dislodges the hair from its roots. Sleshma/Kapha along with rakta obstructs the hair roots, which in turn does not allow new other hair to grow.

Other causes include-

1. Accumulation of excess toxins in the body leads to ‘pitta dosha’, which obstructs the flow of blood, and other nourishing nutrients to the roots of the hair, resulting in a dry scalp, dry hair, thinning of hair and split ends.
2. Iron deficiency in the body does not allow healthy bone growth and deteriorates the quality of hair.

Basti Treatment for hair loss-
Ayurveda first determines the body type or prakriti of every individual, after which hair fall treatment is decided and advocated. Ayurveda is a holistic approach, which diagnoses the core issue of hair fall, eliminates impurities from the body and provides natural remedies to stimulate growth of hair.

Basti is a traditional ayurvedic medicated ‘enema’ treatment where herbal oils and decoctions are inserted through the rectum to improve vata disorders. Vata, present in colon, is the main force behind the elimination of feces, bile, urine and other excreta. However, the bone tissues (asti dhatu) is also another predominant site for colon. The mucus membrane of the colon is the outer covering of the bones (peritoneum) and gives it nourishment. Therefore, basti treatment is effective in curing vata disorders.

Medications
There are eight types of herbal oils applied under the basti treatment. However, the following helps in improving hair loss-

1. Anuvasana or oil enema is used to cure excess drying of the scalp.
2. Niruha- Asthapana or the decoction enema used to clear the vata
3. Matra Basti or the oil enema used for daily use heals chronic vata disorders. Besides this, no strict dietary restriction or exercising is necessary.
4. Bruhana Basti is applied to provide adequate nutrients in the body and make up for the loss.

Tips-
This treatment should not be applied in patients suffering from diarrhea, bleeding of the rectum, shortness of breath, fever, severe anemia and others.

Therefore, the Ayurvedic treatment of Basti is a cost effective and highly beneficial treatment to curb excessive hair loss.