In literal terms chikitsa means treatment i.e. the manner in which the medicines are applied, what medicines are to be applied or consumed to establish harmony between the doshas and root out the disequilibrium between the factors responsible for the physiological functions of the body i.e. Health.
Purva Karma
There are two main things required by purva karma, namely:
Snehana (oleation)
The literal meaning of this term is to make smooth or to oleate. It is the main purva karma procedure and is a specific treatment for vatic disorders.
Example: oily preparations, ghee, oils, fats etc.
Following are the indications of snehana:
Sexual exhaustion,Anemia, Anxiety, Dryness of the body, Senility, Swedana (fomentation)
Pradhankarma
Vamana Karma
This term literally means to expel the vitiated doshas through the oral route and is the pradhan karma of the panchakarma therapy. Vamana or the expelled material may consist of undigested food, kapha, and pitta.
Virechana Karma
Literally meaning the expulsion of doshas through the anal passage, virechana is the specific therapy for pitta dosha disorders. Under the panchkarma therapy virechana karma is the next pradhan karma.
Basti Karma
The term basti has been derived from the fact that the Basti yantra (apparatus) used for introducing medicated materials is made up of Basti or animals' urinary bladder. Basti is among the major panchkarma procedures and is used to cure vatic disorders.
Sirovirechana Karma
Also known as nasaya it is generally the last step in pradhanakarma of the panchkarma therapy. This refers to the applications of medicines or medicated oils administered through the nasal passage spread throughout the head-and its constituent parts and influence all the doshas and the diseases situated in these parts.
Chikitsya Padchatushtayam (quadri pods of treatment)
Literal meaning of the term Paada is pods and chatushtaya is four, thus giving the whole term the meaning of the four pods of treatment.
Importance
The Quadra pods together have an important role to play in the management and treatment of the patient. The four pods known are:
Vaidya (doctor), Aushad-dravya (medicine), Upastha (nurse) and Rogi (patient)
