%20(1).jpg)
It Involves saturation of the body with herbal & medicated oil via external & internal oelation to make it soft and disintegrate the doshas. Takes between three to seven days to take effect. It is employed in order to liquefy the vitiated Doshas and to bring and collect these in the main body channels such as digestive tract and respiratory tract.
The medium used is of 4 types – vegetable oils (for external oelation), animal fat & fats from bones (for internal oelation) and clarified butter (for internal oelation). The natural material available for oleation is oils and Ghrita (clarified butter).
Caution should be exercised in ensuring that oil used matches need of the patient.
Indications
All persons who require any of the five cleansing procedures must be given oleation therapy.
Persons suffering from vitiation of Vata Dosha, which increases the dryness in the body.
Persons suffering from arthritic conditions, or nervous disorders.
Persons who undergo regular physical strain.
Persons prone to psychological symptoms such as emotional stress and anxiety.
Physicial Indications
Persons who suffer from coryza, asthma, cough, hiccoughs, earache, headache, pharyngitis, paraplegia, hemiplegia, arthritis, facial paralysis, sciatica, backache, joint disorders, edema, constipation, urinary obstruction, and spasmodic pains, etc. are given hot fomentation.
Contraindications
Persons whose Kapha Dosha and Medo Dhatu (body fats) are augmented and corrupted; pregnant women; persons suffering from ascites, indigestion, anorexia, and nausea and persons who are taking the treatment of Basti Karma and Nasya Karma should not be given oleation therapy.
Procedure
When employed as a reparatory procedure before starting with any of the five cleansing methods, a certain amount of pure Ghrita or sesame oil should be given every night for seven nights two hours after dinner, either with some food or in pure form, according to status of individual’s health or status of disease. Persons with weak bowels are administered with oleation therapy for three days.
Special precautions
Very mild diaphoresis should be employed to the delicate parts like testes, eyes or heart, for a very short time. Also, blood pressure, pulse and respiration chart is maintained. Precautionary measures should be taken to overcome any dehydration caused by excessive perspiration.
Signs and symptoms of a properly oleated person
It works as appetizer.
Internal smoothness and external oily complexion.
Smooth passage of stools and gases.
Complications of improper diaphoresis
When Oleation therapy is either incomplete or in excess; various complications occur. These are fever, heaviness in body, edema, diarrhoea and dysentery, and excessive thirst, etc.
Instant Oleation
In some diseases when cleansing procedures are required to be employed at the earliest, the process of instant oleation is described. In this, all the four important Snehan Dravyas, i.e. Ghrita, Taila (oil), Vasa (animal fats) and Majja (marrow) are taken in equal quantities and are cooked with one part of rice. This preparation is called Pancha Prasutiki Peya. It is given for instant oleation. Also, use of salt along with oleation material is advised, as salt is absorbed by the minutest part of the body and in the process carries along with it the oleation material, which is distributed throughout the body.
External oleation (Abhyanga)
It is nothing but oil massage or local application of medicated Ghrita. It is given either as a treatment for various diseases, or as a preparatory procedure before starting five cleansing procedures.
Shirodhara
The most commonly employed pre-procedure, it means `the dripping of oil like a thread (dhara) on the head (shiro). This treatment drips warm oil in a steady stream on the forehead, particularly on the brow and in the region between the eyes. It is often added to the panchakarma regimen because it pacifies vata and calms the central system. It cleans both the mind and the senses which allows the body’s natural healing mechanisms to release stress from the nervous systems. This in turn, improves mental clarity and comprehension. Usually given for twenty minutes, three to four times during a seven day treatment period, it uses oils made with special herbs (Mahanarayan Oil, Mahamash Oil etc.) that calm and nourish the nervous system. The technician administers the oil in a thin stream which flows from a copper vessel hung approximately 6-8 inches above the patient’s forehead.
Shirovasti
Shirovasti is administered on the head through the use of a specialized leather container resembling a hat. This type of vasti improves the sensory functions. It also promotes kaphagenic secretions in the para-nasal sinus zone which reduce vascular congestion in the brain. Shirovasti is extremely useful in vascular headaches, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive.