Shringa Method Of Bloodletting Therapy – Procedure, Benefits

Article by – Dr Renita D’Souza
Shringa avacharana is a suction method of bloodletting used for treating blood vitiation. Here, deer or cow horn is used for sucking and to expel the impure blood out from the affected site in the body. It is one among the ancient bloodletting therapy (rakthamokshana).

It is used to let out blood by suction pressure.

Table of Contents

Shringa, Shringa Avacharana

What is Shringa and Shringa avacharana?
Sringa is cow’s horn or Deer horn
Shringa avacharana – is the method of using cow’s horn to suck the impure blood out from the body.

Shringa features

Features of Shringa (cow’s horn/deer’s horn) :
It is hot in potency, sweet in taste and unctuous, hence it is ideal to remove the blood vitiated by vata dosha.

Indications

Indications of Shinga method of bloodletting:
Done in the areas of loss of sensation.
Blood vitiated by vata dosha, Vatarakta
When vitiated blood is seated in deeper tissues such as deep abscess, osteomyelitis,
Psoriasis
Varicose veins with pain

Contraindications

Contraindications of Sringa avacharana :
The blood vitiated with kapha should not be extracted using sringa because of the thickness of the blood, where as the blood by vata and pitta should be removed by sucking with horn (sringa).
Read related – Raktamokshana Benefits, Types, Procedure, Indications

Features of horn used

Characteristics of horn used for blood letting :
It is conical, hollow and bent inwards at distal end.
Length – 18 angula (36 cm)
Circumference in the middle -12 angula (24 cm)
Diameter of orifice at base – 3 angula (6 cm)
Diameter of orifice at tip – 1/2 – 3/4 cm (size of mustard)

A slender and straight cow’s horn is obtained, cleaned well both inside and outside, this hollow piece is cut with a saw at both its ends, so as to make wider opening at its base (6 cm) and another small opening at its front tip (1/2 – 3/4 cm), which resembles the nipple and covered with the layer of thin leather.

Care is taken to make the edges of both orifices even, so as not to injure the skin of both patient and physician during its use. Horn prepared thus can be preserved for many years.

Shringa application

Application of Shinga in blood letting therapy :
Clean the affected area with anti septic solution.
Small incisions are made over the area, then the wider orifice of the horn is placed over the site and held firmly by the hand. Blood from the other orifice is sucked out by force through the mouth.

Fluids like blood, pus etc comes out from the site, as the horn is long enough and fluid coming out is little in quantity, it is placed at the edges of the horn. Sucking may have to be done more than once to draw out the vitiated blood.
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