Antarmukhi – Causative Factors, Symptoms, Pathogenesis, Treatment

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S

Antarmukhi is one among the 20 gynaecological disorders. It is a condition in which the vitiated vata pressed by food, crooks the opening of the uterus i.e. cervix causing severe pain and dyspareunia.
Read – Vata Disorders (Vatavyadhi): Definition, Causes, Symptoms

Causes, pathology

Causative Factors of Antarmukhi

Ati trupti / ati ashita – Excessive satiety following meals

Pathogenesis of Antarmuki

When a woman satisfied after full meals, indulges in coitus, sleeping in abnormal postures, her vata situated in the reproductive organs gets pressed by the food. This vata pressed by food causes crookedness of cervix of uterus and causes a gynaecological condition called antar mukhi.
Read – Healthy Night Regimen As Per Ayurveda – Ratricharya

Antar / antah – inward, crooked
Mukhi – face, orifice

Antarmukhi is a gynaecological condition in which the orifice of uterus i.e. cervix of uterus gets crooked.  
Read – Bleeding During Pregnancy: Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment

Symptoms, Sanskrit verse

Symptoms of Antar mukhi

• Vakrayati aananam yonyaah – the orifice of uterus i.e. cervix becomes crooked
• Sa asthi mamsa anilartibhi – different kinds of pain like pricking, piercing, stabbing etc are caused by vitiated vata in bones and muscles situated near vagina / uterus i.e. bones and muscles of the pelvic cavity, lower abdomen, hips and thighs
• Bhrusha arti yoneh – severe pain in vagina / uterus
• Maithuna ashaktaha – difficulty in coitus / painful coitus

Read – Gynecological Disorders Causes, Types As Per Ayurveda

Modern correlation

Modern correlation and comparative study

The only important clinical feature described in the context of antarmugi gynaecological disorder is crookedness of orifice of uterus i.e. cervix, caused by vitiated vata. Crookedness of the cervix of uterus can be correlated to the below mentioned conditions –

Anteversion of uterus
Anteflexion of uterus
Retroversion of uterus
Retroflexion of uterus
Read – Garbhashaya – Anatomy Of Uterus, Ayurvedic Perspective

We do not get to see backache and other pains like dyspareunia in anteversion or anteflexion of uterus. These symptoms on the other hand can be seen in retroversion and retroflexion of uterus.

Seeing all the above said explanations, antarmukhi gynaecological disorder can be compared to both types of versions and flexions of uterus, but seeing the association of pain and dyspareunia, retroversion and retroflexion of uterus seem to be closer comparisons.
Read – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Ayurvedic Treatment, Therapies, Medicines

Treatment

Treatment of Antarmukhi gynaecological disorder

Vata nashaka chikitsa – all the measures capable of mitigating the vitiated vata needs to be adopted
Read – How To Balance Vata Dosha? Line Of Treatment And Reasoning

Utkarika – poultice prepared with barley, wheat, yeast, Saussurea lappa, dill seeds, Sida cordifolia, Callicarpa macrophylla and Ipomea reniformis should be done, introduced inside the vagina

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