Suchimukhi – Causes, Symptoms, Pathogenesis, Treatment

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

Suchimukhi is one among the 20 gynaecological disorders. It is a condition in which the aggravated vata vitiates the reproductive organs of the female fetus and causes narrowing of vaginal canal and the orifice of uterus. While master Charaka and Vagbhata have named it as Suchimukhi, master Sushruta has named it as Suchivaktra, which also means the same. Sushruta mentions the involvement of all three vitiated doshas in the causation of suchivaktra gynaecological disorder.

Here we will discuss both these conditions i.e. suchimukhi and suchivaktra as mentioned by Charaka and Sushruta respectively. Read – Gynecological Disorders Causes, Types As Per Ayurveda

Causes, pathogenesis

Causative factors

Vatala ahara sevana – consumption of foods or modes of life which tend to aggravate vata, by a pregnant woman Read – Different Causes For Vata Dosha Imbalance, Increase

Pathogenesis

The vata which has been aggravated due to extreme dryness caused by the consumption of vata aggravating foods and modes of life by pregnant woman vitiates the reproductive organs of the female fetus of that woman and causes a gynaecological disorder named suchimukhi. We need to remember that the disease is caused in the female fetus and not the pregnant woman. Read – Anomalies, Defects In Fetus, Ayurvedic Treatment

Suchi = needle, pin Mukhi – face, orifice, opening

Suchimukhi gynaecological disorder is characterised by forming of narrow opening of the orifice of uterus i.e. cervix or vaginal canal, of the female fetus, being afflicted by the vitiated vata. It is called as suchimukhi because the orifice is so narrow that it looks like the hole of a needle. Read – Factors That Harm Fetus, Avoidable Food And Habits In Pregnancy

Symptoms

Anu dwaram kuryat – orifice of yoni i.e. uterus, the cervix of uterus or vaginal canal, becomes very narrow and appears like the opening in a needle Read – Vatala Yoni Vyapad – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Suchivaktra gynaecological disorder

Master Sushruta, as already said, has used the term suchivaktra to explain this condition.

Sushruta says that suchivaktra is a disease characterised by excessive narrowing of the orifice of uterus / vaginal opening. Along with it, there are other pains and aches of all three doshas. These include dryness, pricking pain etc symptoms caused by vitiated vata, burning sensation, heat etc caused by vitiated pitta and itching, stickiness etc symptoms caused by vitiated kapha will also be present. Read – Vaginal Itching: Causes, Symptoms, Ayurveda Remedies, Tips

Suchi = needle Vaktra = face, orifice, opening

Therefore, term suchivaktra mentioned by Sushruta means the same as that of suchimukhi mentioned by Charaka. The difference is that Charaka has considered vata and Sushruta has considered all three doshas in causation of this disease.

Sanskrit verse

Modern correlation

Modern correlation and comparative study

Term yoni, in this context is used to explain both, the narrowing of vaginal canal / opening and also the opening of cervix of uterus. In narrowing of vaginal canal, normal coitus is not possible. Thus, the description of suchimukhi / suchivaktra gynaecological disorder appears to be the description of narrowing of the orifice of cervix of uterus i.e. ‘congenital pinhole os of cervix’. Read – Vaginitis: Ayurvedic Treatment, Medicines, Home Remedies

We need to observe that the symptoms of three doshas like itching, burning sensation etc as described by master Sushruta in the context of suchivaktra, are not see in cases of pinhole os. But if infection occurs, these clinical features can also be seen.

Treatment – Suchimukhi, Antarmukhi

Treatment of Suchimukhi gynaecological disorder

Treatment of suchimukhi gynaecological disorder is same as that of antarmukhi gynaecological disorder.

Treatment of Antarmukhi

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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