Shandi – Causes, Symptoms, Prognosis, Treatment

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

Shandi is one among the 20 gynaecological disorders. It is a condition in which due to the affliction of the uterus of female fetus by vitiated vata, the born girl child has absence or slight development of breasts and dislikes coitus. Read – Conception And Formation Of Fetus As Per Ayurveda

Table of Contents

Causes, pathology, symptoms

Causes of Shandi

Abnormalities of bija i.e. ovum responsible for the development and abnormalities of uterus Read – Gynecological Disorders Causes, Types As Per Ayurveda

Pathogenesis

Due to the abnormalities of ovum of mother, responsible for the formation of uterus in the female child, the uterus of the female fetus gets afflicted by vitiated vata and causes a gynaecological disorder called Shandhi. Read – Essential Elements For Conception – Garbha Sambhava Samagri

Symptoms

Nru dweshi – the female child in her later part of life, develops hatred towards men, i.e. dislikes coitus
Astani – Absence or slight development of breasts
Anartava – No menstruation (Sushruta) – (Read about Hypomenorrhoea)
Khara sparshaa cha maithune – she is capable of having coitus but her vaginal canal feels very rough, so as to not allow her to have coitus or make her dislike coitus
Sarva lingochrita bhavet – Features of vitiation of all doshas will be available i.e. dryness and pricking pain due to vata vitiation, burning sensation and increased heat due to pitta vitiation and itching, stickiness due to vitiated kapha are also present. Read – Prakcharana Symptoms, pathology, Treatment

Sanskrit verse

Prognosis, modern comparison

Prognosis of Shandi

According to Charaka and Vagbhata, Shandi is an incurable disease. Read – How To Make Prognosis Of Disease According To Ayurveda?

Modern correlation and comparative study

Shandi, seems to be a congenital disorder characterised by –

Amenorrhea
Absence / very slight development of breasts
Dislike for coitus
Roughness of vagina during coitus

Thus, shandhi appears to be description of congenital absence of gonodotrophic hormones of anterior pituitary gland.

Some correlated this condition to congenital absence of ovarian hormones.

Due to congenital absence of estrogen, uterus too remains almost rudimentary. This has been explained by the authors as ‘abnormalities of uterus’. Read – Anomalies, Defects In Fetus, Ayurvedic Treatment

Treatment

Treatment of Shandi gynaecological disorder

Charaka and Vagbhata have mentioned shandi to be incurable. But master Sushruta has not declared this condition as incurable whereas he has said that this condition has symptoms of vitiation of all three doshas. Read – Tridoshas – Causative Factors Of All Systemic Diseases