Snehana, Swedana In Diseases Due To Obstruction Of Feces, Urine, Semen

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Obstruction of feces and urine is the root cause of many diseases. Similarly obstruction of semen too might cause many physical and mental disorders.

Purisha, Mutra and Shukra Vega – Defecation and urination are considered among normal body urges and have to be naturally eliminated from time to time. If not they would cause many diseases by disturbing all the doshas and also by contaminating the body. They contribute to normal cleansing of the body and are conducive for overall health. Sama mala kriya i.e. proper and timely excretion of feces and urine are the components of ideal health and have been mentioned in the definition of swastha purusha i.e. qualities of a healthy person.
Read – Effects Of Suppression Of Urge To Defecate, Treatment

Shukra vega – means urge for ejaculation of semen. This doesn’t occur normally in all persons just as defecation or urination happens on daily basis. Problems of ejaculation are encountered during sex. It may happen in less quantity, too quick, too late or not at all. It also depends on the physiology of production of semen in the related organs of the body.  If there is no production, there is no ejaculation (in terms of ideal and normal quantity in which it should be ejaculated). If production is good and still there is no ejaculation or less ejaculation or delayed or premature ejaculation, they will be considered as pathological. Causes may be physical (related to sex organs), mental (stress, depression etc) or a combination of both. In short, for balanced health it is necessary that defecation, urination and ejaculation should take place as and when their natural urge is created in the form of vegas in the body.
Read – Vega Dharana: Suppression of urges, types, symptoms, and management

Snehana and Swedana as ideal therapies for obstruction of feces, urine and semen and health issues caused therein
We know that snehana – unctuous therapy and swedana – sudation therapy provide remedies for wide array of disorders and this includes diseases caused by obstruction of feces, urine and semen. On the other hand for the obstruction of feces, urine and semen and the diseases caused by these obstructions there are many effective treatment options. Oleation and sudation therapy are among the best therapies for the treatment of these disorders.

Why are we speaking only about oleation and sudation as remedy for these disorders?
In spite of many treatment options being available for the disorders caused by obstruction of feces, urine and semen I am just touching upon oleation and sudation as ideal remedies for these problems because they have been specifically mentioned by Master Charaka in the context of swedana adhyaya i.e. chapter dealing with sudation therapies. (Cha.Su.14/4, 5)

In this context Master Charaka tells –
‘When sudation therapy is done following oleation (oiling) therapy it would remove the obstructions caused by vitiated vata in the body. When this happens, the obstruction of feces, urine and semen too will not be there’.

Putting it the other way, if oleation followed by sudation is administered it removes the obstruction of feces, urine and semen. There will be natural and easy expulsion of feces and urine. Ejaculation of semen during sex too will be easy and the person will enjoy normal sexual life. Combined oleation and sudation would control and correct the imbalances of vata, help in removing the obstruction of feces, urine and semen and curing the diseases caused by these obstructions. When these obstructions are removed, the diseases caused by these obstructions will naturally be cured. Oleation and sudation are proven effective therapies for combating the vitiated vata individually and also in combination. Since there is specific indication it is ideal to speak about these therapies being the effective remedies in the mentioned conditions.
Read – Do Not Suppress Body Urges: Charak Samhita Sutrasthana 7th chapter

Easy understanding of how all this happens

• Vata aggravating causes (foods, activities)
• Obstruction of feces, urine and semen
• Diseases caused by these obstructions
• Administration of Snehana + Swedana
• Control of vata
• Obstructions of feces, urine and semen are removed
• Diseases caused by these obstructions are cured

What diseases are caused due to obstruction of feces, urine and semen?
Obstruction of feces may cause –

• Malabaddhata – constipation
• Udavarta – upward movement of vata (udavarta may also be the cause of obstruction of feces)
• Pakvashaya gata vata – obstruction of vata and affliction of colon by vitiated vata
• Pakvashaya gata vyadhi – diseases of colon
  Read – Different Causes For Vata Dosha Imbalance, Increase

Obstruction of urine may cause

• Mutraghata – obstruction of urine
• Mutrakrichchrata – difficulty in urination (dysuria)

Obstruction of semen may cause

• Klaibya – impotence, loss of libido
• Vandhyata – sterility, unable to produce offspring

All these disorders are related to and caused by imbalance of vata and udavarta. Snehana and Swedana are remedies for vata imbalance and also diseases caused by vitiated vata and obstruction of feces, urine and semen.
Read – Urinary Obstruction: Causes, Types, Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment

Are oleation and sudation the only and ultimate therapies for these diseases?
Oleation and sudation are the ideal therapies for these diseases but not the only and ultimate therapies.

They can be used only if

• obstruction of feces, urine or semen are not severe and chronic
• the obstructions have not yet caused diseases but tend to do so
• the obstructions have not caused diseases which cannot be reverted
• the obstructions are not repetitive and longstanding
• the obstructions are not caused by severe aggravation of vata

What if oleation and sudation do not clear these obstructions and cannot cure the diseases caused by these obstructions?
Oleation and sudation are preliminary approaches for these obstructions. They can always cure the aggravated vata but many times the obstructions of feces, urine and semen caused by imbalanced vata is so severe and deep rooted that they cannot just be cured by only oleation and sudation.

In these cases we need to plug in more effective therapies. They are –

• Virechana – therapeutic purgation
• Vasti – therapeutic enemas – including decoction and oil enemas
• Uttara vasti – enemas given through urinary passage (includes decoctions, milk and oil enemas)

Other interventions include –

• Udavarta chikitsa – treatment of upward movement of vata
• Purisha, mutra, shukra vega avarodha janya udavarta chiktsa – treatment of diseases caused by obstruction of feces, urine and semen caused by udavarta
• Purisha, mutra, shukravaha srotas dushti janya vikara chikitsa – treatment of diseases caused due to contamination of channels carrying feces, urine and semen
• Avarana Chikitsa – treatment for obstruction and enveloping of apana vata – subtype of vata which controls the functions of bowel, bladder and sexual organs
• Mutraghata chikitsa – treatment of obstruction of urine
• Mutrakrichchra Chikitsa – treatment of dysuria
• Shukrashmari Chikitsa – treatment of seminal calculi
• Mutra shodhana and Shukra Shodhana – medicines for cleansing the urine (and its tracts) and semen (and its tracts)
• Vajikarana – aphrodisiacs

External therapies –

• Avagaha – tub bath with decoctions, oils and milk prepared with vata alleviating herbs
• Dhara – showering the above mentioned liquids over the lower abdomen
• Lepa – application of pastes of vata alleviating herbs over the abdomen
• Gudavarti – suppositories (anal and urethral)
  Read – Mechanism Of Avarana, Types, Importance of Vata

Treatment for mind
In many conditions these obstructions are caused by imbalances in the mind. Herein no kind of treatments will work. The imbalances of mind shall be dealt with –

• Manasika roga chikitsa – treatment of mental disorders includes medicines, therapies and diet which can increase sattva quality and balance rajas and tamas qualities, includes interventions mentioned in the context of unmada (psychoses) and apasmara (epilepsy, memory disorders)
• Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – treatments to conquer the mind
• Manovaha sroto dushti janya rogas – treatment of diseases caused by contamination of channels of mind (nerves)
• Dhee, dhairya and atmadi vijnana – promotion of intellect (psychotherapy), courage and counseling

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