Module MV2 – Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurveda Fundamentals

• history
• philosophy and psychology according to Ayurveda
• anatomy according to Ayurveda
• physiology according to Ayurveda
• health and diseases in Ayurveda
• pathologies and treatment according to Ayurveda

Clinical assessment and diagnosis

• diagnostic techniques
• Ayurveda symptomatology
• various degrees of prognosis
• clinical assessment methods

Therapeutic Strategies and Planning

• health maintenance and treatment of diseases according to Ayurveda with corresponding guidelines and treatment protocols for outpatient and inpatient treatment – specifically for Pancha Karma with its indications and contraindications (Kayachikitsa)
• six-fold classification of therapeutic methods (shadvidhopakrama)
• strengths, weaknesses and limitations of Ayurveda
• comparative costs, treatment duration, therapeutic efficacy and side-effects of Ayurveda treatments
• methodology of documentation of the therapeutic processes in Ayurveda

Manual treatment techniques

• different techniques of manual treatment, in particular the different forms of Ayurveda massage with their indications, contraindications and effects
• sequences and execution of manual treatment techniques such as whole body massage or massage of specific parts of the body, diaphoretic treatments, oil pouring and other special treatments
• function and anatomy of vital points, energy channels and their classification
• therapeutic products (in particular vegetable oils and medicinal oils) and, if necessary, their preparation for external use as well as for internal use through applications in the body orifices, with their actions, dosha, indications, contra-indications and fields of application
• manual techniques for internal oil applications

Cleansing treatments (Pancha Karma)

• five actions of cleansing treatment

Prescription of therapeutic products

• collection (notably of a selection of monographs) and classification of common ayurvedic therapeutic products and medicinal plants or parts of medicinal plants according to Ayurveda recommendations
• Ayurveda pharmacology (dravya guna), properties and effects of herbs and combination preparations
• Ayurveda pharmacy in practice (preparation and manufacturing of therapeutic products according to ayurvedic principles)
• classical Ayurveda formulations as well as individual formulations of combined preparations
• actions, combined actions and side-effects of classical ayurvedic therapeutic products and modern, regionally adapted products according to ayurvedic recommendations
• indications and contraindications as well as dosage of therapeutic products
• different forms of administration of a product (churna, gullika, guti, kvatha etc.)
• Ayurveda recommendations for taking a medicine
• carrier substances (anupana) for improving the assimilation and efficacy of a preparation
• effect enhancers (yoga-vahi)

Nutrition therapy

• digestion and metabolic principles in Ayurveda (avastha paka, dhatu-parinama, 13 agni, dhatusara, ojas, etc.)
• influence of time of day, season, climate, age and state of health on digestion and metabolism
• eight factors that determine the action of food
• general Ayurvedic principles of a healthy diet (including eating behaviour)
• important factors in Ayurveda nutrition prescriptions
• nutrition therapy in relation to diseases
• nutrition recommendations related to the therapy, e.g. in pancha karma
• nutrition advice related to the individual constitution (for health improvement)

Healthy living therapy

• Ayurveda concepts of health maintenance and development (svasthavritta)
• daily routine and lifestyle (dina-charya)
• regulation of physiological needs (avegadharana)
• healthy lifestyle according to the season (rtucharya)
• ethical lifestyle (achara)

Psychological and spiritual support

• six vedic philosophical systems, in particular Samkhya
• general causes of mental disorders and disturbances in spiritual integration
• psychological measures for maintaining and restoring mental balance and spiritual integration according to Ayurveda
• effects of meditation, yoga and pranayama on mental balance and spiritual integration

Meditation, yoga & pranayama

• fundamental principles of meditation, yoga and breathing exercises (pranayama)
• different techniques of meditation, yoga and breathing exercises (pranayama), their indications and contraindications

• considers the patient as a whole in the sense of Ayurveda
• sees the elimination of pathophysiological imbalances as a priority of the Ayurveda treatment
• knows how to communicate with a patient who knows neither the basics nor the terminology of Ayurveda
• is sympathetic to the difficulties a patient may encounter when faced with a new frame of reference such as Ayurveda
• is very conscientious in the preparation of therapeutic products and ensures the quality of the substances and the respect of the steps of preparation
• shows understanding for individual likes and dislikes and does not try to dogmatically impose a specific nutrition advise, but tries to integrate these factors into the nutrition plan
• demonstrates understanding for the fact that a change of food takes time and cannot be imposed

Clinical assessment – diagnostics

• takes a detailed history (present and past illnesses, family history, detailed symptoms of the current condition, medical diagnosis and medication, lifestyle habits including diet, activities, work and social environment)

• carries out diagnostic tests (triple, octuple, tenfold, including tongue and pulse examination)

• determines the constitution according to Ayurveda (prakriti)

• recognises the pathophysiological disturbances (vrikriti)

• interprets and integrates into the diagnostic process, through a logical synthesis, the elements of:

  • clinical assessment and medical reports

  • five aspects of diagnostics of disease (pancha-nidana)

  • other important diagnostic criteria

  • establishes the prognosis according to specific ayurvedic criteria

  • communicates the diagnosis and prognosis to the patient in a simple and understandable way by transposing the vision of Ayurveda into everyday language

 

Therapeutic Strategies and Planning

Establishes a comprehensive therapeutic plan adapted to the patient’s circumstances of life, in which prescription of therapeutic products, nutrition therapy, external applications, manual treatment techniques, cleansing procedures, lifestyle therapy and psychological support (including meditation, yoga and pranayama) are in harmony:

• develops, on the basis of the clinical assessment and diagnosis, an individualised plan for the external application and prescription of therapeutic products which takes into account symptomatology, constitution, tolerance, etc.

• uses therapeutic products adequately with respect to pathophysiological disturbances

• uses Ayurveda therapeutic products safely and flexibly (indications/contraindications)

• assesses the patient’s individual physiological reactivity to determine the dosage and duration of the therapeutic products consumption

• adapts the prescription of therapeutic products to the patient’s living conditions and context

• evaluates the digestive function and strength (Agni, respectively digestive disorders conditioned by Vata, Pitta or Kapha), the pathological degree of metabolic overload of the body (ama) and the individual physiological reactivity

• chooses for the patient the food (combinations) and methods of preparation to improve his/her digestive strength in general and/or to balance specific disturbances

• establishes an individual nutrition plan that takes into account the current disturbance, constitution, season, age, digestive capacity, intolerances and allergies, meal times imposed by work, etc. in an adequate manner

• develops a treatment plan for external applications: partial or full body massages, diaphoretic treatments, pouring of medicinal preparations and for other specialized treatments

• develops a treatment plan for cleansing treatments (shodhana): among others internal oleation, therapeutic vomiting (vamana), purgation (virecana), rectal enema (niruha-basti), oil instillation (matra-basti), treatment of the nasal passages (nasya), blood letting (rakta mokashana)

• determines the strategy, the necessary equipment, oils, etc. and the timing of the various treatments

• establishes an individual health plan with lifestyle modification and daily (dinacharya) and seasonal (ritu-charya) routine measures

• tailors a personalised strategy for psychological support and/or the development of awareness

• takes into account the elimination of causes (nidana-parivarjana)

Manual treatment techniques

• on the bases of recepies, prepares the material for different therapies, such as for example dough for kati-basti, paste, “boli” powder mixes for pinda-sveda, etc.

• carries out manual treatment techniques (bahih-parimarjana) in a professional way

Cleansing treatments (Pancha Karma)

• prescribes pancha karma treatments on an outpatient and inpatient basis, taking into account differences, indications and contraindications – prescribes, prepares and administers according to Ayurveda prescriptions emetics, purges, enema decoctions and oil instillations

• establishes the dosage of therapeutic products for evacuation treatments according to Ayurveda principles

• takes into account temporal factors

• stays with the patient during treatments

• recognizes symptoms and signs of successful, insufficient or excessive treatment

• recognizes complications and carries out the necessary corrective measures

• recognizes emergencies and takes the necessary steps

• adheres to the Ayurveda treatments prescriptions, in particular the rules of pancha karma (e.g. behaviour, diet, etc.).

Prescription of therapeutic products

• prescribes preparations that take into account the patient’s current imbalances, constitution, season, age, digestive strength, intolerances and allergies, in a simple and clear manner and dispenses the therapeutic products according to the guidelines.

• formulates and prepares preparations of therapeutic products according to clinical assessment and diagnosis

• blends food and therapeutic products to obtain a combined therapeutic product

• prescribes and prepares therapeutic products on the basis of individually adapted medicinal mixtures of spices

• conveys the rules of administration to the patient in a clear and easily reproducible manner

• motivates the patient with empathy to take therapeutic products

Nutrition therapy

• convinces the patient of the need to adapt or change his / her diet

• provides the patient with nutritional recommendations in a simple and understandable way

Life style therapy

• discusses the life style plan and the corresponding changes with the patient, verifies the implementation of the life style plan and makes adjustments if necessary

• provides guidance on other measures to support and promote health

Psychological and spiritual support

• explains to the patient his/her psychological constitution and its mechanisms from the Ayurveda point of view, as well as individually adapted means for the maintenance or restoring of mental balance

• supports the patient in crisis situations or transformation processes by means of individually adapted psychological counselling based on Ayurveda principles of psychology

• promotes the development of the patient’s personality and consciousness by explaining the basic psychological and spiritual principles of Ayurveda and supports their practical application in everyday life

Meditation, yoga & pranayama

• uses meditation, yoga and pranayama as part of his/her skills and refers the patient to specialists in these fields if indicated

Assessment and adaptation

• evaluates the success or failure of a therapy in a differentiated way and can justify it

• establishes and justifies the new / updated therapy strategy

• is able to sensibly link different therapeutic approaches and optimise treatment success in the light of Ayurveda knowledge and considers the patient as a whole in the sense of Ayurveda