Role of Sadhyovamana as Emergency Procedure in Panchakarma: A Review

Abstract

Over the last few decades, common people have a belief that Ayurveda can treat only chronic diseases. In the acute condition, we generally preferred modern medicine. But in that era also, a description of acute diseases suggested the availability of emergency treatment. Panchakarma chikitsa plays a vital role in ayurvedic treatment line, but in emergency cases, due to lack of time, it is not possible to carry out purvakarma, pradhankarma, and pashchat karma of vamana, virechana procedures. In such a condition concept of sadyovamana can be used as emergency treatment. So, to describe the procedure and importance of sadyovamana in comparison with classical vamana procedure critical analysis of literature has been done. It was found that sadyovamana can be used in various atyayika conditions of diseases. In an emergency, as purvakarma is not mandatory to carry out sadyovamana. This procedure can be conducted in a single day. There is no requirement of vishram kala (gap period). Even consideration of kala (time) does not matter many more. It is cost-effective, less time consuming and has an immediate effect, but it lasts for a short period. So, we can use the sadyovamana in the case of atyayika chikitsa of various diseases whenever classical vamana is not possible.