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When it comes to treating macular degeneration, there is a 100 and 1 way to go about it. But have you heard of the ayurvedic approach?
In premise, Ayurveda is a holistic health system that originated in India that has been employed and is continued to be employed for the treatment of various ailments of the body, mind, and spirit.
In this article, we will cover ayurvedic treatment for macular degeneration.
So keep reading to learn more.
What Is Ayurveda?
As mentioned earlier, Ayurveda is a holistic health system that is derivative of the two Sanskrit words: Life (Ayur) and Science/Knowledge (Veda). The knowledge of life so to say.
It is primarily based on the principles that disease is the imbalance in the person’s consciousness. Ayurveda encourages a variety of natural therapies and lifestyle changes that allow the person to get their mind, spirit, and bond in balance with the environment.
Ayurvedic treatment starts with purification, followed by diet, herbal medicine, massage treatment, yoga & meditation.
Why Choose Ayurvedic Treatment for Macular Degeneration?
First and foremost, the ayurvedic treatment looks for the root cause of the issue, and not focuses on the symptoms. There are two driving principles of treatment.
Shodhan is the complete detox of the body via Panchakarma therapy. Shaman is the balancing procedure of the Doshas via diet, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes. The latter always works best in a patient who has been subject to the former detox process.
Second, ayurvedic medicine is subject to processing in a very natural way and does not possess a synthetic chemical form. This makes the medicines easy on the body, and there is no risk for side-effects even when taken for long periods of time (however, improper assignment of medicine will almost always lead to bad outcomes). That’s why it’s stressed that your ayurvedic treatment is tailored to your needs, as only then it will ensure the eradication of root causes and prevention of future health issues.
Third, Ayurveda is not just medical science. It’s a philosophy as well. The basic principals consider the human mechanism and its specific identity, hence it’s treatment. Ayurveda places lots of value in the treatment of the patient, not the disease. Two patients with the same disease will never have the same treatment, because of differences in body, mind, and spirit.
A Little On Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is primarily associated with age, in which the macula weakens. The sharp vision and color come from the macula itself. Seeing lots of black spots, dullness in color, distorted vision with progressive loss of vision is symptoms of such condition.
There is no specific cause for the disease. Degeneration of the retinal tissue due to age is only of the potential causes of the symptoms of this condition. There are two types of MD: dry and wet.
In dry MD, there is a deposition of fatty protein in the macula, also known as drusens.
In wet MD, the fragile blood vessels grow under the retina and start to bleed, resulting in a loss of sharp vision. The vision loss in the dry MD is significantly slower than in the wet.
An eye expert will diagnose the condition of the disease by performing a comprehensive analysis of visual acuity, OCT examination, dilated ophthalmoscopic review, and much more.
In Ayurveda, MD is identified under the Patalgata Vyadhi, which covers all of the retinal diseases. Since the entire pathology of the condition revolves around the imbalance of Pitta, Vata, and Kapha – ayurvedic treatments aim to correct them all.
Once progress occurs in the vitiated Vata dosha and Kapha dosha, the disease starts to heal and recover. Some of the therapies used are Netradhara, Tharpana, Anjana, Virechana, Nasya, and many others.
The progressive loss is preventable. And a good outcome witnessed in patients who receive appropriate ayurvedic treatment.
Treatment of Macular Degeneration With Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, MD is caused by vitiated Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas. Dry MD is purely Vata, and wet is mostly Pitta with some Vata.
The treatment varies according to the type of MD, as well as the stage at which it is in. Ayurvedic treatment can easily control progressive degeneration, meaning the present vision ability can be retained. Ayurvedic medicines can provide much-needed strength to the retina, as well as provide improvement in vision.
In wet MD, it’s very important to start treatment ASAP, otherwise the persistent edema can cause irreversible damage. Some of the major treatments for MD in Ayurveda are:
- Lepa over the eyes
- Netharadhara
- Virechana
- Thalam
- Tharpana
- Thakradhara
- Shirodhara
There are many others that have not been mentioned. In any case, the right frequency and combination of therapies are determined via personal consultation, diagnosis, and assessment. As with all treatments, the right approach differs from person to person.
Some of the other forms of treatment are Snehapana (high-quantities of medicated ghee in increasing intake) with Jeevanthady Grutha, Patoladi Grutha, Mahathtriphala Ghrutha, Nasya with Ksheerabala Thaila, Ksheerebala Avarthia, Madhookadi Thaila, Moordihithaila with Ksheerabala Thail, Usheeranjanama, Snehana Putupaka, Anjana with Choornithanjanam.
Thalam is the retention of oil or medicated paste on the vertex. Shirodhara – a medicated butter, milk, or oil poured on special points on the forehead. Thalapothichil is the application of a medicated paste on the scalp. To learn more about the treatments, feel free to do your own research, or get in touch with us.
All of these treatments are capable of arresting the degeneration process. The ingredients provide nourishment to the retina, which leads to improvement in vision. In the majority of cases of MD, the current status of vision is always retained, and improvement can be seen in some cases.
Ayurveda for You
Now that you know about ayurvedic treatment for macular degeneration, you are well on your way to determining whether or not it’s right for you. In any case, it won’t go anywhere, so you have time to make up your mind.
If you’re interested in learning more or want to schedule an appointment, get in touch and we will happily accommodate your needs.