Siddha
and Ayurveda
Siddha maruthuvam or siddha medicine or Paatti
Vaaiththiyam or Tamil Medicine is one of the oldest system of
medicine practiced by the Dravidian society and was believed that
they were founded by Chith-thars (men with high knowledge - supermen)
several centuries ago.
The systems of Tamil Medicine,
Siddha and Ayurveda are very much similar. In all the three systems,
the basic of treatment is based on the symptoms of the ill and
treatment is provided for the symptom.
Disease and Cause
When the normal equilibrium of three humors (vatha, pitha and
kapha) is disturbed, disease is caused. The factors, which affect
this equilibrium, are environment, climatic conditions, diet,
physical activities, and stress. Under normal conditions, the
ratio between these three humors (vatha, pitha and kapha) is 4:2:1
respectively.
Diagnosis
In Tamil Medicine, diseases are diagnosed
only with the help of the symptom that the patient says. Other
factors that help in diagnosis are physical examination, pulse
reading, tongue, color, speech, eyes, faces and urine, again the
external symptoms!
Basic examination of siddha medicine
na (tongue): black in vatha, yellow or red
in pitha, white in kapha, ulcerated in anaemia.
varna (colour): dark in vatha, yellow or red in pitha, pale in
kapha
svara (voice): normal in vatha, high pitched in pitha, low pitched
in kapha, slurred in alcoholism.
kan (eyes): muddy conjunctiva, yellowish or red in pitha, pale
in kapha.
sparisam (touch): dry in vatha, warm in pitha, chill in kapha,
sweating in different parts of the body.
mala (stool): black stools
indicate vatha, yellow pitha, pale in kapha, dark red in ulcer
and shiny in terminal illness.
neer (urine): early morning urine is examined; straw colour indicates
indigestion, reddish yellow excessive heat, rose in blood pressure,
saffron colour in jaundice and looks like meat washed water in
renal disease.
nadi (pulse): the confirmatory
method recorded on the radial artery.
Drugs
The drugs used by the Siddhars could be classified into three
groups: thavaram (herbal product), thathu (inorganic substances)
and jangamam (animal products). The thathu drugs are further classified
as uppu (water soluble inorganic substances or drugs that give
out vapour when put into fire), pashanam (drugs not dissolved
in water but emit vapour when fired), uparasam (similar to pashanam
but differ in action), loham (not dissolved in water but melt
when fired), rasam (drugs which are soft) and ghandhagam (drugs
which are insoluble in water, like sulphor).
Treatment
The treatment in Siddha medicine is aimed
at keeping the three humors in equilibrium and maintenance of
seven elements. So proper diet, medicine and a disciplined regimen
of life are advised for a healthy living and to restore equilibrium
of humors in diseased condition. The treatment should be commenced
as early as possible after assessing the course and cause of the
disease. There are the easy treatments now days, even severe diseases
can be cured easily.
According to the Siddha medicine system diet and life style play
a major role not only in health but also in curing diseases.
This concept of the Siddha medicine is termed as pathya and apathya,
which is essentially a list of do's and don’ts.
Conclusion
Human body is remaining same as from stone-age. Modern technologies
and civilization make changes to this world. Diagnosis, treatment
and medication improved a lot which is suitable for the current
situation.