Analysis of Shotha on the Foundation of Dosha Predominance

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

AIAPGET Factors

1. सर्वस्त्रिदोषोऽधिकदोषलिङ्गैस्तच्छब्दमभ्येति भिषग्जितं च||Cha.Chi.12. All Shothas are attributable to Tridoshas however they’re named on the premise of predominant dosha concerned within the pathogenesis of a specific kind of shotha.
2. Shvayathu and Shopha are synonyms of Shotha.
3. The colour of Vataja Shotha is Aruna-Asita. The color of Pittaja Shotha is Asita-Pita-Raga. The color of Kaphaja Shotha is Pandu varna. 
4.   Particular options of Vataja Shotha – a. Prashamyati Pronnamati Prapidito – Pits on stress however it shortly rises to the floor  & b. Divabali – will increase and is distinguished throughout day time
5.   Particular options of Pittaja Shotha – a. Ushyate – Has extreme burning sensation, b. Spashta Ruk – clearcut ache & c. Pakavan – tends to suppurate
6.   Particular options of Kaphaja Shotha – a. Krichra Janma Prashamo – this swelling happens slowly i.e. takes quite a lot of time to manifest and on the identical time takes quite a lot of time to go away. b. Nipidito Na Cha Unnamed – when pressed the pitting stays for a very long time and it takes quite a lot of time for the pit to vanish and the swelling to come back again to the floor – persistent swelling & c. Ratribali – will increase and is distinguished throughout night time time

Shotha which suggests swelling or edema, which might both be inflammatory or non-inflammatory in origin has been defined intimately in Ayurveda together with detailed therapy protocol. Shotha will be brought on both by aggravated doshas – Ninja Shotha or resulting from exterior elements like damage, publicity to toxins or allergens and many others – Agantuja Shotha. Ayurveda has defined every of the various kinds of shotha with their pathogenesis, signs and administration. However it is rather essential to determine the reason for swelling or predominant dosha which is inflicting the shotha. Solely then, trigger particular and dosha particular therapy will be deliberate. On this article we’ll look in direction of diagnosing shotha on the premise of their dosha predominance.

Word – Shotha can also be referred to as SHVAYATHU or SHOPHA.

Identification and Analysis of Shotha primarily based on predominant dosha / doshas concerned

Shvayathu or Shotha is marked by swelling or edema which seems within the type of utsedha – irregular elevation of the pores and skin or tissues. Whereas talking about Nija kinds of Shotha, they come up resulting from vitiation of three doshas i.e. vata, pitta and / or kapha. There’s usually involvement of rakta – blood and sira avarodha i.e. obstruction in circulatory channels / blood vessels of the physique. Shotha is undoubtedly attributable to the involvement of all of the three doshas i.e. vata, pitta and kapha however they’re primarily recognized and named after the predominant dosha which determines particular group of signs within the shvayathu. This classification is the hallmark characteristic of Ayurveda’s description of ailments and aids in prognosis and therapy of ailments.

Main classification of Shotha / Shwayathu from Classical Texts

A lot of the main Ayurveda texts, primarily Brihat Trayis have categorised Shotha into three fundamental varieties primarily based on dosha predominance. They’re –

Vataja Shotha 

That is attributable to predominantly aggravated vata.

Signs –

–        Chala – swelling is movable

–        Tough, dry and skinny pores and skin,

–        Aruna Asita – Golden brown / Dusky-brown or blackish in color

–        Swelling is movable

–        The swelling pits on stress however shortly regains form (surfaces again)

–        Divabali – swelling will increase primarily throughout day time

–        Swelling subsides spontaneously

Traits of the swelling –

–        Swelling is movable

–        Prashamyati Pronnamati Prapidito – Pits on stress however it shortly rises to the floor 

–        Divabali – will increase and is distinguished throughout day time

Related elements –

–        Horripilation / goosebumps

–        Numbness

–        Discomfort,

–        Completely different sorts of ache,

Pittaja Shotha

That is attributable to predominantly aggravated pitta.

 Indicators and Signs –

–        Swelling is easy on contact,

–        Has peculiar kind of scent – Sagandho

–        Has blackish, pink or yellow tint

–        Fast onset of swelling 

Traits of Swelling –

–        Scorching on contact,

–        Ushyate – Has extreme burning sensation

–        Spashta Ruk – clearcut ache

–        Pakavan – tends to suppurate

–        Spreads shortly

–        Non-pitting or barely pitting in nature

Related options –

–        Burning sensation

–        Raised warmth

–        Thirst, fever, sweating,

–        Giddiness,

–        Intoxication

–        Akshi Ragakrut – redness of the eyes

 Kaphaja Shotha

That is attributable to predominantly aggravated kapha.

Indicators and Signs –

–        Swelling is chilly,

–        Pale or whitish in coloration

–        Easy

–        Pores and skin over swelling is oily

–        Presence of heaviness, itching

–        Onset of swelling is sluggish and secure

–        Has stiffness

Traits of swelling –

–        Krichra Janma Prashamo – this swelling happens slowly i.e. takes lot of time to manifest and on the identical time takes lot of time to go away

–        Nipidito Na Cha Unnamed – when pressed the pitting stays for very long time and it takes lot of time for the pit to vanish and the swelling to come back again to the floor – persistent swelling

–        Ratribali – will increase and is distinguished throughout night time time

–        Is agency

–        Persistent

–        Heavy

–        Steady 

Related options –

–        Extreme salivation,

–        Extreme sleep

–        Sluggish digestion

Word 

Other than these fundamental doshic kinds of Shotha, the illness can also be manifested resulting from

–        the mixture of two doshas – dvidoshaja or samsargaja shotha (instance – vata-pittaja shotha, pitta-kaphaja shotha and many others) and

–        the mixture of all three doshas – tridoshaja shotha, which is a extreme type of shotha

The signs of two or three doshas concerned within the pathogenesis of such shothas will likely be discovered manifested in combined proportions.

Other forms of Shotha are 

–        Ekanga Shotha – localized swelling and

–        Sarvanga Shotha – generalized swelling

As already talked about, Agantuja Shotha is brought on resulting from exterior elements like damage, bites of animals and many others.

Samhita References and Spotlight Factors relating to Shotha – Doshic varieties

1. Charaka Samhita

Ref – Chikitsa Sthana Chapter 12 – Shvayathu Chikitsa Adhyaya & Charaka Sutra Sthana Chapter 18

Vital factors –

–        All shothas contain tridoshas however the naming of every shotha has been completed on the premise of predominant dosha concerned in causation of shotha

–        Detailed signs are enumerated in Chapter 12, verse 12 of Chikitsa Sthana

–        Vataja Shotha – is tough, dry, dusky, pitting however will shortly get well / Pittaja Shotha – is scorching and is burning or has burning sensation / Kaphaja Shotha – is chilly, heavy and secure

–        Prognosis – Shotha attributable to one dosha involvement, of current origin and manifesting in sturdy affected person is curable

–        Therapy rules – The power of the affected person and illness, dosha and season ought to be assessed. Langhana, Pachana and Shodhana are the principle rules of therapy.

2. Sushruta Samhita

Vital factors –

–        Sushruta Samhita emphasizes on discussing Vrana Shotha – inflammatory swellings and Agantuja Shotha – traumatic varieties

–        Sushruta has additionally categorised shotha on dosha predominance with give attention to surgical points, examples – abscesses and tumours

–        The dosha signs in doshic shotha align with clarification of Acharya Charaka – Vataja kind is tough and movable, Pittaja kind is scorching and spreading and Kaphaja kind is agency and heavy

–        The treatise usually correlates agantuja shotha i.e. exogenous swellings with abhighataja i.e. these brought on resulting from damage

3. Ashtanga Hrdaya

Vital factors –

–        Follows technique of clarification of Acharya Charaka and Sushruta, has combined excerpts from these texts

–        Classification of Shotha has been completed as Vataja, Pittaja, Kaphaja and many others. with signs just like these defined in Charaka Samhita

–        Extra emphasis has been given on the subtypes and mixtures of doshas. Therapy of shotha mirrors dosha pacification and dosha-specific strategy.

Different texts like Madhava Nidana have adopted comparable patterns of explaining Shotha as these of Brihat Trayis.

Possible Trendy Interpretations and Correlations

Vataja Shotha – usually correlates with non-pitting edema. It could be brought on resulting from neurological or cardiac causes like coronary heart failure or peripheral neuropathy. The swelling is fluctuating and has dry pores and skin over and round it.

Pittaja Shotha – will be correlated with inflammatory edema as present in acute infections, liver ailments like hepatitis inflicting ascites and many others.

Kaphaja Shotha – correlates with pitting edema usually ensuing from renal points like nephrotic syndrome, hypothyroidism, lymphatic obstruction and many others. It presents with fluid retention and heaviness.

 Simply earlier than ending

General, Shotha will be grossly seen as being attributable to fluid imbalance resulting from dosha vitiation affecting rasa dhatu and channels of circulation (srotas). From the trendy viewpoint the doshic kinds of shotha will be correlated with situations like congestive coronary heart failure (vata dominant), cirrhosis (pitta dominant) or persistent kidney illness (kapha dominant).

This dosha-based strategy in direction of prognosis of various sorts of Shotha makes manner for personalised identification and administration of shotha emphasizing correction of root-causes over symptomatic reduction. This can assist Ayurveda physicians to correctly diagnose and categorize the shothas beneath the brackets of dosha or doshas concerned which is the muse for complete dosha-specific therapy approaches together with choice and administration of herbs, formulations, therapies and dietetic protocols.