Virechana Therapy Procedure, Types and Benefits in Ayurveda

Virechana karma is the second procedure in the Panchakarma treatment of ayurvedic cleansing. Virechana treatment  focuses on purifying the mind and body of all toxins. It is a controlled process in which all the toxins or ‘ama’ are concentrated in the small intestines and then eliminated. The treatment frees your body from the imbalanced pitta dosha that affects your digestion, metabolism and energy. 

To know more about virechana treatment and the benefits it offers, read on.

Virechana Treatment Procedure:

Virechana therapy is a simple process. It may include the following 5 steps or more depending on your health. 

1. Vamana

Vamana therapy is also called a vomiting treatment. It is the initial step of your virechana treatment. Here, doshas from different parts of your body are brought to your stomach and duodenum with the help of specific procedures. Then they are eliminated through your mouth by induced vomiting.

2. Samsarjana and Snehakarma

In samsarjana, you are given a specific diet. After that you are asked to go through snehakarma or oleation therapy. This includes internal and external application of ghee, oils, and herbs to your body. These oil massages and sweating treatments take place for three days and prepare your body for the next treatment.

3. Virechana

On the day of treatment, specialists check your digestive strength. If your body does not show the signs of proper digestion, you may be asked to fast for a few hours. It is also essential that you sleep well the previous night. If all looks right, your treatment starts off. This is usually scheduled in the morning around 9 or 10 a.m. The type and quantity of your virechana herbs and treatment depends on your:

• bowel movement
• physical attributes
• doshas
• any illness or issues you may have

If you have soft intestines, you may receive milk for the purgation to start. However, if you have hard bowels, the trivit herb may be able to help you better. If your primary dosha is pitta, you may have to take sweet and astringent herbs. For kapha, doshas of the earth and water elements, you may get herbs that are pungent. Salty, oily, and hot herbs are used for vata doshas, which refer to air and space. The strength of the herbs depend on your body type. When the purgation starts, doctors may advise you to drink warm water. This can help prevent dehydration and support the treatment.

Virechana Treatment Benefits:

Apart from treating various health conditions, virechana can also help you in the following ways.

• Slows down ageing
• Improves your immune system
• Calms your mind
• Increases blood flow
• Removes excess doshas

Virechana Treatment Types:

Virechana treatment is mainly classified into two categories.

1. Snigdha Virechana

In this procedure, only castor oil is used or Haritaki fruit powder is added to it. This treatment is advised if you have vata dosha along with pitta dosha.

2. Rooksha Virechana

This type is used when you may have kapha dosha with pitta dosha. The purgation medicine in this includes 20-30 grams of trivitlehyam.

Virechana Treatment Treat Health Conditions:

Virechana treatment can help with the following health conditions.

1. Anemia

Anemia in ayurveda is also known as panduroga. In anemia, there is a decline in your hemoglobin levels. For anemia treatment, a mild virechana treatment is suggested by experts. The primary focus of this is to improve your hemoglobin levels.

2. Gastrointestinal Diseases

Virechana involves ayuverdic cleansing through your gut. Effective detoxification of your stomach and intestines promotes good gut health. It also helps managing and treating gastrointestinal disorders.

3. Infertility 

Experts recommend virechana treatment for infertility as the detoxification helps improve your chances of conceiving. Virechana treatment can also heal infertility of among men [1]. 

4. Skin Disorders

This therapy is effective in skin disorders’ treatment for issues like:

• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Psoriasis
• Acne

According to a study, when virechana treatment was used to reduce eczema in patients, the rate of cure increased to 81%. There were no reoccurrence reported by more than 91% of the patients [2].

• Diabetes

As per a study, using virechana as a treatment for diabetes showed promising results. Despite the results being encouraging, this requires more research [3]. 

While you can perform some ayurvedic treatments at home, others are best left to experts. Virechana treatment is one of these, which offers the best results when performed by an AYUSH specialist. To know more about its benefits and to talk to ayurvedic doctors, book an appointment on Bajaj Finserv Health. An online consultation can instantly help you understand if this treatment is right for you. Avail Bajaj Finserv Health card and get 10 free online consultations with top specialists.