What is panchakarma and Benefits of Panchakarma ?

WHAT IS PANCHAKARMA?

Panchakarma in Ayurveda is a procedure involving five steps i.e vaman (emesis), virechan (purgation) ,bastikarm(medicated enema) , nasya karm towards healthy living and curing the diseased person by detoxifying the body and removing all the doshas. To alleviate disease panchakarma  treatment is the best. 
As Ayurveda believes in –
                    
                    स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्य रक्षणं आतुरस्य विकार प्रशमं च

To preserve the health of a healthy person and to remove the disease from the patient.

This means:

PANCHAKARMA THERAPY PROCEDURE

There are many panchakarma centres and panchakarma clinics in Delhi.

Panchakarma therapy is divided into purva karma and pashchaat karma.

Purva karma is necessary so that the vitiated doshas return back to the respective location and from where it is smoothly taken out of the body through pashchaat karma.

Snehan and swedana are two necessary steps in purvakarma of panchkarma therapy.

1) snehan-(oleation)

vata is sovereign amongst all doshas hence to suppress or eliminate vata  snehan is the best option. If a disease is to be rectified snehan must be the first step followed by swedana.

Sesame oil is considered best for snehan

2) swedana-(sudation)

It is a procedure where the body is heated  or a person is made to sweat by applying pinda sweda.

swedana is done where aggravated doshas are vata and kapha.

Thirteen types of agni sweda (thermal sudation ) is mentioned in charaka samhita sutrasthan chapter 14.

1)        sankar sweda (mixed fomentation)
2)        prastar sweda (hot bed sudation)
3)        naadi sweda (steam kettle sudation)
4)        parishek sweda (affusion sudation)
5)        avgaha sweda (bath sudation)
6)        jentaka sweda (sudatorium sudation)
7)        ashmaghna sweda (stone bed sudation)
8)        kursha sweda (trench sudation)
9)        kuti sweda (cabin sudation)
10)        bhusweda (ground bed sudation)
11)        kumbhi sweda (pitcher bed sudation)
12)        koopa sweda (pit sudation)

Ten agnirahit swedana (non thermal sudation) are-

व्यायाम ुशनसदनं गुरुप्रावरणम क्षुधा  | बहुपानं भयक्रोधावुपनाहाहवतपः||(shloka no 64 ch.s)

1)vyayam (exercise)
2)ushnagriha (warm house)
3)gurupravaranam (blankets or quilts)
4)shudha (hunger)
5)bahupanam (excessive intake of alcohol)
6)bhaya (scared)
7)krodh (anger)
8)upnah
9)yudha (war,fight)
10)aatapa 

sanshodhan process (purifactory measures)

vaman , virechan, basti, nasya and raktamokshan are five karmas of paschaat (later) karma in panchkarma treatment.

1) VAMANA KARMA (emesis)

emesis medicine should be taken early moring. To aggravate the kapha dosha kapha aggravating food is given to the patient.

2 )VIRECHAN KARMA (purgation)

Virechan karma should be performed twenty five days after vamana.

3) BASTI KARMA

It is performed in vata aggravated diseases. Drug was administered through bladder(basti) of some animals and is inserted into the bladder hence the name basti.it  is a procedure where drugs in liquid form is administered through anus , urethra ,vagina etc.

4) NASYA KARMA

Administration of drugs in the form of inhalation through nose is called nasya karma. Nasya karma is the choice of treatment for diseases above neck region. 
According to vagbhatta shirovirechan is a synonym of nasya and sushruta stated shirovirechan as a part of nasya karma.

5) RAKTAMOKSHAN (BLOOD LETTING)

Leech therapy , siravedha etc are used in raktamokshan. Siravedha is considered the best treatment option in raktamokshan.
It is used in diseases like hypertension , varicosity etc.

BENEFITS OF PANCHAKARMA

Benefits of panchakarma are plenty. Few of them are listed below-

✔it improves digestive system
✔softens the body
✔cleans all the channels in our body
✔balances all the three doshas
✔improves the sense organs
✔delays ageing
✔detoxifies the body
✔purifies blood
✔helps in weight loss

PANCHKARMA CENTRES and PANCHAKARMA CLINICS IN DELHI

Panchakarma treatment in Delhi can be done in any of the centres below-
Aasha Ayurveda
Keraleeyam
Sri Sri Ayurveda wellness centre
Jiva Ayurveda
Santhigiri Ayurveda hospital and panchkarma centre
Maharishi ayurvedic hospital

Aasha Ayurveda Kerala panchakarma centre is best among them. It is located at Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.