Purgation therapy (bhedhi) in the treatment of Trigeminal neuralgia and evaluation using Siddha diagnostic tool neerkuri and neikuri – A Case study

Abstract

Siddha science is an immortal science, which has its origin from ‘Siddhars’. The Siddha system is mainly based on the humoral theory. The three humors namely Vatham, Pitham and Kapham. Any increase or decrease in the ratio of the three humors causes disease in the human body. In the Siddha system of medicine, diseases are classified into 4448 in number. Out of these Yugi Munivar classified Vatham as 80 types. The symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia come under this Vatha classification. The elevated Vatham is decreased by giving purgation therapy based on the quote ‘Bhedhiyaal Vatham Thaalum’. Agasthiyar Kuzhambu is one of the best commonly used purgative medicine in the Siddha System.Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the painful disorders involving the fifth cranial nerve and causes severe unilateral pain in the face over regions supplied by the branches of the trigeminal nerve[5]. The present study is conducted to know the efficacy of Siddha Purgation Therapy for the management of trigeminal neuralgia on the basis of the quote “Bhedhiyaal Vatham Thaalum”. A female patient of 56 years, diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia approached our hospital and got purgation therapy using Agasthiyar Kuzhambu for 3 days. Patient complaints were assessed before and after treatment with 1) Siddha diagnostic tool neerkuri and neikuri, 2) Questionnaire about increased Vatha symptoms and 3)Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scale. After giving Agasthiyar Kuzhambu follow up the patient she got relieved from their symptoms and got satisfactory results with the Siddha line of management. The possible understanding of the case and therapeutic protocol in Siddha has been discussed.