What medical system is more effective at treating IgAN?
If there is a 100% cure for IgAN in any medical system, it is Ayurveda. Let’s understand why.
Modern medicine understands IgAN as a kidney disorder where antibodies build up in the kidney and cause damage to glomeruli. These antibodies are indeed a type of protein that is made by an individual’s immune system to protect the body against viruses and bacteria.Whereas, Ayurveda understands IgAN as an imbalance in Tridoshas and Dhatus. On further segmentation, there is an imbalance between cells and their harmonic motion. Once this motion is disturbed, there is a fluctuation in Prakriti. This Prakriti is identified by an Ayurvedic specialist, who then concludes what disease a person is predisposed to.The Prakriti of every individual on this planet is different, and hence, ayurvedic practitioners employ very subtle treatment for every individual. They tend to establish a balance between body, mind, and soul, which heals a person completely. Let’s now understand how the Prakriti of an individual is identified.
Identification of Prakriti
The term “Prakriti” in Ayurveda describes a person’s innate constitution, which is established at conception and largely constant throughout life. Assessing a person’s physical, mental, and emotional characteristics is part of defining their Prakriti. This is further influenced by the specific balance of their three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha).
It is important to access the Prakriti as it determines the susceptibility of an individual to various diseases. The Prakriti of an individual is a constituent of its “mental body” and “physical body.”
In the mother’s Garbhashaya (womb), Shukra (sperm) and Shonita (ovum) combine to generate Prakriti, which is influenced by Tridosha. The characteristics of the future child are determined by the dominance of any one, two, or all three Dosha (body humors – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), as determined by the Ekadoshaja Prakriti (Vata, Pitta, and Kaphaja), Dvandvaja (Vatapitta, Vatakapha, and Kaphapitta), and Samamishra (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha in equal proportions).
Pariksha, one of the Dasavidha Atur Parikshas, is used by Sattva and Prakrti Ayurveda to assess patients. Ayurveda’s Prakriti diagnostic provides a special framework for comprehending and evaluating one’s health. Prakriti offers advice on maintaining optimal health. It offers comprehensive guidance on how to modify one’s diet and way of life to align with one’s Prakriti.
The Prakriti of an individual can be accessed via the following process.
1. Physical Examination: Ayurvedic doctors look at physical characteristics such as face tone, body type, hair type, and lip, eye, and nose shapes. It is thought that certain doshic inclinations correlate with these physical traits.
2. Behavioural Traits: Personality traits and behavioural patterns are also taken into account. For instance, Vata dosha dominance may be indicated by inclinations toward activity, talkativeness, and creativity, whereas Pitta dominance may be suggested by traits toward drive, ambition, and assertiveness.
3. Likes and Dislikes: Ayurveda also considers dietary, environmental, and activity preferences. For example, a Pitta constitution may be suggested by a predilection for warm weather and spicy foods, whereas a Kapha constitution may be suggested by a preference for chilly weather and sweet foods.
4. Pulse diagnosis: also known as Nadi Pariksha, is a complex Ayurvedic procedure in which the practitioner evaluates the characteristics of the pulse, such as its strength, rhythm, and speed, to obtain information about the individual’s overall constitution and the dosha balance.
5. Questionnaires and Interviews: To determine a person’s prakriti, some Ayurvedic practitioners employ organized questionnaires or interviews to obtain details about the patient’s past medical history, present symptoms, way of life, and emotional inclinations.
6. Family History: Ayurveda also takes into account a person’s genetic and familial heritage. A person’s prakriti may be impacted by doshic imbalances or predispositions that run in families.
Where Ayurveda eliminates IgAN from the cellular level by altering lifestyle, modern medicine works on symptoms shown by an individual with IgAN.
Treatment of IgAN in modern medicine
Modern medicine treatment depends on various factors, including the severity of the disease, patient response, and other medical conditions. Its common treatment and approach for IgAN is-
1. ACE Inhibitors, also known as ARBs: These drugs are frequently used to lower blood pressure and lessen proteinuria, or the build-up of excess protein in the urine, which can help IgAN patients’ kidney damage advance more slowly.
2. Immunosuppressive therapy refers to the use of drugs such as corticosteroids (prednisone, for example) and other immunosuppressants (cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, etc.) to treat kidney damage-causing inflammation and immune system activation.
3. Dietary Modifications: To lessen the strain on their kidneys, some patients may find it helpful to cut back on their protein intake or make other dietary adjustments.
4. Supportive therapy involves the management of symptoms such as hypertension, edema, or swelling, as well as any potential consequences.
What’s the conclusion?
It is crucial to note that Ayurveda and allopathic (modern Western) medicine use distinct approaches to treating conditions such as IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and that individual characteristics might affect how well a treatment works. Here are some things to think about:
- Customized Approach: Ayurveda places a strong emphasis on treating each person according to their unique Prakriti, or constitution, which is made up of elements including their physical traits, way of life, and mental qualities. The goal of treatment is to bring the doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—which are thought to control health back into balance.
- Holistic Focus: To address the underlying cause of the illness and enhance general health, Ayurvedic treatment frequently combines dietary adjustments, herbal remedies, lifestyle modifications, and therapies like Panchakarma (detoxification procedures).
- Ayurveda lays a strong focus on preventing illness by keeping the body in balance and treating patients before illnesses show symptoms. Taking preventative measures could aid in the management of long-term illnesses like IgAN.
- Integration of Mind, Body, and Spirit: Ayurveda takes into account how the mind, body, and spirit are related to each other in both health and illness. Physical symptoms are considered in conjunction with mental and emotional issues to provide a complete approach to treatment.
- Herbal Medicines: Ayurveda makes extensive use of a variety of plant-based medications that are thought to provide therapeutic advantages over synthetic medications used in allopathic treatment, maybe with fewer adverse effects.
Concluding, the Ayurvedic system proves to eliminate IgAN and yields long-term effects on an individual.