Diagnostic Methods in Ayurveda

The book 'Diagnostic Methods in Ayurveda' written by the well known author Prof. Ajay Kumar Sharma is a complete and comprehensive treatise on the subject. This book is one of its own kinds which deals with the subject in all completeness and clarity covering all aspects of Ayurvedic Diagnostics as described in various Ayurvedic treatise and judiciously supplemented by the modern literature available on the subject. The entire text is nicely supported with original references from Ayurvedic Classics. Latest information regarding Diagnostics has been incorporated with the objective of bridging the gap between the information available in various Ayurvedic classics and the books of Clinical Medicine with the objective of providing basic and complete knowledge to the readers. The book is meant especially for Ayurvedic Students, Physicians and Teachers for creating awareness amongst masses about the dependable holistic approach of Ayurveda in the scientific and systematic manner about the clinical methods in Ayurveda.

Efforts have been made to produce the subject matter in absolutely a new form detailing the ancient concepts of Ayurvedic advances in the field of Diagnostic.

The author of the book being a senior Professor of Ayurvedic Medicine (Kayachikitsa) in National Institute of Ayurveds, Jaipur and being a reputed teacher, clinician and researcher, this book has been richly benefited by his scholarship and professional experience. It is expected that this book will be useful for prospective readers.

About the Author

Born on 31st May, 1954 Prof. Ajay Kumar Sharma graduated in Ayurveda with Medicine and Surgery from A. & U. Tibbia College, New Delhi in 1976 with throughout top rank career. He completed his M.D. (Ay.) [B.H.U.] and Ph. D. under the guidance of his illustrious mentor Prof. R.H. Singh, presently Professor-Emeritus, Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., B.H.U., Varanasi and Ex-Vice Chancellor, Rajasthan Ayurveda University, Jodhpur.

Prof. Sharma is one of the senior most Professors and Head of P.G. Department of Kayacikitsa and Deputy Medical Superintendent of the Hospitals at National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur. He is one of the Chief Ayurvedic Physician and Panca Karma specialist in the Institute. Prof. Sharma has published 10 standard books on Ayurveda and over 190 research papers. He received many awards and prizes for his outstanding career. He has contributed chapters to the prestigious volumes on Ayurveda-Kayacikitsa-Panca Karma published by CRC Press London, New York Washington and Argentina. Prof. Sharma has produced 40 M.D. (Ay.) and 6 Ph. D. under his guidance. He is the expert member of several important national level committees.

Preface

Ayurveda is the most ancient system of medicine in the world. Ayurvedic Medicine was a highly developed medical science with its manifold specialized practices in pre-independent era. Following the classical age Ayurveda had flourished well till the medieval period, after which followed the phase of decline of Ayurveda. However last few decades have proved important towards revival of Ayurveda with noticeable upsurge of interest throughout the world.

With the growing interest in Ayurveda there has been increasing demand of authentic literature on Ayurveda suitable for practice of Ayurvedic medicine. During last few years the revival activities in Ayurveda and interaction with other systems of medicine has lead to lot of clarity in the priorities and perspectives of contemporary Ayurvedic medicine. Such advances prompt to the need of producing newer literature incorporating the recent advances in terms of conceptual and strategic clarity and scientific developments. It is with this background that the present book was launched.

Clinical methods is a book for student of all ages age all degrees of experience. We all have gaps in our knowledge and this book should help fill them. it is intended to provide insight into the acquisition of the traditional clinical skills of history taking and physical examination, and of the increasingly complex and accurate methods available to modern clinicians. If modern investigative methods are to be applied to patient care intelligently, they must be integrated with traditional methods. The latter remain invaluable and irreplaceable clinical skills. Extended investigations and more complex managements must be both useful and humane. It is expected that the book will be recognized by prosperous readers as an old friend, a friend offering some new information, together with much that is well tied, and that ought to be as well known to new generation of students as it was to their teachers when they were students. Good clinical method is still the root of the matter.

The present book has been written with an objective of providing elaborate and comprehensive knowledge of the subject suitable to the present day students and teachers of Ayurveda. The subject matter has been elaborated with in the frame work of Ayurveda, supplemented at various places with modern knowledge of the subject, just to fill in the gaps. Efforts have been made to avoid the usage of complex technical terms. The language used is simple, easily understandable and self explanatory. Efforts have been made to provide Ayurvedic equivalents to modern terminology and vice-versa logically at appropriate places with the intentions of providing clarity to the subject matter. Throughout the book an attempt has been made to indicate particularly important matters and to suggest the diagnostic relevance of certain findings. The book may therefore be used not only as a text of clinical methods, but as a supplement to text book of medicine.

The author of this book being teacher, physician and researcher in this field has had the advantage of utilizing his professional experience with clinical medicine of Ayurveda in compiling the present book. It is hoped and believed that this small effort will prove to be of some benefit to the prospective readers.

The book is presented in the form of four units. Unit one deals with general considerations, Diseases and Disease process and Rogi Pariksa described in three chapters. Unit two is composed of nineteen chapters which cover various types of examination of Rogi, Trividha and Sadavidha Pariksa, Astavidha and Dasavidha Pariksa and Srotasa Pariksa describing in details Racana Sarira, Kriya Sarira, Srotodusti Karana, clinical manifestations, Sroto Pariksa Vidhi, investigations and important disorders of all Srotasas. Unit third describes the details of methods of Roga Pariksa in three chapters covering in details Panca Nidana Pariksa, Sadhyasadhyata of various diseases and Arista-vijnana. Unit four provides miscellaneous information regarding clinical methods including Ayurvedic case History Sheet, Modern Case History Sheet and laboratory investigations. The book is supplemented with an uptodate bibliography on the topics covered.

While compiling this book I received invaluable help from my post graduate students who kept me on developing the subject with due rationality and clarity by putting across a variety of questions in the classroom and departmental seminars. I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Vinod Gautam, my post graduate M.D. (Ay.) scholar who contributed richly in compilation and completion of this work.