Psoriasis is a persistent inflammation of the skin. Ayurveda acharyas classify this in kushta roga as ekakushta. This disease is not contagious. This article let us know about this skin disease and its causes as described in Ayurveda.
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Root Cause of Dosha Imbalance in Psoriasis According to Ayurveda
Psoriasis in Ayurveda
Ayurveda broadly classifies this disease under “Kushta Roga” (skin diseases). Symptoms, causes, and treatment are explained in the texts of Ayurveda, for this skin disease.
According to modern science, this condition is a persistent inflammation of the skin. This disease is not contagious. The cause of this skin ailment is still not clear. This mainly affects the skin, nails, and joints. According to Harvard Medical School https://www.health.harvard.edu/ , this disease can increase incidences of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure and can also cause mental trauma. This can affect both men and women. It can occur at any age. It affects around 2% of the world’s population.
Doshas involved in psoriasis
Texts of Ayurveda explain the pathophysiology of this disease as follows.
Based on the principles of Ayurveda, Vata dosha, and Kapha dosha, when getting imbalanced due to causative factors, this disease occurs. Imbalanced doshas affect body tissues or dhatu like Twacha (skin), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscles), and ambu or lasika (serum). This leads to the disease which manifests with discolored thin scales and itchy skin patches which are red or copper colored.
According to scientists and modern doctors, in this skin condition, the affected parts of the skin become inflamed, red, and scaly. These are called psoriatic plaques. There will be excess production of skin cells which accumulate on the affected area and look shiny and flaky. These plaques may become itchy. Psoriatic patches may appear on any part of the body like the scalp, elbows, genitals, etc. These skin changes are the responsibility of our body’s immune system to certain factors.
Root Cause of Dosha Imbalance in Psoriasis According to Ayurveda
As said earlier imbalance in Vata dosha and Kapha dosha and its effect on the skin, blood, muscles, and serum cause this skin problem. Let us know what causes an imbalance of these doshas.
Consumption of opposite foods (bad food combination or viruddhahara)
According to Ayurveda, we must eat foods that complement our prakruti or constitution and strength of Agni (digestion power). The foods we consume must complement each other in their qualities. If we do not follow this food rule our digestive system suffers and we land up with indigestion and improper absorption of food. Improperly digested food releases toxins that trigger this condition.
Controlling natural urges
Texts of Ayurveda strongly recommend not suppressing 13 natural urges of our human body. Suppressing urges can lead to diseases and psoriasis is one among them. Check this table which gives a brief introduction to this concept.
Exposure to severe climatic conditions
We have to follow an ayurvedic daily routine or dinacharya and an ayurvedic seasonal routine or rutucharya to keep doshas in balance. While explaining the causes of this skin disease, they recommend not exposing ourselves to severe environments like too much heat (working in high temperatures) or too much cold (as in an air-conditioned environment). This disturbs the water element in our body and can lead to this condition.
Salt, sour and heavy foods
Consuming too much salty ( lavana Rasa ), sour (amla rasa ), and heavy foods (foods which take a long time to digest). These foods imbalance dosha and water elements of the body (aap)
Sleeping during the afternoon
It is always good to sleep at night for 8 hours. Sleeping in the afternoon causes an imbalance of doshas.
Taking bath in cold water immediately after physical exertion.
After physical exertion, we must allow our body to warm down slowly. If we take bath in cold water immediately after a physical exertion our body functions suffer and lower immunity.
Mental stress
There is a strong relationship between this disease and stress. Severe mental stress can trigger this skin disease. And this skin problem again causes stress. This is like a vicious circle that has to be broken.
Various modern research shows the following causes as reasons for the flaring up of this condition. The causes of this skin lesion are still debated and unclear. But many factors can trigger this disease. They are as follows
- Heredity – There is one school of thought that this may be due to heredity. You have a 15% of chances to get this disease if one of your parents is affected and a 60% chance if both of them are affected.
- Throat infections like tonsilitis, cough, etc may trigger this disease.
- Continuous Trauma or injury to the skin like cuts, bruises, or burns may cause this skin ailment.
- Few medications or skin irritants like chemicals can initiate this skin problem.
- Unhealthy habits and addictions like Smoking and alcohol can activate dry, itchy, and scaly skin problems.
- Mental stress or psychological trauma and psoriasis have a strong link that can flare up this disease.
Types of psoriasis
According to texts of Ayurveda, all types of psoriasis as described by modern scientists, are included under Ekakushta. Ayurveda acharyas explain this disease that occurs on the scalp, palm, soles, nails, back side of the ear, neck, elbow, abdomen, sacral region, etc under the disease eka kushta. Symptoms of Eka kushta may appear in any part of the body. Hence, precautionary measures have to be taken in the beginning.
There are mainly 5 types of this condition according to modern research.
Plaque :
This is a common type. The affected skin patches appear like raised, inflamed parts of the skin with shiny flakes.
Guttate:
This type appears as small round patches which cover large areas of the body.
Pustular:
This is like small raised sores which resemble blisters due to the presence of pus in them. It usually occurs on the hands and feet.
Inverse :
The one which occurs in the armpits, groin, between buttocks, under the breast, and between folds of genitals.
Erythrodermic:
It appears like red inflamed skin almost all over the body. This type is very rare and very dangerous.
Symptoms of psoriasis as described in Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, the following symptoms occur on the skin and body during the manifestation of this disease.
- Asweda – Reduced perspiration
- Parushya – dryness, and roughness
- Vaivarnya – skin discoloration
- Kandu and nisthoda – itching and pricking sensation of the skin.
- Twak suptata – experiencing reduced sensitivity on the skin.
- Pariharsha – experiencing erection of skin hairs like that of goosebumps.
- Klama– feeling fatigued
- Matsyashakalopama – scaly skin like that of fish scales.
- Aruna varna – pink discoloration
- Krishnavarana – the lesions turn to black color after a certain time.
- Mahavastu – increased skin layers on the affected part.
Symptoms of this skin problem are mostly common in all patients. The affected skin part or plaque looks red and inflamed. It will be covered with white, shiny silvered colored flakes. The skin on the affected area will be dry. The flakes of skin may fall on clothes or in places where they sit. It is very embarrassing. Many complain of severe itching and mild irritation. Sometimes it may be painful too. This condition can be easily diagnosed and there is no need to run any tests. Sometimes this may require a skin biopsy.
(WhatsApp Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )
Author: Dr.Savitha Suri , Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
WhatsApp + 91 6360108663/
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