Sagar Dispensary

AYURVEDA

Ayurveda (the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India, This is a 5000 years old system of medicine and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda comprises the words āyus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'. Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia. The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India. The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era. Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.

Ayurveda has become an alternative form of medicine in the western world, where patents for its medicine have been passed, and the intellectual property rights contested by Western and Indian institutions. Ayurveda is considered to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the United States of America, where several of its methods—such as herbs, massage, and Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine—are applied on their own as a form of CAM treatment.

Ayurveda believes in 'five great elements' ( earth, water, fire, air and space) forming the universe, including the human body. Blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, chyle, and semen are believed to be the seven primary constituent elements (Devanāgarī) of the body. Ayurveda stresses a balance of three substances: wind/spirit/air, phlegm, and bile, each representing divine forces. According to Ayurvedic beliefs, the doctrine of these three Doshas (Devanāgarī)—vata (wind/spirit/air), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm)—is important. Traditional beliefs hold that humans possess a unique constellation of Doshas. In Ayurveda, the human body has 20 Guna (Devanāgarī, meaning quality). Surgery and surgical instruments are employed. It is believed that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining good digestion, and proper excretion leads to vitality. Ayurveda also focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.

UNANI

Unani :  (in Arabic, Bangla, Hindi, Persian, Pashtu, Urdu, etc) means "Greek". It derives from the Greek word Ionia, the Greek name of the Asia Minor coastline, from the Arabic word for Greece: "al-Yunaan".

It is used to refer to Graeco-Arabic or Unani medicine , also called "Unani-tibb", based on the teachings of Hippocrates, Galen, and Avicenna, and based on the four humours: Phlegm (Balgham), Blood (Dam), Yellow bile (Safra) and Black bile (Sauda — it seems to mean hard substance and black material).

Though the threads which comprise Unani healing can be traced all the way back to Claudius Galenus of Pergamum, who lived in the second century of the Christian Era, the basic knowledge of Unani medicine as a healing system was developed by Hakim Ibn Sina (known as Avicenna in the west) in his medical encyclopedia The Canon of Medicine. The time of origin is thus dated at circa 1025 AD, when Avicenna wrote The Canon of Medicine in Persia. While he was primarily influenced by Greek and Islamic medicine, he was also influenced by the Indian medical teachings of Sushruta and Charaka.

In India, there are about hundred Unani Medical Colleges where Unani System of medicine is taught. It is a 5 and half year course and the graduates are awarded BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery) degree. There are about 10 Unani medical Colleges where Post Graduate degree is being given for BUMS Doctors. all these colleges are affiliated to reputed universities and recognized by the Government.

As an alternative medicine, Unani has found favour in Asia, especially India. In India, These Unani practitioners can practice as qualified doctors, as the Indian government approves their practice. Unani medicine is very close to Ayurveda. Both are based on theory of the presence of the elements (in Unani, they are considered to be fire, water, earth and air) in the human body. (The elements, attributed to the philosopher Empedocles, determined the way of thinking in medieval Europe.) According to followers of Unani medicine, these elements are present in different fluids and their balance leads to health and their imbalance leads to illness.

All these elaborations were built on the basic Hippocratic theory of the Four Humours. The theory postulates the presence in the human body of blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Each person's unique mixture of these substances determines his temperament: a predominance of blood gives a sanguine temperament; a predominance of phlegm makes one phlegmatic; yellow bile, bilious (or choleric); and black bile, melancholic. As long as these humours are in balance, the human system is healthy, it is imbalance which can result in disease.

SIDDHA

The Siddha medicine is a form of south Indian traditional medicine and part of the trio Indian medicines - Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. This system of medicine was popular in ancient India, even 2000 years before Christ. Due to the antiquity of this medical system. The Siddha system of medicine is believed to be the oldest medical system in the universe. The system is believed to be developed by the Siddhars, the ancient supernatural spiritual saints of India and the Siddha system is believed to be handed over to the Siddhar by the Hindu God - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. So are the Siddhars, the followers of Lord Shiva(saivam).

According to the scriptures, there were 18 principal Siddhars. Of these 18, saint Agasthiyar is believed to be the father of Siddha Medicine. There is a controversy that exists in this regard as some people claim, Siddhar Theraiyyar (One of the 18 Siddhars) as the Father Of Siddha Medicine.

Siddhars were of the concept that a healthy soul can only be developed through a healthy body. So they developed methods and medication that are believed to strengthen their physical body and thereby their souls. They practiced intense yogic practices, including years of fasting and meditation. And believed to have achieved super natural powers and gained the supreme wisdom and overall immortality. Through this spiritually attained supreme knowledge, they wrote scriptures on all aspects of life, from arts to science and truth of life to miracle cure for diseases.

The Siddhars wrote their knowledge in palm leaf manuscripts, fragments of which were found in different parts of South India. It is believed that some families may possess more fragments, but keep them solely for their own use.

From these manuscripts, the Siddha System of medicine developed into a part of Indian medical science. Today there are recognized Siddha Medical Colleges, run under the government universities where Siddha medicine is taught.

Most of the practicing Siddha medical practitioners are traditionally trained usually in families and also by different gurus(teachers). When the guru is also a martial arts teacher, he is also known as an Ashan. Practicing this special healing art from obscure clinics, they help heal many maladies which are untouched by western medicine. They make a diagnosis after a patient's visit and sets about to refer their manuscripts for the appropriate remedies which a true blue physician compounds himself or herself from thousands of herbal and herbo-mineral resources. The unique methodology of Siddha thought helped decypher many causes of disorders and the formulation of curious remedies which may sometimes have more than 250 ingredients.