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| HEALTH TRIBUNE | Wednesday, February 26, 2003, Chandigarh, India |
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AYURVEDA & YOU Voice culture and hygiene |
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Disease of chronic inflammation CHANDIGARH: Takayasu arteritis — a chronic inflammatory disease involving the aorta and its main branches — has travelled all the way from Japan to other Asian countries. It may sound incredible, but it is true. Over 200 patients of this disease from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, besides Jammu and Kashmir, have been examined at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. "Most of the patients came due to high blood pressure. Nearly 60 per cent came due to hypertension, others complained of breathlessness, eye problems, anaemia, headache, dizziness and palpitation," says PGI's former Director Dr B K. Sharma. "A few even came with stroke and cardiac problems". Important clinical features include high blood pressure. The pulse of a limb may be missing or weak. One of the arteries of the brain, or the kidney, may be blocked. On listening with a stethoscope, a murmur can be heard on the narrow part of the artery. "Suspected diagnosis is confirmed by the angiogram of the aorta and other arteries," Dr Sharma adds. "The arteries blocked include both of the upper limbs, brain, of the heart and lungs, of abdominal aorta, including renal arteries and those of the lower limb". The disease was initially found in Japan. Gradually other Asian countries started noticing such patients. Little wonder, it was named the Oriental disease. Subsequently, it started occurring in other regions, Mexico, Israel and European countries. In 1908, the disease was discovered by a professor of ophthalmology, Dr Mikito Takayasu, at Kanazawa University in Japan. He reported "a retriovenous anastomosis around retina's optic disc of a 21-year-old woman who went on to develop glaucoma, cataracts and ultimate blindness.” Two of his colleagues, Dr Onishi and Dr Kagoshiama, confirmed these findings in other patients and pointed out that "radial pulsations" were missing in the patients. Thus was born the "enigmatic entity" described as Takayasu arteritis. Later, the Japan Government provided funds for setting up a cooperative international study to investigate the different aspects of the disease. The study was coordinated by Dr Fujio Numano of Tokyo University. Dr Sharma was also a part of the study from 1989 to1999. Dr Sushil Sagar, now in the USA, and the PGI's Dr Sanjay Jain were close associates of Dr Sharma during the study. As far as the cure is concerned, he says, "Early recognition is most important. If the patient is suffering from hypertension, it should be treated. If there are signs of inflammation, then the Cortisone group of medicines are recommended for a long period.” "For the last few years more definitive treatment has been carried out by opening up the narrow vessels with the help of balloon catheter and stents. If required, surgery can be done in some of the cases,” according to professor Sharma.
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AYURVEDA & YOU When we see a great deal of diversity relating to the mind and matter of human beings, it might have occurred to most of us that why an individual is unique in his or her own way. Why does a particular person react to certain things in a characteristic manner and how are all of us different from each other regarding our physical structure, temperament, suitability, habits and manners ? It is the distinct bio-physiological or genetic constitution in modern language or prakriti in the ayurvedic parlance that makes an identity so different from others, while all of us remain the integrated part of the same universe from which we are born. If literally translated, “pra” refers to before, beginning, commencement or source of origin in different contexts and the word “kriti” denotes creation. Therefore prakriti on the whole means the first formed native or the original form of the being. Ayurvedic texts tell that the prakriti of an individual is determined at the point of conception and it refers to the distinct biological constitution and the innermost nature of an individual. This whole make-up of a person or the prakriti remains constant and unchanged throughout his life. Originally, ayurveda defined seven body types. The first three types occur in their single form depending upon the predominance of a particular dosha as vatic, paittik and kaphaj. “Sama” prakriti, though a rarity, is said to be the perfect balance of all bodily humors. The more common are three dual prakritis known as vata-kapha, vata-pitta and pitta-kapha. In more recent times, by reversing the two doshas these three dual types of prakritis have been expanded to include six dual types. Apart from defining physical traits or prakriti of a person, ayurveda has listed out different kinds of mental frames also. Though these classifications are largely attributed to the characteristics of various doshas, mind and its properties are more clearly discussed according to three “gunas”, namely satva, rajas and tamas. These three gunas not only reflect the intellectual proclivities or emotional tendencies but also show the sensitivity of the mind, its reactions and its capacity to perceive and understand situations. In fact, Acharya Charaka had hinted about chromosomes and genes by using the words “beejbhaga” and “beej avyava”. So, the concept of prakriti propounded by ayurveda is not merely an academic exercise. To be more precise, it is one of the basic principles of this ancient system which, while being appreciated by Westerners nowadays, is also immensely helpful in holistically understanding a patient. Disease and diagnosis form a complex knowledge and sometimes due to lack of indepth study of a patient’s distinct physical and psychological nature, the desired results of treatment are not achieved. All of us, while engaging ourselves in the pursuit of gaining knowledge of other sciences and subjects, to some extent have ignored the basic concern of what suits our body and mind. Thoughtfulness of one’s basic nature can be a tool for self-examination and self-development and can also help us to understand people in a better way. Prakriti analysis forms the basis of choosing or modifying our lifestyle, selecting the conducive diet plan besides preparing ourselves to adjust to seasonal variations and meeting situational challenges. The aim of Ayurveda vests not only in treating a patient but also maintaining the health of a healthy person. Analysing and understanding the prakriti of both a patient and a healthy person and to act accordingly is the first step towards achieving this goal. (Next fortnight— characteristics of Vata prakriti). The writer is a well-known Ayurvedic Consultant based at Ludhiana. Phones
- 2423500, 2431500. E mail - sanjivni@satyam.net.in |
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Voice culture and hygiene Hoarseness means maladies of voice is gone. There is alternation in the voice varying from slight huskiness to a marked
change, but not a complete loss of voice-called “Aphonia” while “stuttering” is the inability to produce normal voice. It is the larynx (voice box) in which signs of the disease tend to exist. Among many, a few important causes of hoarseness are such as in singers — mainly overstraining for too long. The remedy in such cases is complete rest of voice for a few weeks and the person to be kept under constant review in the near future. Hygiene of voice is also to be observed as not to sing for long in severe cold or immediately after taking heavy meal or other excess case. This alone can result in cure. In professional voice-users the chief cause is the misuse of voice in overstrained conditions and/or while subject to a slight infection in the larynx. Again voice rest for some time is ideal for them. In India, school teachers have reported symptoms of voice-breaks, throat discomfort and rough-sounding voice. Here lies the importance of vocal warm-up prior to voice use and also the need to emphasise vocal hygiene. Voice change may occur due to gastro-oesophageal reflex disease (acid regurgitation and aspiration — heart burns). In such cases a person is advised to modify dietary habits like eating dinner two hours before retiring to bed, elevation of the head-end and to eat small feeds frequently. Bland diet and drinks should be taken. Gelusil syrup as antacid should be taken for 3-4 weeks. Hoarseness due to larynxeal infections, sore throat, etc: The first indication may be a sensation of tickling or discomfort followed by hoarseness. In such cases voice should be rested, the person concerned should confine himself to bed in a warm room in which air is kept moist. In some cases hoarse voice may be a first warning in tuberculosis of the larynx that is always in association with lung disease. At some stage voice may become characteristically hoarse and later on weak, hollow and even painful as the disease advances. Treatment is inseparably connected with that of the lungs. Again, voice should be rested to the level of whispering. Hot and spicy food should be avoided, and bland drinks preferred. Persistent of hoarseness due to larynxeal cancer is more common after the age of 40, and mostly in men due to their smoking habits, etc. Treating the cancer of larynx in early stages can be possible by surgery alone with good results, but at a later stage radiation plus extensive surgery is required with not so comfortable results. An examination of the larynx is a must in cases of hoarseness in which symptoms tend to persist for more than 10 days as there are so many other causes which can be cured by medication or surgical intervention. Even reassurance can be effective in certain over-worried persons. The other causes include the presence of new growths as vocal nodules/polypii, congenital defects, severe allergy reaction causing oedema, paralysis of the larynx due to nervous or neuromuscular disorders, any previous larynxeal injury or moderate-to-severe anaemia, etc. The writer is a former CMO and Head, E.N.T. Department, General Hospital, Sector 16, Chandigarh. Phone
- 600807. |
