Pradhan Karma

Once the purva karma is finished - now, the body is prepared for extensive detoxification and purification.

Pradhan Karma is the main cleansing procedure, which incorporates five basic cleansing methods.

Vaman or Emesis Therapy: When there is blockage in the lungs leading to recurrent attacks of bronchitis, colds, cough or asthma, the Ayurvedic treatment is therapeutic vomiting or vaman, to eliminate the kapha that is responsible for the deposition of the excess mucus within the body.

Virechan or Purgation Therapy: When excess of bile or pitta is secreted, it often gets accumulated in the gall bladder, liver and small intestine. This in turns results in rashes, spots, skin inflammation, persistent attacks of fever, vomiting, feeling of nausea and jaundice. In such cases, therapeutic purgation or virechan helps to normalise the bodily activities.

Basti or Enema Therapy: Ayurvedic basti involves the introduction of herbal preparations of sesame oil and the like into the rectum. It relieves chronic fever, constipation, cold, sexual disorders, heart pain, kidney stones, backache, sciatica and other pains in the joints. Many other vata disorders such as rheumatism, arthritis, gout, muscle spasms and headaches may also be cured through basti.

There are two more therapies of Nasya and Raktamochan that are administered in Ayurvedic Clinics in India. However, most western Ayurvedic practitioners do not follow them.