Hingutriguna thailam: the all natural edible ear drops

In the gulma chikitsa part of the ashtanga hridaya, the formulation which helps maintain ear health is given in detail. The recipe is given below:

Asafoetida 100 gms

Rock Salt (Indu uppu in Tamil) 300 gms

Castor Oil 900 gms

Juice of garlic 2700 gms

All the ingredients are cooked together to obtain the medicated thailam. This thailam can be used to cure earaches. If you are the type who gets an ear infection or a pain when you go swimming, this thailam is a good preventive aid. A couple of drops before or after a swim keeps the ear free from infection. This can be administered for children also. This preparation is completely safe as all the ingredients are edible.

Fomentation of the area around the ear can be done by making a small bundle of fried sea salt or erukku leaves wrapped in a small piece of cotton cloth. The bundle , the size of a small lime, can be heated on a tawa and used for the fomentation.

It would be best to avoid cold foods, drinks and curds to prevent further aggravation of ear pain. If you can, stay away from airconditioned rooms where the thermostat is set very low. If you have children, it is a good idea to keep this thailam at home as it is very effective when used at the onset of an ear pain. I have known many young mothers run in search of a doctor in the middle of the night because the baby is howling with ear pain. Instilling one drop of the thailam in the ear will give relief to the baby and the mother. For very small babies the thailam can be applied around the ear and a light fomentation done. Rasnadi chooranam mixed with hot water and applied around the ear also gives relief from the pain.

In the Ashtanga Hridaya, this thailam is actually indicated as a cure for abdominal tumours, colic, chronic constipation, enlargement of the abdomen and scrotum and is to be consumed internally. In practice, vaidyars also use it for curing simple earaches. The thailam is used as a laxative, digestive, appetizer, anthelmintic and as an anti-inflammatory.

The Ashtanga Hridaya describes at length the various diseases of the ear and their treatment. In case of ear infections involving discharge it would be best to consult a good vaidyar. Ayurveda has very effective remedies for such problems.

Many people I talk to are surprised and wonder how a remedy can be used as a cure for so many different types of ailments. The explanation in part lies in the fact that the cause of disease is vitiation of the same dosha and the cure lies in bringing that dosha in balance. Ear pain, colic and enlargement of the abdomen often occur because of the vitiation of the vayu dosha and hingu triguna thailam is good at controlling vayu.

This thailam is part of a drug kit of 50 essential ayurvedic and siddha preparations supplied to village health nurses of Tamil Nadu for use at the village level.

--- The writer was earlier Health Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu and is currently CMD, TN Industrial Investment Corporation; Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail.com