by Sheela Rani Chunkath
Recently an acquaintance of mine suddenly fainted and he was rushed to a hospital where he regained consciousness after about 2 to 3 hours. The doctors were unsure as to what had prompted the sudden fainting spell. The patient said that he had been suffering from unbearable migraine headaches for almost 20 years and that he used to take pain killers whenever the pain was unbearable and that most of the doctors were unable to offer him anything else to prevent further headaches.
The neurologist ordered a battery of tests including a CT scan, MRI, blood tests, the works so to say. Ultimately the reports came back saying that there was nothing neurologically wrong with the patient. He was discharged with a huge prescription which included among other drugs a non selective beta-blocker (which is normally given for angina, high BP and other heart conditions), a calcium channel blocker (prescribed normally for migraine occlusive peripheral vascular disease) and an anti-depressant. Now this patient did not have any heart problems, high BP or a history of depression. His migraine had been triggered by factors such as excessive heat, light or some emotional issues in the family etc.
The patient, when I saw him after his discharge from the hospital was quite disoriented and looked extremely lethargic. So he was sent to the Ayurvedic vaidyar who stopped the other medicines over the course of a week substituted them with Maha Kalyanaka Ghrtam, Pathyaksha Dhatryadi Kashayam, Valiya Lakshadi Tailam for application to the scalp and Anu tailam to be used as a nasyam in the nostrils (I have written earlier almost Anu tailam and how its daily use prevents headaches and other diseases pertaining to the head area). To cut a long story short, the ayurvedic medication is working fine and this long time sufferer of migraine is now migraine free. The patient said that he used to suffer from migraines practically 15 days out of 30. And now he has not had an attack in a month.
The ayurvedic vaidyar gave him a set of prescription to be followed regarding his lifestyle and diet. He eats and sleeps regularly. He gets eight hours of sleep. He was not to drink cold stuff, juices or have yoghurt. He was to avoid spicy foods etc. He was to be careful about keeping his head dry, not to get wet in the rain etc.
The gentleman is doing fine now and is ‘relearning’ how it is to go without headaches for long periods of time. Maha Kalyanaka ghrtam is given for inflammatory conditions, psychosis, epilepsy, lack of memory etc. This medicine is prepared purely from herbs such as turmeric, tree turmeric, triphala, Solanum indicum, talisapatra, Embellia ribes, sandalwood etc. All the herbs are boiled in milk which is got from a cow that has calved for the first time – the logic being that certain hormones are secreted by a cow giving birth for the first time. The mode of preparation is mentioned in Ashtanga Hridayam, Uttarasthana. The patient has not experienced any side effects and no side effects are anticipated either. Pathyaksha Dhatrayadi Kashayam is used to treat various kinds of headaches especially pain in the forehead and migraine. Other than avoiding this medication during pregnancy there are no known particular cautions to be observed (other than the usual ayurvedic practice of taking the kashayam on an empty stomach etc.) This kashayam is made from herbs the reader would be familiar with Triphala, Andrographis paniculata (the main ingredient in Sudarshan tablets), turmeric, neem and Tinospora cordifolia. This kashayam can easily be made at home. The recipe for this formulation is given in the Sarangadhara Samhita, Madhyamakhanda. Valiya Lakshadi Tailam again uses only known herbs and ingredients.
The patient by using medicines which have been handed to us from years back has settled down to comfortable routine and seems to have shaken off the migraine attacks.
--- The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/