Inspite of very advanced researches in Science, Pain still remains the major cause of disability effecting the large number of population in the world. The major conditions predominantly related pain are cancer, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal pain, muscle pain, injuries, surgeries and nerve pains like sciatica, varicose veins, tennis elbow and diabetic neuropathy.
Task force on Taxonomy of the international Association for the study of pain has defined pain as “An unpleasant sensoryand emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in such terms of damage. Considering the duration of symptoms pain can be divided into actute pain (duration < 3 months) chronic pain (duration > 3 months). According to aetiology pain can be classified asNociceptic pain caused by invasions / destruction and or pressue on superficial somatic structure like shin, deeper skeletal structures such as bone and muscles and vessels structure and organs.
For management of pain WHO has suggested three steps treatment. In first step use non opioid and NSAIDS, second step to use weak opioids and third step stronger opioids. But all these medicines are having strong side effects on body including liver and kidney. For nerve pain like diabetic neuropathy above described medicines are not effective.
The concept of pain and pain management in Ayurveda is explained in the context of vitiated Vatadosha. Vedana and shool are commonly used for pain and shool is more appropriate term which means a condition with state of discomfort to body and mind. Treatment of pain in Ayurveda and sneham, swedan, Agnikarma, Jalaukaavcharan, vedhankarma and Bastikarma.
Neuropathic pain caused caused by pressure on and or destruction of peripherial autonomic or central nervous system structures. Radiation of pain along dermatomal or peripheral nerve distributions often described as burning / deep aching and associated with dysensthesia and lancinating pain can also feel numbness, tingling and like walking on thick socks.
In western medicine Pain killers keep injured or damaged cells from making or releasing prostaglandins so pain message will not reach quickly or clearly so you don’t feel pain.
While in Ayurveda Charak Samhita explains the use of herbs to work on stopping cell inflammation and establishing proper signaling to reduce the pain.
