Ayurvedic Procedures - Basti chikitsa

1.  Basti chikitsa is one amongst the ayurvedic
panchakarma therapies which is used to expel the
vitiated dosha’s out of the body through the
intestinal route.
 It is considered to be the best among the other
panchakarma therapies because of it’s ability to pacify
vata dosha which is the igniting factor for any disease
process.

2.  Various toxins entering our body by food ,air etc. get
accumulated in our gastrointestinal tract. As time
passes these toxins tend to increase and get spread in
all channels of our body causing various diseases .
 These accumulated toxins in the form of dosha’s if
expelled out at right time can prevent the disease.

3.  Joint pain
 Indigestion
 Acidity
 Constipation
 Back pain
 Persistent headache
 Scanty menses
 Chronic fever
 Generalized weakness
 Intestinal worms
 Heart disorders
 psychological disturbances
 Difficulty in micturition and other such
 Impotence and other such

4.  Problems of Vata prakruti -:
 Inadequate sleep
 Dry skin
 Dryness of throat
 Lack of concentration
 Hair fall
 Basti therapy is must for such Vata prakruti persons
who can have it as a preventive therapy for avoiding
serious Vata disorders.

5. Basti can be given by two ways
a) External b) Internal
janu basti aasthapan
kati basti niruha
manya basti matra
vrana basti uttar basti
hridaya basti

6.  In these basti’s warm medicated oils are pooled over
specific parts of body by a special arrangement for
local pain relief over these areas .
 Janu , kati and manya basti can be used over knee,
back and neck region for corresponding conditions of
pain in these areas.
 Vrana basti is used over wounds for relieving pain and
for rapid healing.

7. Janu basti
Medicated oils pooled
over knee joint for
relieving pain
Kati basti
Oils over back for
relieving backache

8. Manya basti
Medicated oils
pooled over neck
region
Hridaya basti
Oils over chest
region to relieve
chest pain in heart
disorders

9.  Asthapan or Niruha basti is the one in which
medicated decoctions are inserted via a tube into anal
canal.
 These decoctions remain inside the colon for certain
time period and are then expelled out along with the
dosha’s.
 In Anuvasan medicated oils are used for the same
purpose.

10.  In Matra basti less quantity of oil is used and it does
not need to be accompanied by any strict dietary
restriction or daily routine and can be administered,
in all seasons. Route of administration is same as that
of anuvasan and niruha.
 These are the major types of basti among others.

11.  Poorvakarma – theses are the preliminary steps done before
undertaking the basti therapy -:
 Dipan – it ignites the digestive fire which has weakened in the disease
process
 Pachan – it tries to digest the accumulated toxins
 Snehan – it involves oil application externally and it’s consumption as
well.
 Swedan – it is steam induced sweating for toxin clearance.

12. Snehan and swedana provides lubrication and strength to the body for the
upcoming detox therapy.
Snehan helps in loosening of toxins from their sites which are then dislodged
by swedana.
These dislodged toxins are then easily expelled out of the body by the basti
therapy.

13.  Pradhan karma – this includes the actual process of administering
basti
 As per the requirement basti can be administered in 3 courses.
Type of basti Niruha basti Anuvasan basti Total
course basti
Start Mid End Start Mid End
Karma basti _ 12 _ 1 12 5 30
Kala basti 6 6 16
_ _ 1 3
Yog basti _ 3 _ 1 3 1 8

14. 3. Paschat karma – helps in regaining the normal functioning of body
 This includes various rules to be followed after having Panchakarma.
dietic
behavioural
physical
psychological rules

15. Medications in basti
 Dashamoola kwath (Processed with roots of 10 vata pacifying
herbs) is best for all painful and inflammatory conditions in
the body occurring due to vitiation of vata.
 Ashwagandha oil is recommended in cases where excess vata
has reduced the body strength causing weakness. It is also
indicated in conditions where vata has reduced the sperm
count thereby causing sterility.
 Yashtimadhu oil owing to the best healing properties, helps to
treat piles, fissure and fistulae.
 Tila oil is best for pacification of Vata and Kapha. It can be
taken on daily basis in the form of matra basti and is
recommended for patients having generalized weakness and
for those having skin problems, hair fall etc.