Vata is aggravated by trauma, and pain is a vata function; kapha is most often involved in swelling; pitta causes redness and heat. Many of these conditions require immediate professional medical attention. If you are unsure, always seek professional medical advice.
Body pain (general)
If pain is severe or persists for more than 3 days, seek immediate professional medical advice.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• For external pain, apply marjoram oil or ghee, nutmeg paste, or water with a warm paste made from crushed mustard seeds up to three times a day.
• Massage the affected area with a mixture of equal parts camphor oil and mustard oil, or ground fenugreek with equal parts mustard oil and cinnamon oil up to three times a day.
FOR VATA AND KAPHA
• For internal pain, take 1⁄3 tsp black cardamom, 1⁄3 tsp ground turmeric, and 1⁄3 tsp black pepper in 1 tsp ghee up to three times a day.
FOR PITTA AND KAPHA
• For internal pain, take 1⁄3 tsp green cardamom, 1⁄3 tsp turmeric, and 1⁄3 tsp black pepper in honey up to three times a day.
Bone fractures & osteoporosis
Always seek professional medical advice for these conditions. In both cases, there is loss of the bone dhatu (tissue). The ginger ensures that agni (digestive fire) is strong enough to produce new, healthy dhatu.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Drink 1 cup warm milk with 1 tsp licorice and 1 tsp ginger twice a day.
Burns (minor)
These remedies are intended only for minor burns, and should only be used after the affected area has been held under cold, running water for 10 minutes. For more serious burns, seek immediate professional medical advice. Honey is drying and cooling, while ghee and fenugreek leaves are cooling. This makes them effective at alleviating pain and helping a burn to heal.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply honey to the burn as needed.
• Apply a paste of fenugreek leaves to the burn as needed.
• Apply ghee to the burn as needed.
Lumbago & sciatica
These remedies aim to ease lower-back and leg pain. Seek professional medical advice if symptoms don’t improve after 3 weeks, if pain worsens, or if it keeps you from completing daily tasks and responsibilities.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply a poultice made from chile powder as needed.
• Apply 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp ginger heated in 1 cup sesame oil as needed.
Numbness in the extremities
These remedies are intended to be used alongside professional medical treatment.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply fresh mint paste or mint oil.
FOR VATA & KAPHA ONLY
• Apply mustard oil mixed with ground chile up to twice a day; make sure to wash off properly afterward.
Osteoarthritis
These remedies are intended to alleviate pain and swelling. Always seek professional medical advice and use these remedies under professional medical supervision.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Mix 2 tsp garden cress seeds with 1 tsp lemon juice, crush in a mortar and pestle, and apply the paste.
• Mix 2 tsp garden cress with 1 tsp lemon juice and apply the mixture to the affected joint.
• Massage the affected part of the body with castor oil.
Rheumatism & rheumatoid arthritis
These remedies are intended to alleviate pain. Both conditions indicate the presence of ama (toxins), so be sure to also do practices that digest ama and strengthen agni.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Take 1 tsp ground ginger in 1 cup yogurt or milk curd up to three times a day.
• Boil 1 tsp ground garden cress seeds in 1/2 cup milk and take three times a day.
• Make a paste with boiled and crushed dill seeds using a mortar and pestle. Apply the paste to the affected area.
• Apply a warm paste of soaked marjoram, or take a bath containing a marjoram decoction.
• Take 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger with 1 tsp honey or 1⁄2 tsp castor oil three times a day after meals.
• Massage the affected area with equal parts castor oil and clove oil.
FOR VATA AND PITTA
• Take 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger with 1 tsp ghee three times a day after meals.
FOR VATA AND KAPHA
• Take 1⁄4–1⁄2 tsp ground chile with honey up to three times a day.
• Massage the affected area with castor oil mixed with chile as needed.
Sprains
Swelling is often a sign of kapha, which can be alleviated by heat and dryness. Any trauma aggravates vata, which can be alleviated by heat and stability. Seek professional medical advice if you are unable to move the joint, if the limb gives way when you try to use it, or if pain is particularly intense.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply an ice pack until the swelling goes down. For painful sprains, apply a hot water bottle.
• Massage the affected area with bay leaf oil or castor oil.
Swelling & pain in the joints & limbs
Pain indicates the involvement of vata, while swelling indicates kapha. Anything that strengthens agni will be helpful. If symptoms don’t improve after 3 days, seek professional medical advice.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Take 1 tsp turmeric with a pinch of black pepper in honey (honeydew honey for kapha) three times a day.
• Apply a warm paste made from long pepper as needed.
• Apply a dry and hot poultice of ajwain seeds as needed.
• Apply a warm paste made from ground fenugreek seeds as needed.
• Apply a paste made from crushed cumin seeds as needed.
• Apply a poultice of tulsi or western basil leaves as needed.
• Apply a hot poultice of dill seeds as needed.
• Massage the affected area with 1 tsp ground ginger or nutmeg mixed with 1/2 cup warm sesame oil, or 1 tsp ground fenugreek with 1/2 cup mustard oil as needed.
• Take a warm bath containing a dill seed decoction.
Tendinitis
Any dosha can be involved in tendinitis. The best treatment is rest, but you can also use the following remedy. Seek professional medical advice if you are unable to move the joint at all.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply 1 tbsp grated ginger mixed with 1 tbsp honey to the tender area as needed.
Tired feet
This remedy will ease pain or tiredness in the feet.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Take a warm foot bath containing a bay leaf decoction each day.
Wounds
Any wound should be dressed with an antiseptic and, if serious, medical expertise should be sought.
Fresh wounds
Use these remedies to treat wounds immediately after they occur.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Sprinkle ground turmeric onto the wound. (It is an antiseptic and will stop the bleeding.)
• Take 3/4 tsp ground turmeric mixed with 1⁄2 tsp cane sugar three times a day for up to 3 days. (It will dissolve any bruising and reduce swelling and pain.)
Old wounds
Use these remedies to treat wounds that are not healing properly because a scab is not forming effectively.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply a poultice of long pepper with 1 tsp honey. (This increases circulation, reduces swelling, and cleans the wound.)
• Apply a thin, watered-down paste made from turmeric.
• Apply dry ground turmeric.
Infected wounds
If you think a wound has become infected, seek professional medical advice and use these remedies only if approved by the professional treating you.
FOR ALL DOSHAS
• Apply a paste of ground ajwain in hot water.
• If there are ulcerations, apply fresh mint juice or mint oil up to three times a day.