Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on patients of chronic renal failure

 

The numbers of lifestyle disorder related diseases are increasing day by day. Thus the patients affected by kidney disorders are also increasing.

The kidney’s main function is removal of excess fluids and waste products from the body through urine. This process is of utmost importance to maintain a stable balance of the chemicals in the body. The production of urine in kidneys is a complex process. The process of urine formation involves various steps of excretion and re-absorption. Apart from the production of urine, there are various other functions of kidneys, summarised as follows:

•  BLOOD PRESSURE control.
•  ELECTROLYTE balance.
•  ACID-BASE balance.
•  TOXINS and waste products removal.
• VITAMIN D activation.
•  ERYTHROPOIETIN production.
• WATER balance maintenance.

What is chronic kidney failure?

Kidney Failure or Renal Failure is the term often used interchangeably. Anything that is associated with the term “failure” is not usually accepted by anyone. A kidney failure state is reached when 85-90% of your kidney functioning ability is lost. The remaining percentage is not enough to cater to the necessary body requirements. The conventional system of treatment is not able to provide an absolute cure for kidney failure. Still, it has been observed that it is possible to prolong life with ayurvedic treatment. Kidney Failure will never tell you that it is the end of life. People with kidney failure can continue to have an active life and can recover slowly with the help of ayurvedic medicines. CRF patients can continue to do the things they love. Chronic kidney disease treatment in Ayurveda has always been helpful for these patients.

What causes chronic kidney failure?

Chronic Renal Failure does not happen overnight; there are various contributing factors progressively working to reach this state. Kidney diseases need urgent attention, but when the problems are left untreated for a long time, it could lead to a state of kidney failure.

The main reasons found to be associated with kidney failure in the present world are:

• Diabetes: If you are not able to manage your problem of diabetes mellitus, it will raise your blood sugar levels. When the blood sugar levels are persistently high, it starts damaging the body organs, including the kidneys.
• High blood pressure: Prolonged high blood pressure (hypertension) has damaging effects on kidney tissues.

There are other probable causes of chronic kidney disease too:

• Polycystic kidney disease. It is a hereditary condition. It occurs when fluid-filled cysts grow inside or on the surface of your kidneys.
• Glomerulonephritis. It is an inflammatory condition that affects the kidney's filtering ability.
• Lupus and other autoimmune diseases, it affects multiple body systems.

What happens when kidneys fail?

By now, we all know that kidney failure does not happen overnight. It results from a gradual loss of kidney function as it is a slow and progressive process. It has been observed that most people are not able to figure out their kidney disease until their kidneys fail. It is because people in the early stage of kidney disease are unable to recognize the overlapping symptoms. Symptoms usually show up in a later stage with the progression of the disease and include:

• Anaemia
• Reduced appetite
• Insomnia
• Edema
• Weakness
• Itching
• Lethargy
• Cramps and twitches of muscles
• Weight loss

Effects of Ayurvedic treatment on patients of chronic renal failure

Also Read  : An overview with Ayurveda treatment in kidney Diseases

The contemporary system of treatment always costs high. It is not possible for all of us to afford such a high cost. Thus the need to establish affordable medical care with no side effects has aroused. Kidney Failures can be confirmed by blood tests, urine tests, and other tests like CT scans or MRIs. Our ancient system of medicine-Ayurveda is available with sustainable remedial measures.

Ayurveda has always proven itself where the contemporary system finds limitations. Ayurveda is based on understanding the human system as a whole, not as separate organ systems. It always works by understanding the reasons behind the disease. In the case of chronic renal failures, the detection and management of the primary cause are of utmost importance.  

It might seem surprising that there is no specific terminology for “Chronic Renal Failure” in ancient Ayurvedic texts. Here all urinary system-related disorders are considered under “Prameha”. On pathogenesis, a disease management plan is decided. Patients with Chronic Renal Failures have also been observed with disturbed Agni. As per Ayurveda, agni is necessary for the digestion of food. If your agni is not functioning properly, your food would not be digested properly. The change in lifestyle, intake of incompatible foods, and consumption of alcohol, chewing tobacco, and stress are the major causes of disturbed Agni.

In Ayurveda, for all types of urine disorders, Vata dosha is the causative factor collaborating with Pitta and Kapha. Hence, person-specific treatment is applied considering Doshas. The proposed line of kidney failure treatment is virechana, swedana, mutrapravartaka, etc. There is a concept of compatibles-incompatibles (pathya-apathyas) also in Ayurveda. Ayurveda always assesses the Dosha, Dushya, Adhishthana of the disease to be treated. After proper identification, chronic kidney disease treatment in ayurveda incorporates appropriate therapeutic interventions. Ayurvedic medicines include regenerative herbs under the topic of Rasayana Chikitsa, which helps to regenerate nephrons.

In Ayurveda, kidney failure or Mutra Vaha strotos dushti is also treated using Basti Karma (Enema therapy). It is a medicated enema, which is a detox therapy. This basti is infused through the urinary tract to cleanse the accumulated toxins. This detox eliminates the aggravated doshas that may have been the reason for kidney complications.

The herbal medicines that are used to repair kidney damage are Punarnavadi Guggulu, Gokshuradi Guggulu, Chandraprabha Vati, etc. A specifically designed diet (Ahaar) and few lifestyle (Vihaar) changes are also recommended by Ayurvedic experts to combat kidney disease.

Herbs like 'Punarnava', 'Gokhuru', and 'Varuna' are described in Ayurveda. These are always proved as life saviours for patients with chronic kidney disease. 'Varuna' acts as a blood purifier and helps to maintain homeostasis, while 'Gokhuru' is found beneficial in the rejuvenation of kidney nephrons.

It is always advised that one should not take medicines without proper consultation. 

The main aim is to increase the agni while keeping the medicines as soft on the body as possible, as the kidney is an organ derived from the mother, according to Ayurvedic shastras.

 

AVOID	Consume
Dals	Vegetables
Milk and milk products like dahi (yogurt)	Fruits
Seeds and nuts	Rice after removing starch
Non veg items like meat, fish and egg	Diluted lassi (buttermilk) is the only allowed milk product
Hot spices’ peppers, chilies etc.	Water processed with berberis/cumin seeds
wheat/ brown bread
Junk food, table sugar, refined foods like maida etc.

Lifestyle

• Avoid daytime sleep.
• Avoid heavy meals after sunset
• Hot water fomentation over the kidney area, if you are in pain
• Never hold the urge to pass urine or stools forcefully (vegadharana)
• Vajrasana is always suggested after food  

If you want to get know more about of kidney and how its works so please visit our website at : https://www.kidneyandayurveda.com.