Understanding asthikshaya and ayurvedic management with nasya

Summary of article contents:

Disease results from disequilibrium of the Dosha, Dhatus , and Malas , which is the equilibrium state. Either Vriddhi or Kshaya could describe this disequilibrium. Of the seven Dhatus, Asthi is the fifth. Asthikshaya is one of the 18 types of Kshaya that Acharya Charaka lists as a condition. Asthikshaya symptoms are like those of osteoporosis or osteoopenia. It is a skeletal condition marked by low bone mass and micro architectural deterioration of bone tissue, increasing bone fragility and fracture susceptibility as a result. Nasyakarma , the practice of administering medication through the nose, is the route to the shiras. Nasya oushadhi acts on the higher brain centers by traveling through the nose to the brain. Keywords: Asthikshaya , Osteoporosis, Nasya INTRODUCTION Just as the trees remain firm on the ground by their pith inside them, similarly the body remains erect by the support of the bones inside it