Kayachikitsa is the branch of Ayurveda that deals
with general medicine. The total treatment procedure is called Kaya
Chikitsa (internal medicine), where kaya means 'body' and chikitsa means
'treatment'. The Charaka Samhita is the most important scripture on
kayachikitsa. It discussed the basic principles of treatment, various
types of therapies and purification or detoxification methods. This
natural alternative medicine recognizes that the body of a person is the
product of the constant psychosomatic interactions. The imbalances in
the three doshas of vata-pitta-kapha occur sometimes by the mind and
sometimes by the body's dhatu (tissues) and mala (toxin deposits).
Hence, the kayachikitsa branch of this system of herbal and holistic
medicine, delves deep into ascertaining the root cause of the illness.
The entire Ayurvedic therapeutics is based on the concept of Agni. The
concept of Kaya (Agni) is unique and is responsible for bio-
transformation. As it is known that energy can neither be created nor it
can be destroyed. In human body Kaya provides the necessary energy for
all bodily activities. The energy changes it form from one form to
another and our body derives energy from the food we eat and the air we
breathe. The biological system transforms this energy to the energy,
which is utilized by the cells.
The section of Nidana Sthana of Charaka Samhita deals with etiology,
pathogenesis and diagnosis of an illness. Six stages of the development
of disease are enumerated as aggravation, accumulation, overflow,
relocation, build up in a new site and manifestation into a recognizable
disease. In kayachikitsa there is always an opportunity to stop the
disease at each stage preventing its full manifestation. One of the
significant methods of treatment under kayachikitsa is panchakarma. This
is a method of reversing the disease path from its manifestation stage
back into to its site of original development through special forms of
emesis, purgation and enema etc. Another unique aspect of kayachikitsa
is rejuvenation called kaya kalpa. The term kaya kalpa means renewal of
body. According to Ayurveda the human body is made of seven types of
dhatu or tissues-structures they are as follows: plasma, blood, muscle,
fat, bone, marrow and reproductive fluids. To prolong the youthfulness
of the body kayachikitsa applies several physical and mental
disciplinary methods with special medicinal preparations, to rebuild the
body's cells and tissues after the initial process of detoxification,
through panchakarma. Kaya Chikitsa deals with the diagnosis and
treatment of a variety of general diseases like skin disorders,
diabetes, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis and such other disorders.
