Hemiplegia occurs due to the sudden injury of the brain caused by stroke, accidents of fall, brain tumours, meningitis, haemorrhage and cerebral palsy. The ancient authors say vitiated Vata can be the causative factor of the disease.
Bad food habits and the changing lifestyle lead to the vitiation of Vata, that is considered as the chief among the doshas. Symptoms include minor sensory deficit, dysarthria and loss of half side of the body, atrophy due to disease and stiffness.
Hemiplegia is of two types depending on the cause of disease termed as haemorrhage and ischemia. There arises a destruction of brain tissue caused by lack of blood supply to the brain causing various abnormalities. These causes bring a wide variety of diseases like vascular disorders, hypertensive encephalopathy, trauma, infective disorders of brain tissue, tumours, abscess and artery occlusion.
Patients experience partial or total loss of sensation on one side, changes in perception, mood or cognition. Seizures, spastic attacks and difficulty in speech when there is movement in the muscles with the conscious control.
Usually, panchakarma therapies combined with Ayurvedic medicines improve the Quality of life in hemiplegic patients. The Ayurveda literally correlates this condition with Pakshaghata, and is considered as one among Vata vyadhis.
Hemiplegia treatment is primarily focused on motor abilities allowing the patients to effectively manage their activities of daily routine and improving the sensations. But there is limited treatment modality in chronic patients because of the residual spasticity.
The Ayurvedic treatments comprising Ayur healthcare includes herbal oil massage, herbal oil bath, Herbal bolus bag, Herbal rice bolus bag, sweating with mild purgation, Nasya and Shirodhara. It also focuses on basic exercise to remove that stiffness and spasticity.
