Diagnosis in Siddha Medicine
Ancient scientific methods of disease detection
Pulse Reading (Naadi Pariksha)
Healthy body connotes the functioning of the heart in an excellent manner. The tissues in the body vary due to reasons such as food, mood of functioning, environment etc. The nervous system is also inflicted by various impacts and injuries caused directly or indirectly to the body. This variation itself is the reason for set back of health.
When man is alive, his heart which is hollow muscle pumps or circulates blood through the vessels into all parts of the body. Such functioning of the heart-beats is controlled by the pulses and nerves impulses from the central nervous system.
In human body, there are about 72,000 nerves. Important of these are ten called Dasa Nadis. They reside predominantly in hand, top of the head, eyebrow, neck, pit, nose, ear, chest, navel region and pits of the heels. Although we can observe the condition of the heart from the beatings of Dasa Nadis, the observation is simple and candid from the hands.
Idagalai
Vatha Nadi - governs air and movement
Pingalai
Pitha Nadi - governs fire and metabolism
Chuzhimunai
Silethuma Nadi - governs water and structure
Guru Nadi: These three are contained in one 'Nadi' which runs the beats as Idagalai Vatha Nadi, Pingalai Pitha Nadi, and Chuzhimunai Silethuma Nadi. We can observe the three blemishes from a single Nadi called Guru Nadi.
Envagaitheervu - Eight Diagnostic Methods
Eight methods have been suggested to measure the position of the patient in relation to the control of the Vatha, Pitha, Kapha energies which have their being and movement in the physical frame.
1. Pulse (Naadi)
The pulse indicates the forces of the movement of the three energies.
2. Eyes (Vizhi)
The eyes indicate the colour, the discharges, and the predominance and derangement of the Doshas. The movements in the ears are additional indications.
3. Skin Color (Mei-Niram)
The observation of the body i.e., the skin with its colour and feeling phenomena.
4. Touch (Sparism)
Recent discoveries have shown the value of the functions and secretions of the skin in maintenance of human organism.
5. Tongue (Naa)
The tongue with its coatings and tastes is a powerful indication of the resultant actions of vatha, pitha and kapha.
6. Speech (Mozhi)
The vocal cord and manner of speech reveals not only the physical and physiological but also the intellectual and emotional aspects.
7. Faecal Matter (Malam)
The motions of the patient, their colour and constituents, the presence or absence of worms are indications of the doshas.
8. Urine (Moothiram)
The urine being another secretion of the human system, manifests the condition and deserves careful analysis.
"These are the important aids for proper diagnosis and undue emphasis upon one, to the neglect of the other is incomplete and inaccurate. Therefore, the science of Nadi has always been studied in its synthetic relation to the foregoing other tests."
Medical Astrology
Every human body is prone for diseases of various nature. The types of diseases depend upon one's Karma (past deeds). Astrologically, the human body is called microcosmos (pindanda) and possesses all the tatwas present in the macrocosmos (Bramhand).
| Planet | Body Parts & Functions | Medical Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Sun (Surya) | Heart, eyesight, general body, eyes | Constriction, general health |
| Moon (Chandra) | Breast, mind, head, chest, kidney, heart | Water in body, emotions |
| Mars (Kuja) | Blood, marrow, genitals, rectum, veins, forehead, nose | Blood pressure, pregnancy, anger, aggression |
| Mercury (Budha) | Tongue, arms, mouth, chest, spinal cord, gall bladder | Nerves, skin, memory |
| Jupiter (Guru) | Fat, kidney, liver, tongue, right ear | Higher mental plane, diabetes |
| Venus (Shukra) | Eyes, teeth, legs, hair, bones, limbs | Pigmentation, fatigue, weakness, ageing, piles |
| Saturn (Shani) | All joints, knee cap, knee joints | Arthritis, muscular pains |
| Rahu | Teeth, excretory organs, genitals | Dental problems, suicidal tendencies, maniac |
| Ketu | Feet, excretory organs (anus) | Impotency |
Planetary Rulership
- • Sun and Moon rule 2 eyes
- • Mercury and Venus rule nostrils
- • Saturn and Mars rule ears
- • Jupiter rules Speech
- • Rahu and Ketu rules excretory organs