The cases of Dengue soaring each passing day with over 900 people being affected by the vector-borne disease across the state so far have left the people panicky. With the menace going unabated, The Pioneer spoke to some Ayurvedic experts based in Haridwar to learn about its symptoms, cure and prevention. Acharya Bal Krishna of Patanjali Yog Peeth said, “Fear and misconception are in the air over the Dengue menace. Things are not such that they cannot be contained. What is needed is to understand what it is and to counter it effectively,” he said.
“The first thing is not to ignore even normal cold and cough in this rainy season and get even low fever treated seriously,” the Ayurvedacharya said, adding that the people should stop taking cold drinks and processed foods. When one feels that he is sweating a little more while feeling fatigued he should promptly visit a doctor, he insisted. Abrupt onset of fever, severe joint and muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and red rashes on skin are some of the early symptoms of dengue and chikungunya, he said. As Ayurvedic treatment, it is best to use Giloy and other herbal decoction, say the Ayurvedic experts.
Mention worthy, chikungunya can circulate with the help of monkeys and cattle, but Dengue spreads only through mosquitoes. While for Dengue, the symptoms subside in about 15 days, they can persist for six months in case of chikungunya. While chikungunya’s main symptoms are high fever and joint pain, dengue manifests with high fever, drop in platelet count and rashes.
How to make herbal decoction: Take eight inch long Giloy herb. Crush it in pestle mortar and boil it in water. When the water remains one fourth, drink this potion twice a day. Fever will vanish. If the attack is severe one may add Jwarnashak Kwath while boiling it in water. If the fresh Giloy herb is not available dry powder available in Ayurvedic stores is equally helpful. Preventive care: Boil clove, black pepper and tulsi leaves in water, pour it in a steel container and drink it daily.
City-based Ayurvedic practitioner Dr Vijay Verma says, “We have treated 53 dengue patients till date, adopting integrated therapy combining Panchkarma and allopathic critical care. Allopathic treatment is only a supportive method of treatment in dengue cases.
The Allopathic doctors insist that if the blood platelets count goes down to a certain level, platelets need to be infused. But with Ayurvedic treatment, using ‘Vasti Kriya’ and use of ‘Snehan’, a person can recover without getting platelets also.”
On the efficacy of herbal medicine made from milk, oil and honey, Dr Verma said that it starts showing results in ten minutes of its intake. “The internal bleeding stops in patient and within 24 hours, the blood platelets’ count start increasing,” he said. The herbal medicines prepared by him to combat the vector-borne diseases were sent to the Central department of Ayush and integrated medicine unit of AIIMS for clinical trials.