Best Ayurvedic Treatment for Urticaria

It’s a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. They may also burn or sting. Often the patches of rash move around. The condition frequently recurs.

Causes of urticaria:

• Many different substances in the environment may cause hives.
• They may be medications, food and physical agents.
• Almost 50% of cases are found to be of unknown cause and due to an autoimmune reaction.
• Asthma, hay fever, sun light, cold climate, stress due to exercise etc can be risk factors.

Pathophysiology:

The skin lesions in urticaria are caused by an inflammatory reaction in the skin, causing leakage of capillaries in the dermis and resulting in an edema which persists until the interstitial fluid is absorbed into the surrounding cells. (Are caused by the release of histamine and other mediators of inflammation from cells in the skin)

Signs and symptoms:

• A form of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps.
• Also can be sting or burn.
• Welts (raised areas surrounded by a red base) from hives can appear anywhere on the skin surface.
• Angioedema is a related condition.

Management:

>Treatment is geared towards symptomatic management. Most of the chronic urticarial patients will experience remission within 1 year.

• Antihistamines.
• Systemic steroids.
• Leukotriene-receptor antagonists.
• Anti-inflammatory medications.

AYURVEDIC CONCEPT AND MANAGEMENT

There are some diseases mentioned in Ayurveda, which share some similar features with the condition –Urticaria are Sheetapitta, udarda etc. among them Sheetapitta is the most apt description in relation with urticaria.

According to Madhavakara, sheetapitta is formed due to the extreme exposure to cold wind, the vata and kapha doshas in body got vitiated and in association with pitta dosha, they produce lesions both iexternally and internally.

The lakshanas for sheetapitta described by Madhavakara in Madhavanida is as:

• Elevated swelling like round patches.
• Itching
• Sting like pain.
• Associated with vomiting and feverish.
• Burning sensation.

Also specially mentioned that, the sheetapitta is more predominant with Vata dosha, so the factors which vitiate vata also act as the triggering factors for Sheetapitta.

Management in Ayurveda:

In the aspect of Ayurvedic management, the doshas in concern are vata and pitta. So the treatments selected must be also in concern with the doshas.

As per the chikitsa sutras, Sodhana karma is the unique therapy which is more recommended for the sheetapitta condition.It includes:

• Snehana (Internal and external)
• Swedana
• Sodhana
• Samana

For the purpose of snehana:

Deepana and pachana is done by internally and externally by means of:

• Externally: Udwarthana with Sundi churna etc done
• Internally: medicines which act on digestive fire are administered.
• Then internal and external medication starts.

Medicated ghritha or thaila is given internally according to the condition and patients’ health.Externally abhyangam (Oil massage) is done with specified medicated oil.

For the purpose of sodhana:

According to the condition and dosha predominance, the sodhana karma is selected.

• For the predominance of kapha dosha: Vamana karma is adopted.
• For the predominance of Pitta dosha: Virechana karma is adopted.

For the purpose of Samana:

• This includes post sodhana managaement of the condition for the complete cure of condition which also helps in reducing the frequency of recurrence.
• Internal medications which having specifically effect on skin and blood and maintain the skin health.
• Medications can be included : Kashayas, gulika, Ghritha kalpana, arishta kalpana , churna kalpana etc.
• Along with medications, the life style modifications are also important. Which may include avoiding of triggering or precipitating factors completely or partially.
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