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SHIROVASTI
Introduction:
Shirovasti is a procedure in which the medicated oil is allowed to stay over the head for the prescribed time. It is one among the moordhataila. It is beneficial to do Shirovasti after proper purificatory procedures. But in cases where shodana is not necessary it can be done directly.
Materials required:
1. Rexin/leather (75 cm X 20 cm)- 1
2. Black gram flour - 200 g
3. Taila – 1.5 litres
4. Cotton ribbon (120 cm X 10 cm)- 2 strips, moderately tough, clean and dry
5. Spoon -1
6. Vessel (2 litre) -1
7. Large vessel- 1
8. Rasnadi choorna- 5 g
9. Oil for abhyanga- 100 ml
10. Soft towel- 2
11. Hot waterbath-1
12. Armed chair of knee-height- 1
13. Attendent-2
Pre operative procedure:
Shave the head completely. Do generalised abhyanga. Keep cotton cloth in both ears to prevent the entry of oil in to the ear. Bowel and bladder should be emptied .
Procedure:
The patient should be properly seated in an armed chair. The strip of cloth smeared with the paste of black gram flour is to be wound round the head 2 cm above the eye brows. It should be tight enough to prevent leaking of the oil, but not causing any discomfort. The rexin or leather should be fixed over the strap and the junctions are sealed with black gram paste. Another layer of cloth strap smeared with the black gram paste is wraped over this, sealing the junction of rexin and skin layer. The medicated oil is warmed to just above body temperature and poured into the vastiputaka with a strip of cloth touching the scalp and oil being poured from the other end or a long piece of coconut leaflet held obliquely inside the vastiputaka 2 –3cm above the scalp. . The oil is filled up to a height of 2-3cm above the hair root. To maintain the temperature, some amount of oil should be replaced with warm oil at regular intervals. The procedure should continue till secretions through nose, throat and eyes are observed. In case of non attainment of these lakshanas the time should be fixed as 30 minutes for Kapha, 40 minutes for Pitta and 50 minutes for Vata.The patient should sit comfortably with eyes closed. Oil in kharapaka is preferred. Temperature of the oil should be just above body temperature. During procedure gentle massage to neck and shoulders should be done frequently.Movements of neck should be prevented.
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