MŪRDHNITAILA

Introduction:

The word mūrdhni means head. Oiling of the head is called as mūrdhnitaila. Mūrdhnitaila consists of four different procedures which are as follows:

अभ्यङ्गसेकपिचवो बस्तिश्चेति चतुर्विधम्||२३||
मूर्द्धतैलम् बहुगुणं तद्विद्यादुत्तरोत्तरम्|

1. Śiro-abhyaṅga
2. Śiro-seka
3. Śiro-picu
4. Śiro-basti

Successive procedures are considered as the best.

ŚIRO-ABHYAṄGA

Introduction:

 Application of oil on head followed by massage is popularly known as śiroabhyaṅga. It is one among the dinacarya procedure.

Indications:

                        तत्राभ्यङ्ग: प्रयोक्तव्यो रौक्ष्यकण्डूमलादिषु॥ (A.H.Su 22/24) 

            Indicated in dry and itchy scalp.

Contraindications:

            वर्ज्योऽभ्यङ्ग: कफग्रस्तकृतसंशुद्ध्यजीर्णिभि:। (A.H.Su. 2/9)

            Contraindicated in kapha pradhāna vyādhis, after samyak śodhana and in ajīrṇa.

Method:

Pūrvakarma:

            Materials required:

• तैल – 50ml
• Vessel – 2
• Towel – 1
• Therapist – 1
• Stove
• Cotton
• Stool

Oil should be heated indirectly by hot water bath.

Pradhāna karma:

• Ask the patient sit comfortably on a chair.
• The oil with optimum temperature should be appiled to anterior frontanellae and then whole scalp.
• Karṇa abhyaṅga should be done before the śiroabhyaṅga.
• There are 20 steps for śiroabhyaṅga, each step 1 minute.

1. Shampooing: After the application of oil over the scalp, with the fingers of both hands in circular manner stroke with mild pressure from the lateral sides to medially and downwards.
2. Rubbing: Rubbing with the tip of the finger of both the hands from the lateral side to medially and downwards.
3. Small circle strokes: Small circular rotation anterior to posterior starts from the lateral side above the ear to medially.
4. Sliding from front to back with fingertips.
5. kneading
6. Front to back locking and side to side locking
7. Diagonally pressing
8. Tapping with ulnar border
9. Cupping
10. 1-2 circle and kneading
11. Zig zag with thumb
12. Tapping with fist
13. Neck massage
14. Pulling the tuft of hairs
15. Circular massage over the forehead and drag through the sides to back of neck.
16. Tapping with hands together
17. Tapping with inter locked hands
18. Fingers spread out slide the hands to back
19. Rubbing
20. Shampooing

Paścāt karma:

• Ask the patient to take rest for 15 minutes
• Then patient can take śirosnāna with luke warm water.

Benefits:

नित्यं स्नेहार्द्रशिरसः शिरःशूलं न जायते| 
न खालित्यं न पालित्यं न केशाः प्रपतन्ति च|| 
बलं शिरःकपालानां विशेषेणाभिवर्धते| 
दृढमूलाश्च दीर्घाश्च कृष्णाः केशा भवन्ति च|| 
इन्द्रियाणि प्रसीदन्ति सुत्वग्भवति चाननम् | 
निद्रालाभः सुखं च स्यान्मूर्ध्नि तैलनिषेवणात्||   (Cha.Su 5/81-83)

      Person who is habituated with oiling the head will never suffer from headaches, also he will not be a victim of falling of hairs, greying of hairs. It will strengthen the scalp. It also strengthens hair root and promotes the growth of healthy, thick and black hairs. Additionally, it benefits by strengthening the sense organs, provides glow to the face. It will also help a person to have a quality sleep. 

ŚIRODHĀRA

Introduction:

            Continuous pouring of medicated liquid in a systematic manner on the forehead or scalp using dhāra yantra is known as śirodhāra.

Synonyms:

Dhāra, Seka, Pariṣeka, Avaseka, Secana, Prasecana.

Classification:  Based on the type od drugs used for Dhāra:

1. Taila Dhāra
2. Takra Dhāra
3. Kaṣāya Dhāra
4. Kṣīra Dhāra
5. Jala Dhāra.

Dhāra pātra:

• Made up of sphatika, gold, plakshādi tree, mud etc. with 5-6 inches depth with wide open mouth, round at the bottom.
• Capacity: 2 praṣṭa.
• There should be a hole in the center of the bottom measuring the size of the little finger.
• To hang the dhāra pātra to the stand there should be three strings with equal distance.

Dhāra Varthi:

• It is a wick or a loose cotton thread with a free end of about 4 inches coming out through the hole of Dhāra vessel.
• The wick should be placed firmly to permit a continuous and uniform flow of the liquid poured into the Dhāra pātra.

Indication:

अरूंषिकाशिरस्तोददाहपाकव्रणेषु तु।

परिषेक:……….॥ (A.H.Su 22/25)

      Indicated in blisters developed in scalp, pricking sensation of scalp, burning sensation in scalp and in wounds produced in the scalp.

Method:

Pūrvakarma:

• Abhyaṅga should be done over the face, neck, shoulder and chest.
• Gauze is tied around the head just above the eyebrows of the patient.
• Eyes should be closed by tieing the eyepad.
• Ear plug should be placed in ears.

Pradhānakarma:

• Patient should lie supine over the droṇi.
• The height should be fixed at 4 aṅgula from forehead and a continuous stream of flow should be maintained.
• Oil should be heated just above the body temperature and is poured to the dhāra pātra.
• Oscillations should not be done in too fast or too slow.
• Oil should be recollected from the droṇi, reheated and poured back into the dhārapātra.
• Duration: 45 min.

Paścātkarma:

• Gauze and ear plug should be removed.
• Head must be wiped off with clean towel.
• Head bath should be done with lukewarm water.
• Rāsnādi cūrṇa should be applied over the head.

ŚIROPICU

Introduction:

            Picu means the piece of cotton cloth is immersed in taila and placed over the scalp. A strap of cloth is tied around the head along the margin of hairs and a square piece of cotton cloth of the size of 12 aṅgula is soaked in sneha dravya and placed over the head.

Indication:

पिचु: केशशातस्फुटन धूपने ।

नेत्रस्तम्भे च………….॥  (A.H.Su 22/25)

            Indicated in falling of hair, split ends of hair, excessive burning sensation of scalp and loss of movement of eyeball.

Method:

Pūrvakarma:

• Approximately 3 inches square, quarter inch thick cotton pad is wrapped in gauze and then cut into round shape.

Pradhānakarma:

• Ask the patient to sit comfortably over the chair.
• Oil 10ml is heated indirectly to make it lukewarm, dip the cotton pad in the oil. Keep the cotton pad over the vertex.
• Allow it undisturbed for 30-60minutes.

Paścātkarma:

Ask the patient to take rest for some time and then may be allowed to take bath.

ŚIROBASTI

Introduction:

The oil is poured on to the head and is made to remain there for a certain period of time with the help of leather cap is called śirobasti.

Indication:

बस्तिस्तु प्रसुप्त्यर्दितजागरे।

नासास्यशोषे तिमिरे शिरोरोगे च दारुणे॥  (A.H.Su 22/26)

            Indicated in facial paralysis, insomnia, headache particularly migrane, dandruff, dryness of mouth and mouth and also in loss of sensation.

Method:

विधिस्तस्य निषण्णस्य पीठे जानुसमे मृदौ।

शुद्धाक्तस्विन्नदेहस्य दिनान्ते गव्यमाहिषम्॥

द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तीर्णं चर्मपट्ट्ं शिर: समम्।

आकर्णबन्धनस्थानं ललाटे वस्त्रवेष्टिते॥

चैलवेणिकया बद्धवा माषकल्केन लेपयेत्।

ततो यथाव्याधि शृतं स्नेहं कोष्णं निषेचयेत्॥

ऊर्ध्व केशभुवो यावदङ्गुलम् धारयेच्च तम्।   (A.H.Su.22/26-29)

Pūrvakarma:

            Requirements:

• 2-piece thin cotton cloth
• माष चूर्ण 100 gm
• जल
• तैल 1litre
• Śirobasti cap

            Preparation of patient:

• Ask the patient to shave the head before one day of śirobasti.
• After evacaution of motion and voiding the urine, ask the patient sit over the chair for śirobasti.
• Māṣa kalka preparation: Approximately 50 gms of māṣa cūrṇa is taken in a vessel mixed with water and make paste but it should not be too thick.

Pradhānakarma:

• Ask the patient to sit on a stool
• वस्त्रपट्ट is tied around the head which is smeared with माषाकल्क both the sides, covering the forehead.
• Śirobasti cap is fixed on head and small gaps are sealed with the help of māṣa kalka.
• वस्त्रपट्ट is tied on the margin externally.
• A māṣa rim should place inside the śirobasti cap to avoid the leakage.
• Ask the patient to sit erect and medicated oil is poured in the cap by squeezing a sponge soaked in oil till 1aṅgula from केशभूमि, oil should be warmer than the body temperature. The temperature of the oil should be maintained.
• Ask the patient to remain in same position till mucous discharge appears in the nose, mouth and eyes or sneha retained till the pain subsides.

Paścātkarma:

• After the completion of the desirable time duration, the oil is removed by using the sponge. Then remove the śirobasti cap.
• The scalp should be wiped with towel.
• Back of the neck, shoulder and forehead should be massaged.