Upanāha is a type of ĒkāṅgaSveda. The word Upanāha means to tie. It can be done with or without heating the medicine. If Upanāha is done during day, it is removed at night and if done during night, it is removed in the morning. It is usually done in osteoarthritis, Tennis elbow&VātaKaṇṭaka.

Materials required:

1. Medicinal powders (NāgarādiCūrṇa/JaṭāmayādiCūrṇa/Koṭṭaṃcukkādi

Cūrṇaetc. according to the DoṣaPrādhānya) – 50 – 100g

2. Bandage cloth (15 cm X 2 m) – 1
3. Leaves of Eraṇḍa, Arka etc. (to cover the area) – Q.S.
4. Amla Dravya(Dhānyāmla/ Takra/ Vinegar) – 50 – 100 ml
5. Oil for Upanāha – 50 ml
6. Saindhava – 20 – 30 g
7. Attendant – 1

Pre-operative procedure:

Medicine for Upanāha can be prepared with or without heating according to disease. Cūrṇa,Saindhava, Taila, Amla Dravyaare added in order to make a paste. Then it must

be heated in case of SāgniUpanāha up to 39oC – 41oC or applied as such in case of NiragniUpanāha. Skin sensitivity should be tested before tying.

Procedure:

The patient should be allowed to be in a comfortable position, exposing the joint or body part to be tied with UpanāhaDravya. The part is cleaned and the prepared UpanāhaDravyasshould be pasted on the affected part thickly and uniformly about 1-2 cm thickness and is covered with available VātāhāraPatras (after slight warming). Then it should be tied with a bandage cloth.

According to region, suitable bandaging techniques should be adopted.Bandhana is usually done in ĒkāṅgaUpanāha. Apply suitable bandage in a position comfortable for the patient.

Post-operative procedure:

After removing UpanāhaDravyafrom the body, the part should be washed well with lukewarm water. The process should be done on consecutive days for prescribed period.

Precautions:

1. The bandage should not be too tight or too loose.
2. The UpanāhaDravyamust be of suitable consistency, so that it should not fall off from its position.
3. It should not be applied to wounds.
4. Check the sensitivity of the skin before the procedure.

Complications and management:

Sometimes some drugs may produce itching and reddish discolorations and burning sensation. Stop the procedure temporarily and manage the condition accordingly. Local application with drugs like Nālpāmarādi Kera /ElādiKera is advised. The treatment can be restarted within few days.

Indications

It is usually done in Osteoarthritis, Tennis elbow, VātaKaṇṭakaandŚopha.

• Svedana Karma ismainlyindicated in VātaandVātaKaphaconditions.
• Itismainlyoftwotypes – SnigdhaSvedaandRūkṣaSveda. RūkṣaSvedas are done in Āmatvacondition.
• TāpaandŪṣmavarietyofSvedaisindicated in Kaphajadisorders.
• UpanāhaSveda in Vātikaconditions.
• In Pitta SaṃsṛṣṭaDōṣas, Drava Svedaisindicated.
• In Āmavāta, Manyāstambha, SandhigataVāta –RūkṣaPiṇḍaSvedaslikeVāluka, CūrṇaPiṇḍaSveda ,DhāraslikeDhānyāmla, KaṣāyaDhāraisdone.
• In RheumaticdisorderslikeVātarakta, DhānyāmlaDhāraisdone.
• UpanāhaSveda –VātavyādhihavingpredominanceofŚopha, Stambha.
• ṢāṣṭikaPiṇḍaSveda, Kāyaseka –KarmaKṣayaPradhānaVyādhilikePakṣāghāta, Paṅgu, Ardita, Vātarakta
• JambīrapiṇḍaSveda –SandhigataVāta, Avabāhuka
• PatrapiṇḍaSveda –Kaṭīśūla, SandhiVāta
• BāṣpaSveda –KaṭīSula, Gr̥dhrasī, Viśvāci
• Avagāha–Aśmarī, Mūtrakṛcchra
• KṣīraDhūma –Ardita