Female Reproductive Tract (Yonivyaapat)
Causes:
Twenty disorders of the female reproductive tract exist, caused by poor diet and lifestyle, imbalanced menstrual flow, defective ovum and ovary, and past karma.
This results in an inability to conceive and other health concerns (e.g., tumors, hemorrhoids, menorrhagia).
Specific Causes, Development, and Symptoms:
1. Vaayu: Causes include excessive ingesting of foods and liquid and life-styles that increase air. The excesed Vaayu moves to the genital tract producing many types of pain, vaginal numbness, exhaustion, and other Vaayu diseases. Menstrual discharge is painful, frothy, thin, rough, and with sounds.
2. Pitta: Causes include excessive ingesting of foods and liquids (e.g., sour, pungent, salty), and life-styles that increase fire. The excess Pitta moves to the genital tract and produces burning, inflammation, fever, and heat. The menstrual flow is blue, yellow, or black with excessive hot discharges and foul odor.
3. Kapha: Excessive watery foods, liquids, and lifestyles create excess Kapha, forcing it to move to the female tract. This causes experiences that are slimy, cold, itching, pale, with mild pain. The menstrual flow is pale and slimy.
4. Tridosha: Symptoms include excessive use of air, fire, and water foods, liquids, and life-styles. This causes the three doshas to move to the genital tract and uterus, causing symptoms of all three doshas (i.e., burning and pain with slimy, white discharges).
5. Saasijaa (Menstrual Blood): Pitta excesses afflicting the blood move to the female tract, causing excess Tradition, ethics, knowledge, humility; these are the four doors to a good mind.
Mahabharata Bleeding
6. Arajaskaa (Uterus, Tract, and Blood): Excess Pitta in theses areas causes leanness and a poor complexion.
7. Acharaoaa: Not washing the genitalia causes itching and excessive desires for men. It is caused by Vaayu excess.
8. Aticharaoaa: Excessive sex aggravates Vaayu, producing swelling, numbness, and pain in the genital tract.
9. Praak-charaoaa: Young women having sexual relations at too early an age causing Vaayu to afflict the female tract. This results in back, waist, thigh, and groin pain. It is caused by Vaayu excess.
10. Upa-plutaa: Taking Kapha-increasing foods in excess while pregnant or suppressing the urge to vomit or breathe causes Vaayu excesses to carry Kapha to the female tract. This produces pale fluid discharges with piercing pain, white mucus, and Vaayu and Kapha disorders during orgasm.
11. Pari-plutaa: Pitta dosha females who suppress the urges to sneeze and belch during sex cause Vaayu and Pitta to afflict the female tract. This produces premature orgasm.
12. Udaa-vartaani (dysmenorrhea): Suppressing natural urges causes Vaayu to move upward in the genital tract, causing painful and difficult menstrual discharges. After the discharge, relief is immediately felt.
13. Karoini: Untimely straining during labor causes Vaayu to become blocked by the fetus and combines with Kapha and blood. This produces growths (polyps) that block the menstrual flow.
14. Putraghni: Morbidity of menstrual fluid or ovum may produce Vaayu (roughness) that results in the death of the fetus.
15. Antar-Mukhi: Sex after overeating and lying in unhealthful positions causes Vaayu to pres against the food. Vaayu and food become blocked in the genital tract and cause vaginal curves and Vaayu bone and muscle disorders. The vagina becomes very painful; sex becomes intolerable.
16. Suchi-Mukhi: Symptoms of roughness of Vaayu in the mother’s genital tract affect the genital tract of the fetus (if female) and creates a decreased vaginal opening.
17. Lhushkaa Yoni: Suppressing natural urges during sex excess Vaayu. This results in painful feces, urine retention, and dryness of the vaginal opening.
18. Vaamini: When semen stays in the uterus and is expelled after 6 or 7 days, it is not accepted, and may be discharged with or without pain. It is caused by Vaayu excess.
19. Sandhi: When Vaayu genetic defects destroy the fetus’s ovaries, a female child will be born with no breasts.
20. Mahaayoni: Uncomfortable positions during sex on an uncomfortable bed, causes Vaayu to become exceed. This dilates the uterus opening and the genital tract. Symptoms include pain, roughness with frothy discharge, fleshy growth, and joint and groin pain.
For each dosha, general symptoms can be identified by the dosha responsible for the imbalance.
Vaayu: Disorders include scanty menstrual fluid that is dark red or brown, dry, or old. Symptoms include menstrual cramping with lower back pain, headache, depression, nervousness, fear, anxiety, and loss of strength and resistance. Other symptoms include vaginal dryness, gas, constipation, distention; menses that lasts 3 to 5 days; irregular and variable menses.
Pitta: Disorders include excess menstrual flow, dark red or purple blood, warmth, clotting, fever, burning, flushed, red eyes, skin rashes, acne, anger, irritability, impatience, diarrhea, yellow stools; menses lasts 5 to 7 days.
Kapha: One experiences a moderate flow, pale or light red blood, sometimes with mucus, heaviness, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, excess phlegm and saliva, swelling breasts, edema, and sentimentality.
Therapies:
General:
All-female tract disorders are affected by Vaayu. Thus for all female tract disorders, Vaayureducing foods, drinks, and life-styles are used. First, Vaayu is balanced, then the other doshas are treated. All disorders include therapies of unction (oil), sudation (sweat), and mild use of the five panchakarma measures. Herbal tampon, pouring water and oil abhyanga (massage-like) can always be done, using chitrak, guduchi, balaa with boiled milk and sesame oil.
1. Vaayu: Oil, fomentation (moist heat), enema, and Vaayu-reducing habits, such as ghee, sesame seeds, and Vaayu-reducing herbs, such as Triphala, punarnavaa, turmeric, Shatavari, balaa, pippali, chitrak, and guduchi. First, abhyanga with sesame oil and black salt is advised. Next, tube fomentation (naadi sveda) and bolus fomentation is applied. Lastly, warm water is poured over the forehead, lower abdomen, and genitals; herbal tampons and abhyanga are also used. Lhataavari or ashwagandhaa is boiled in sesame oil and used as a vaginal douche. Stiff, Hard Track—Sesame (V-), mustard (K-) oil, or ghee (P-) is applied locally to soften the tract.
2. Vaayu/Pitta: A good tonic includes Shatavari, balaa, pippali, guduchi, and punarnavaa with ghee in boiled milk. Tract Pain—Boiled milk with gokshura, guduchi, and triphalaa, are helpful. Pain In Genital Tract Sides—Herbs include pippali, black salt, calamus, chitrak, and ghee.
3. Pitta: Cold, blood-pacifying measures, and Pitta reducing herbs are suggested. Ghee is used in pouring water, abhyanga, and herbal tampons. Herbs include Shataavari and pippali boiled in milk.
Foods include grapes, cane sugar, and raw honey. Uterine inflammation—Red raspberry is useful.
Endometritis/PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)— Both are Pitta conditions resulting from accumulated heat and stagnant blood, with infection and inflammation. Additionally, liver therapies are needed. Pitta-reducing herbs are needed, including shataavari, aloe vera gel, gotu kola, dandelion, kaþukaa, bhuaamalaki, and manjishþhaa.
4. Kapha: Rough and hot therapies and Kaphareducing habits are suggested. Cleansing suppositories are frequently used that are made of cloth, barley powder, black salt, pippali, and black pepper. (They are followed by a warm water wash). It is also used for cleansing the genital tract. Swollen slimy discharge, Upaplutaa, flat, painful, with eruptions—Tampons of neem, aamalaki, mango, and pomegranate, with boiled milk and sesame oil are used. This is followed by massaging the waist, back, and sacral region and administering an oil enema. Balaa, ashwagandha, ginger, and pippali are boiled in sesame oil and used as a vaginal douche.
Pale/white discharges—Herbs include aamalaki paste (i.e., made with water), cane sugar, and raw honey. First oil is placed in the vagina. Then licorice, lodhra, and priyagu powder are mixed with honey and made into a big, round tablet. This tablet is then placed in the vagina at bedtime. It is washed out at dawn with hot water. Suppositories made of red raspberry, bayberry, bibhitaki (astringents), and raw honey are placed in the vagina to remove the discharge. Vaginal fumigation is done with guggul, barley, sesame oil, and ghee.
Endometriosis—This is usually a Kapha disorder with extra uterine membrane growth. Kapha-reducing habits are required, including herbs such as khadir, Ashoka, guggul, myrrh, turmeric, dandelion, black pepper, kaþukaa, and honey. These herbs reduce tumors, fibroids, and Kapha.
5. Dual/Tridosha: Combination therapies
6. Saaijaa (Uterine Bleeding/Raktayoni): Sesame seeds, yogurt, ghee, honey, red raspberry, manjishþhaa, musta, and turmeric. Vaginal douche with kuþaj is used.
7. Arajaskaa (amenorrhea—delayed or no menses): A vaginal douche with dalchini, aloe gel, small cardamom, ginger, gulkand, kuþaj bark, and old jaggery are used. Another douche includes yogurt,
sour fruit, Amalaki, ashwagandha, Shatavari, ghee, and boiled milk. It is generally a Vaayu condition, but sometimes Pitta or Kapha will be the cause.
Vaayu: (Due to coldness and other Vaayu excess). Aloe vera gel, myrrh, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, Vaayu-reducing foods, drinks, and lifestyle are advised. Warm sesame oil sprinkled over the lower abdomen or as a douche is useful. Herbal iron supplements, laxatives like Triphala, aloe vera gel or castor oil are used. Rejuvenatives include ashwagandha, Shatavari, Kapikachhu, and musta.
Pitta: (mild symptoms) Turmeric or saffron in boiled milk; rose, musta, and dandelion are advised.
Kapha: (Resulting from congestion and sluggishness) Recommended herbs include ginger, cinnamon, pippali, myrrh, safflower, turmeric, cinnamon, and jaoaamaaoshi.
8. Acharaoaa: Wash and remove discharges with neem, vaasaak, pippali, grapes, and vinegar; or triphalaa and yogurt/water. Lhataavari and ashwagandha boiled in sesame oil may also be used as a vaginal douche.
9. Aticharaoaa: Sesame oil enemas and Vaayureducing foods and drinks; with Shatavari, ashwagandha. Barley, wheat, yeast, kut, priyagu, and balaa are placed in the vagina.
10. Praak-charaoaa: Lhataavari and ashwagandha boiled in sesame oil are used as a vaginal douche. Sesame oil enemas and Vaayu-reducing foods and drinks; with Shatavari, ashwagandhaa are used. Barley, wheat, yeast, balaa, kut, and priyagu are placed in the vagina.
11. Upa-plutaa (or pari-plutaa): Unction, fomentation, and sudation are followed by oil tampons and medicated oil drops that are placed in the vagina for lubrication. Herbs include kut, priyagu, and balaa.
12. Udaa-vartaani (dysmenorrhea): Unction with ghee and oil; fomentation, boiled milk, sesame oil, ghee, and dashmul enema are taken for enemas and vaginal douches. See page 508 for further information.
13. Karoini: Lhataavari and ashwagandhaa are boiled in sesame oil and used as a vaginal douche. Suppositories with kushthaa, pippali, triphalaa, and black salt may be mixed into a semi-solid paste. Therapies include lodhra, priyagu, and soft arka leaves with rice vinegar (kaji).
14. Putraghni: Vaginal douche with kuþaj is used. Kuþaj and gambhaari barks boiled with ghee are ingested.
15. Antar-mukhi: Vaayu-reducing therapies are used.
16. Suchi-mukhi: Vaayu-reducing herbs are used with surgical repair.
17. Lhushka Yoni: Lhataavari or ashwagandhaa is boiled in sesame oil and used as a vaginal douche. Unction with ghee and oil; fomentation, boiled milk, sesame oil, ghee, and dashmul is taken as enemas and vaginal douches. Ghee boiled with shataavari is poured into the vagina and held there for 2 hours. This procedure is continued for a month or until healed.
18. Vaamini: Unction, fomentation, and sudation are used followed by oil tampons, and lastly Vaayureducing medicated oil (e.g., Shatavari and ghee)
19. Sandhi:
Conception: Therapies include ghee with Triphala, punarnavaa, turmeric, Shatavari, chitrak, lodhra, Ashoka, bayberry bark, and guduchi.
Miscarriage Cleansing: Musta, triphalaa, neem, guduchi, aloe gel, turmeric, manjishþhaa, and myrrh with honey are taken for 1 to 2 weeks. Tone with shataavari, ashwagandhaa, aloe gel, manjishþhaa, gotu kola, red raspberry.
20. Mahaayoni: Unction with ghee and oil; fomentation, boiled milk, sesame oil, ghee, and dashmul is taken for enemas and vaginal douches. Ghee boiled with shataavari is poured into the vagina and held there for 2 hours.
Prasrastaa Yoni (Genital Tract Displacement): After unction and fomentation the tract is replaced. Covered tracts are pressed with the hand; contracted tracts are dilated; bulged tracts are pushed inside; dilated ones are manipulated. Abhyanga (massage-like) is done with ghee and added to the milk for fomenting. Amalaki, licorice, ginger, Salum, kshir kaakoli, and mahaa medaa are boiled with ghee, then poured into the vagina. It is retained until the urge for urination occurs.
Menorrhagia (Asigdara or Pradara): Excess menses or spotting is usually due to Pitta excess. It is caused by eating excess salty, sour, heavy, pungent, burning, and fatty foods and animal products. The Vaayu and blood thus become excess and move into the menses channels, increasing the menstrual flow. There are 4 types of pradara : Vaayu, Pitta, Kapha, and Tridoshic. Normal menses are known for their monthly regularity without symptoms. It is normal in color, lasts for 5 days, and is moderate in quantity.
Symptoms
General: Aches all over the body, pain in the abdomen during menstruation.
Vaayu: Frothy, thin, rough, blackish or reddish, with or without pain; intense pain in the waist, groin, heart, ribs, back, and pelvic areas.
Pitta: Bluish, black, deep red or yellow, very hot, frequent and painful with burning, redness, thirst, mental confusion, fever, and giddiness.
Kapha: Symptoms include slimy, pale, heavy, oily, cold, and viscous discharge, with mild pain; associated with vomiting, anorexia, nausea, difficulty breathing, and cough.
Tridosha: Symptoms of all three doshas are seen.
Therapies: Are the same as those listed above for the three doshas related to female tract disorders. Generally, herbs include red raspberry and manjishþhaa to help stop bleeding. Then tonics can be given such as ashwagandha, Ashoka, Shatavari, aloe vera gel, and Amalaki.
General: Warm water or sesame oil is poured over the lower abdomen and genitalia and used as a douche. Foods, drinks, and life-styles appropriate to the implicated dosha are followed.
Vaayu—Therapies include sesame powder yogurt, ghee, and honey.
Pitta—Therapies include lotus root, musta, boiled milk, cane sugar, and honey.
Kapha—Therapies include mustard oil, licorice, lotus, Amalaki leaves, and alum.
Malodor: A decoction or paste of aromatic herbs Guduchi, neem, dhaataki flower, chitrak, and naagkeshar are applied to remove odors.
Miscellaneous: For genital tract defects, menses, and white, blue, yellow, red, and black discharges, mango, kuþaj, bilwa, musta, black pepper, ginger, red sandalwood, arjuna, and honey, followed by rice water are helpful.
Miscellaneous Disorders and Therapies
Menstrual regulators: Turmeric and saffron (or safflower) are used.
Spasm regulators: Herbs include fennel, asafoetida, and jaoaamaaoshi.
Rejuvenatives/tonics: Herbs include Shatavari, red raspberry, saffron, aloe vera gel, turmeric (with ginger, fennel, and cardamom).
Tumors/Cysts/Fibroids: They are most common in Kapha doshas and are usually benign. Symptoms include swelling, dampness, and congestion. Large tumors or cysts are safe to remove through surgical measures. The best herbs are khadir or fibroids and Ashoka for cysts. Additional herbs include guggul, saffron, musta, manjishþhaa, pippali, turmeric, kaoukaa, and barberry with honey.
Vaayu: Symptoms include pain, dryness, varying in size and location. Herbs include musta, guggul, manjishþhaa, aloe vera gel, myrrh, red raspberry, and jaoaamaaoshi.
Pitta: Inflammation, infection, swelling, and heat. Herbs used are Ashoka, manjishþhaa, musta, red raspberry, manjishþhaa, chamomile, aloe vera gel, guggul, turmeric, and saffron.
PMS
Vaayu Symptoms: Anxiety, depression, insomnia, constipation, headache, severe cramping, spacey, dizziness, fainting, rapid mood shifts, being hard to please, feeling abandoned, chills, thirst, dry skin, and feeling suicidal.
Pitta Symptoms: Anger, irritability, argumentative, diarrhea, fever, sweating, warmth, acne and skin rashes, abundant menstrual flow, possibly with clots, early onset of menses, spotting.
Kapha Symptoms: Fatigue, heaviness, crying, sentimentality, longing for love, mild emotions, cold or flu, mucous, lack of hunger, nausea, swollen breasts, edema, late-onset, white or pale menses with clots or mucus.
Therapies:
General: Herbs include turmeric, saffron, musta, and angelica.
Vaayu: Herbs include turmeric or saffron to promote menses; fennel or jaoaamaaoshi to reduce spasms; shiro dhaaraa or oil poured over the genitalia or lower abdomen; vaginal douche with ashwagandha and Shatavari is recommended. Coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs should be avoided. Vaayu-reducing foods, drinks, and lifestyles are advised.
Pitta: Herbs include turmeric, saffron (as above), Shatavari, musta, manjishþhaa, Gotu kola, aloe vera gel, and bhigaraaj. Pitta-reducing foods, drinks, and lifestyles are advised.
Kapha: Herbs include aloe vera gel, turmeric, musta, cinnamon, pippali, and ginger. Avoiding heavy or oily foods is advised. Kapha-reducing foods, drinks, and lifestyles are advised.
Menopause
Hormonal and emotional balancing and reproductive tract rejuvenation are essential. It is generally related to Vaayu symptoms of nervousness, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Vaayu-reducing foods, drinks, and lifestyle are required, along with Aloe vera gel, Myrrh, Shatavari, Saffron, Kapikachhu, and Ashwagandha in boiled milk. Chyavanprash is another good tonic.
Pitta: Symptoms include anger, irritability, impatience, hot flashes. Pitta-reducing habits are followed, along with aloe vera gel, Shatavari, and saffron in boiled milk.
Kapha: Symptoms include heaviness, fatigue, lethargy, tendency towards overweight and water retention. Herbs include pippali, ginger, and guggul. Dysmenorrhea (Difficult menses, often with cramping)
This is generally a Vaayu condition.
Vaayu: Symptoms include spasms, uterine dryness, bloating, gas, or constipation. Suggested herbs include musta, Shatavari, guggul, aloe vera gel, myrrh, red raspberry, turmeric, and jaoaamaaoshi. Warm sesame oil is poured over or applied to the lower abdomen. Sesame oil and Shatavari are used as a douche.
Pitta: Congestion develops from stagnant blood obstructions, with burning and diarrhea. Herbs include Brahmi, musta, turmeric, and saffron. The latter two can be boiled in milk.
Kapha: Congestion develops from stagnant blood obstructions, with edema or phlegm (congestion). Hot herbs are used, such as pippali vachaa, guggul, myrrh, and ginger.
Leukorrhea/prolapse (Abnormal vaginal discharges)
When the natural acidic nature of the vagina is not healthy, bacteria, fungi, or protozoa will develop. It usually results from Kapha-excess mucus, antibiotics, excess sex, infections, venereal diseases, and lack of cleanliness. Therapies focus on the excess, not the bacteria. Sour douches of vinegar or yogurt are most useful, along with acidophilus tablets.
Kapha: Herbs include aloe powder, ginger, and pippali taken with honey. Other useful herbs are red raspberry, Shatavari, lotus seeds, and guggul.
Pitta: Symptoms include yellow color, foul odor, bloodlines, and burning. Herbs include aloe powder, kaþukaa, and bhuaamalaki. For internal use only, aloe vera gel, turmeric, and manjishþhaa are advised.
Vaayu: Symptoms include brown color, stickiness, dryness, and severe pain.
Hysterectomy
The removal of the uterus creates hormone imbalances, devitalization, imbalanced metabolism (leading to weight gain), emotional imbalance, and insecurity.
Vaayu: Air increases, causing ungroundedness and anxiety.
Pitta: Symptoms include anger, irritability, and heat.
Kapha: Symptoms of fatigue, sentimentality, weight gain, and congestion can develop.
Immediately after surgery, turmeric and arjuna are taken to promote healing. Therapies include reproductive and hormonal tonics like Shatavari, aloe vera gel, saffron, chyavanprash; brain tonics, such as Brahmi (or Brahmi ghee), bhigaraaj, and jaoaamaaoshi are recommended.
Note: Most of the conditions of the female reproductive system are related to hormones. The main cause of hormone-related diseases is lifestyle and diet.
In our modern society, food is produced in larger quantities in the shortest possible time. To achieve this end, a variety of growth hormones and chemicals are used to develop these products. Processed foods that are loaded with hormones and chemicals create a serious imbalance in the body’s own rate of growth and hormonal system. A large number of the hormones and chemicals used to fatten animals are female hormones. Thus, when foods containing these chemicals are ingested, they wreak havoc with hormonal balance in the female body.
Many of the problems caused by eating animal products can be solved if organic animal products are taken. However, Ayurveda still cautions about the subtler karmic implications of eating animals.