Diseases and the Biological Humors
Diseases reflect the predominant humor which produces them. We can understand the nature of a disease, like that of physical constitution, according to the attributes it presents. We can treat it with the remedies appropriate for the biological humor involved.
Some diseases are more characteristically of one humor than another.
The majority of diseases are of a Vata (air) nature, as Vata tends towards disease (decay). Ayurvedic books list more Vata disorders than Pitta and Kapha together: eighty Vata, forty Pitta, and twenty Kapha.
Kapha (water or phlegm) diseases include most respiratory disorders, colds, flus, asthma, bronchitis, swollen glands, edema, benign tumors. The main attributes of Kapha disorders are dampness, excessive tissue growth, and cold.
Pitta (fire or bile) diseases include most febrile and infectious dis-eases, liver disorders, ulcers, acidity, boils, skin rashes. The main at-tributes of Pitta disorders are heat, redness, and oiliness.
Vata (air or wind) diseases include most nervous system disorders, insomnia, tremors, epilepsy, paralysis, arthritis. The main attributes of Vata disorders are dryness, cold, impaired or abnormal movement, and wasting away of tissues.
Kapha diseases are characterized primarily by phlegm; Pitta diseases by fever or burning sensation; Vata diseases by pain.
In general, all diseases can be divided into Vata (air), Pitta (fire) or Kapha (water) types according to the attributes of the humor predominant in its qualities. Yet the same disease may be caused by different humors or by combinations of humors. Most common colds are of a Kapha nature with phlegm and congestion as the main symptoms; others may be Pitta in quality with higher fever and more severe sore throat. Though any one disease may be of many types, the treatment for all diseases follows the same main lines and principles, that of the aggravated humor.
This is the method followed in this book. First the general nature of the disease is presented, which may be predominately of one humor. Then the varieties of the disease are distinguished according to all the humors.
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The Biological Humors as the Sites of Disease
Most diseases can occur from an imbalance of any of the three humors. For example, arthritis may come about from high Vata, high Pitta or high Kapha. Yet each disease tends to be characterized more by one humor than another, as arthritis being mainly a Vata (air) disorder.
To understand this point better we should realize that the humors, when too high, tend to damage each other. The humors, as the underlying forces of the body, are not only the factors which cause disease but also the sites wherein disease occurs. They relate to the tissues, organs and systems that they rule; so, diseases involving the nervous system show Vata (air) as the site of the disorder. Diseases of this system ruled by Vata will more commonly be Vata. Yet they may be of a Pitta or Kapha nature, as these, when high, can damage Vata.
Usually, a humor will aggravate the factors it rules; that is, it will be the site as well as the causative factor in the disease process. Thus, high Kapha (phlegm) tends to damage the lungs, a Kapha organ. But an excess humor may take, as its disease site, another humor. This often indicates a more severe condition, in which the humor has already damaged its own sites. For example, high Kapha, after damaging the lungs, may then damage the nervous system, as in asthmatic wheezing or epilepsy due to phlegm blocking the subtle channels, thus affecting Vata (air). The humors affect each other, and in more severe diseases, like cancer, all three humors may be out of balance, making treatment extremely complicated.
Ayurvedic textbooks often divide diseases into additional types, but the primary classification is according to the three humors. When a condition is caused by two humors together, the treatment methods for them must be combined. Using this methodology, I have also presented some modern diseases not previously classified in Ayurvedic terms and differentiated them. There is not the space to present all diseases in detail, so some are presented in a more basic form.
Many of the diseases, such as constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, are chosen because they reflect the basic conditions in which the humors become aggravated and show the primary therapies used to treat them.
According to Ayurveda, it is not necessary to know the names or forms of diseases. It is more important to know the attributes of the humors and their states of imbalance behind different diseases. From this standpoint treatment is simpler and more holistic. Once the aggravated humor is ascertained, along with its site of manifestation, an integral regime for reducing it can be implemented. It is the underlying energy of the disease which has to be countered, not merely its face that has to be identified.
Ayurveda sees all diseases according to the three humors. Hence, for it,
Examination of Disease 35 no really new diseases can be found, only variations in the same basic disease-causing factors.
Excess of the Biological Humors (Quotes from Ashtanga Hridaya XII. 49-54)
According to Ayurvedic source books, the classical symptoms of the aggravated or elevated humors are as follows:
"Vata's actions when aggravated are collapse, spasms, piercing pain, numbness, depression, breaking, striking and biting pain, constipation, cracking of the joints, contraction, retention of waste materials in the body, excitability, thirst, trembling, roughness of skin, porosity of tissues, dehydration, agitated movement, stiffness, astringent taste in mouth, dark or reddish brown discoloration." We see in these the drying and disruptive powers of the wind.
"Pitta's actions when aggravated are burning sensation, redness, feeling hot, boils, sweating, pus formation, bleeding, necrosis, exhaustion, fainting, inebriation, pungent and sour taste in the mouth and all discolora-tions but white and brown." We see in these the burning and fermenting action of fire.
"Kapha when aggravated creates phlegm, hardness of tissues, itching, cold sensation on the skin, heaviness, congestion, obesity, edema, indiges-tion, excessive sleeping, white color, and sweet and salty tastes in the mouth which take time to notice." These reflect the heaviness and stag-nation of water.
Deficiency of the Biological Humors (Quotes from Ashtanga Hridaya XI. 14-16)
The symptoms of the humors when low or deficient are as follows:
"Vata when low causes lassitude of the limbs, deficiency of speech and enthusiasm, and confusion of perception, as well as increase in phlegm and the production of toxins (ama)." Vata (air) when low resembles high Kapha (water).
"Pitta when insufficient causes weakness of the digestive fire, cold, and lack of lustre." Pitta (fire) when low resembles both high Vata and high Kapha.
"Kapha when low results in a feeling of emptiness in the stomach, palpitations, and loosening of the joints." Kapha (water) when low resembles high Vata (air).
Disease is thought to be primarily caused by the humors that are too high or aggravated. Low humors are not thought to possess the strength to cause disease.
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The following list gives, in a comprehensive way, the disease symptoms common to each of the three humors. These can be added to the factors of constitutional examination for greater clarity. Examination of pulse, tongue and abdomen, as well as questioning the patient, are important.
Symptoms of Aggravated Humors
Vata, the biological air humor, is represented by a V, Pitta, the fire humor, by a P, Kapha, the water humor, by a K.
Color V Black, brown, blue black, blue, pink, decrease or absence of normal color. P Red, purple, yellow, green, black, smoky. K White, pale.
Pain V Most severe; throbbing, biting, churning, beating, tearing, variable, migratory, intermittent.
P Medium; burning, steaming. K Least;
heavy, dull, constant.
Fever V Moderate temperature; variable or irregular fever, thirst, anxiety, restlessness. P Highest temperature; burning sensation, thirst,
sweating, irritability, delirium. K Low grade fever; dullness, heaviness, constant
elevated temperature.
Discharges V Gas, sound (discharge of gas, cracking of joints, etc.).
P Bleeding, pus, bile.
K Mucus, salivation.
Mouth V Astringent taste, dry.
P Bitter or pungent taste, increased salivation. K Sweet or salty taste, profuse salivation, mucoid discharges.
Throat V Dry, rough, pain and constriction of esophagus.
P Sore throat, inflammation, burning sensation. K Swelling, dilation, edema.
* As in complexion, discharges, discolorations.
Examination of Disease 37 Stomach V Decreased secretions, irregular appetite, frequent
eructation (belching, hiccup), sense of constriction. -P Excessive appetite, sour or pungent eructation, burning
sensation, ulcers, cancer. K Slow digestion, sweet or mucoid eructation.
V Dry, rough, scanty secretions, irregular activity.
P Soft, excessive bile production, gall stones, inflammation, abscesses, increased activity. K Enlarged, heavy, firm, scanty bile, decreased activity.
V Dry, peristalsis disorders, distention, gas, constipation.
P Profuse secretions, quick peristalsis, inflammation, ulceration, abscesses, tumors, cancer, bleeding, perforation. K Mucus coating, slow peristalsis, obstruction, distention, edema, tumors.
V Constipation, painful and difficult bowel movements,
■ dry, rmall in quantity.
P Diarrhea, watery stools, quick or uncontrollable evacuation, burning sensation, increased frequency, moderate amount.
K Solid, decreased frequency, large amount, containing mucus, with itching.
V Scanty, difficult to discharge, increased frequency or
absence of urination, colorless.
P Profuse, with burning sensation, increased frequency, yellow, turbid, brown or red in color. K Profuse, decreased frequency, mucoid, white or pale.
V Scanty, irregular.
P Profuse, hot.
K Moderate, constant.
V Delusion, fear, apathy, sorrow, loss of consciousness,
insomnia, desire for hot and hatred of cold things.
P Weakness of senses, intoxication, restlessness, violent emotions, delirium, loss of sleep, dizziness, fainting, desire for cold things.
K Slow perception, lack of desire, lethargy, stupor, excessive sleeping, desire for hot things.
Onset of V Rapid, variable, irregular.
Disease P Medium, with fever.
38 Ayurvedic Healing Time of V Dawn, dusk.
Day when P Noon, midnight.
Aggravated K Mid-morning, mid-evening.