Abhyangam is a Sanskrit word, which means the application of oil all over the body. It is a relaxing and refreshing full body massage with medicated herbal oils to take care of the physical, mental, emotional well being of the person while balancing the doshas. Ancient Ayurvedic textbooks recommend this as an integral part of the daily routine to all who wish for good health and longevity of life.

Benefits of Abhyangam:

• Removes fatigue
• Pacifies Vata dosha
• Improves eyesight
• Induces longevity
• Induces sleep
• Provides resistance against diseases
• Improves complexion and lustre of the skin
• Increases physical strength
• Delays ageing

Kaya Seka or Sarvanga Dhara or Pizhichil is a special treatment procedure followed by traditional vaidyas (physicians) of Kerala. The word Pizhichil in the Malayalam language literally means “squeezing”. Here the whole body is bathed in streams of lukewarm medicated oil with a simultaneous soft massage.

In this treatment, the clothes are soaked in warm medicated oil and then squeezed on to the person’s body from a height of 20 to 24 cms, so that oil flows in a continuous single-stream along with the thumb, in a downward direction.

Benefits:

• Relieves body pain and muscle spasms
• Helps in healing bone injuries
• Increases immunity and prolongs the life span
• Promotes normal development of muscle mass
• Improves skin complexion
• Has anti-ageing treatment
• Improves blood circulation
• A very soothing, relaxing and rejuvenating treatment

It is very effective in the following conditions:

• Neurological disorders
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Burning sensation all over the body
• Nervous weakness
• Sexual weakness
• Rheumatic diseases
• Arthritis
• Paralysis (Hemiplegia and paraplegia)
• Parkinson’s disease

It is an amazingly relaxing therapy which uses a steady stream of warm medicated oils (Tail Dhara) or medicated buttermilk (Takra Dhara) using special devices to flow rhythmically across the forehead. This is usually done after Abhyangam. This therapy provides considerable relief from mental stress & psychosomatic disorders. It soothes your body and mind & induces sound sleep.

Duration of treatment: 45 minutes

Beneficial for the following conditions:

• Premature greying of hairs
• Fatigue
• Infirmity and emaciation
• Head-ache
• Lack of vitality
• Pricking pains of palms and soles
• Diabetic neuropathy
• ENT diseases
• Alleviate Vata, pitta & kapha
• Improving the power of all sense organs
• Insanity

A Steam bath is a steam-filled room for the purpose of relaxation and cleansing. Steam bath has been used since ancient times as a traditional healing system all over the world. Finnish saunas, Turkish baths, and Japanese steam rooms are some of the traditional types of Steambath.

Procedure

Steam Bath in Ayurveda is a treatment wherein a person sits inside a box keeping their head out. This box contains a blend of herbs and medicinal leaves. The person sits in the steam box which is filled with herb-infused steam for about ten minutes to a half-hour. The herbs are added to the Steam bath therapy according to the individual’s state of body dosha balance.

Benefits:

• Removal Of Toxins
•  Improves Blood Circulation In The Body
• Reducing Weight
• Benefits The Skin
• Cleansing Of Respiratory System
• Relieves Stress
• Opens up sinuses
• Workout recovery

Kizhi is the name for little bundles of medicated herbs, oils, powders. These poultices are used with various pressures to treat a variety of conditions/diseases. Based on the herbs/oil used, there are various forms of Kizhi treatments.

Some of the therapies included in Kizhi are:

• Elakizhi (Patra Pottali Swedam)
• Manjalkizhi ( Haridrapotalipinda swedam)
• Narangakizhi ( Jambheerapinda Swedam)
• Podikizhi (Choornapindaswedam)
• Muttakizhi ( Kukkudanda Pindaswedam)
• Manalkizhi ( Rookshapinda Swedam)
• Kadikizhi ( Choor\napinda swedam in Dhanyamlam)
• Navarakizhi(shastika shali pinda swedam)

Kizhi is beneficial for conditions associated with Vata and Vata-Kapha such as osteoarthritis, spondylosis, muscular cramps, sprains, obesity, swelling, diabetes, low back pain and neuralgia. Kizhi is not advisable in conditions associated with pitta as it may aggravate pitta.

Navara in Malayalam stands for the rice (Shashtika Shali in Sanskrit) that grows in 60 days; Kizhi (Pinda in Sanskrit) stands for bolus. Njavara is an indigenous variety of rice grown in Kerala, having medicinal properties. It is a unique treatment procedure practised by Kerala Ayurveda physicians. Kerala Ayurveda massage therapy for back pain in Dwarka is a procedure by which the whole body or any specific part is made to perspire, by the application of certain medicinal drugs with Njavara rice puddings externally in the form of boluses tied up in a muslin bag.

Procedure

A generous amount of medicated oil is applied over the head and body. Then the body is massaged with a warm muslin bag bolus containing Navara rice puddings cooked in the herbal decoction. The boluses are dipped in the mixture of warm milk and herbal decoctions when they cool down thus inducing sedation. The procedure is done in seven different postures. At the end of the procedure, the rice paste sticking over the body is removed. A gentle massage is given with warm medicated oil once again.

Benefits

• Makes the body supple and removes stiffness
• Calms the mind and reduces the stress
• Promotes sound sleep
• Boosts the immune system and slows the ageing process
• Enhances body nourishment and rejuvenates
• Improves lustre and texture of the skin
• Sharpens the sense organs
• Strengthens and nourishes the nervous system

The procedure is found effective in:

• Spasticity
• Reduced mobility
• Rigidity
• Low backache
• Sciatica
• Scoliosis
• Kyphosis
• Cervical myelopathy
• Hemiplegia
• Arthritis