Questions and Answers

Q: How will the Ayurvedic vaidya (vaidya) know which treatment suits me best?

Among the many health systems in existence, Ayurveda is most unique in character, due to its adoption of a diagnostic method referred to as 'pulse diagnosis'.

Pulse diagnosis is a fairly simple procedure: The vaidya will sit down with the patient, and use nerve points in the hand to observe rhythmical pulsations produced by his or her heart.

Pulse diagnosis can reveal many things: not just the afflictions that may be affecting the patient, but also his or her body condition, element type (whether it be fire, wind or water), chakra flow, and so on and so forth.

We suggest that you leave behind your worries: Pulse diagnosis is non-invasive (it does not require instruments) and it is very quick -- it will only take 5 minutes at most.

Q: What should or should not be taken before treatment?

Pulse diagnosis works best if and once blood circulation has stabilized. We highly recommend that clients fast before treatment, for at least 6 to 8 hours prior to it.

Failure to do this may disrupt the efficacy of 'pulse diagnosis', which is a crucial diagnostic process of Ayurveda. This would result in irregularities in the vaidya's findings, and may lead to ineffective treatment.

However, in certain circumstances, the vaidya may recommend that you eat before coming for treatment, and he may even suggest specific items to consume.

Q: What should be taken after treatment?

This is a very subjective aspect of Ayurveda.

The answer depends on the results of the pulse diagnosis, and the specific recommendations of the vaidya himself.

In most cases, the vaidya will either prescribe some oils and/or a dietary regime to follow. The efficiency of the Ayurvedic treatment thereafter depends wholly on the discipline of the patient, and how strictly he or she complies with post-treatment specifications.

Q: How long would it take for the effects of treatment to be seen or experienced?

The effects of some Ayurvedic treatments are immediately apparent. For instance, many of our patients report feeling relaxed, lighter, and much healthier, almost immediately after treatment.

Some other treatments however, require time; this is certainly no different from the manner by which modern health-care systems operate.

Nevertheless, in ensuring a proper and complete recovery, it is most important that all post-treatment routines and specifications be fully complied with.

Q: How is an Ayurvedic massage any different from a normal massage?

Most modern massages are fairly standard in form. They are usually full-body massages, with few -- if any -- variations, and consistent in technique and application from person to person.

In comparison, Ayurvedic massages are a highly individual experience.

Ayurveda pays regard to the body condition (prakriti) of a person; and so, vaidyas are expected to treat his patients as circumstances may require, even to the extent that they may be very different.

For example, some people may be massaged from the top to bottom of their bodies, while others will experience the same treatment, but in the opposite direction. For some people, the therapist may even give extra focus to other vital parts of the body, such as the head or stomach.

The oils used in Ayurveda are just as distinctive: we make use of more than 200 varieties of oil, which are distinguished by their make, efficacy and use, and never mixed randomly.

Unlike normal massages, any and all Ayurvedic oils so employed would always be tallied to specific proportions, and always to suit the body conditions of clients and the treatments they choose to undergo.

Q: What if I have allergies?

We only use natural herbs and oils made from vegetables, fruits and wild plants; therefore, allergies are a very rare occurrence when it comes to Ayurvedic treatments.

However, a vaidya ought to be able to detect any allergies you have with pulse diagnosis. He will then suggest alternative oils to avoid allergic reactions.

Caution is of course advisable: we strongly urge that you inform the vaidya in advance of any specific allergies you may have, just in case. This advice is of greater concern should your allergic reactions be of the serious or chronic type.

Allergies may also be caused by non-compliance with Ayurvedic treatment specifications, such as those regarding dietary habits. It is thus extremely important that a patient complies with any post-treatment procedures specified by the vaidya.

Q: How long and how frequent must treatment be?

The length and frequency of treatments vary greatly. It depends on the type of illness being treated.

Some treatments can be very short in duration, ranging from half an hour to an hour, while others may even take up to 4 hours to complete.

Please do not be alarmed about this: it is in fact very common to have cleansing treatment continue over several days. For example, illnesses such as rheumatism, psoriasis, back pain, arthritis and fertility problems, all require approximately 7-14 days for proper and complete detoxification and treatment. (These are almost always accompanied by excellent results, however.)

We also recommend visiting our establishment once a year for regular checkups.