Blood letting or Siravyadha in kampo

Siravyadha in Japanese Traditional medicine

Dr.D GURURAJA TANTRY

M.S.(AYU),PhD(JAPAN)

Introduction•Siravyadha or bloodletting is a very

important part of ayurvedic treatment.

•In ancient practice it was very popular not only in India or in Ayurveda but we find references in different other traditional system of medicines.

•Kampo or Japanese traditional medicine also explains about different method of blood letting.

Bloodletting or Shiraku

• It came to Japan from China and also from the Portuguese.

•Blood and energy flow are closely related. Thus bloodletting helps to restore the proper flow of energy.

Types•Shiraku: Small quantity (a few drops); •Shaketsu: more quantity of blood is drawn.

• Indications and sites of bloodletting are more or less similar as ayurvedic concepts.

• Instruments used: Lancets, Needles, Cupping.

•Leech application was also known. •Quantity of the blood drawn varies from few

drops to 100ml or more depending on the method

Superficial bloodletting

•Sairaku shiraku: piercing and draining out small quantity of blood from very small superficial dilated capillaries. Usually form capillary spider naevi.

•1 Using lancets the capillary spiders are pierced later squeezed between the fingers to draw appropriate amount of blood.

•2. Vacume cups are applied on the pierced site to suck the blood.

• (Alabu and Shrunga concept, Saantardeepa ghata concept)

Types

•Mattaku shiraku: Blood is drawn by piercing on both sides of the nail bed using lancet and later squeezed. one to two drops of blood is drawn.

•Ranshi ho: Small cuts are made on the skin. Later either squeezed or cupping is done.(Pracchana)

•Cup is removed as the bleeding stops spontaneously.

Shaketsu

•Deep bloodletting is similar to venesection.

•Cups and needles or syringes are used to draw the blood.

•Explanations are available about bloodletting from the center of the scalp. (Kakapaadachikitsa)

Bloodletting from nail bed

Guarded prick

Cupping

Valve

Prachana over Scalp

Literature

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT BOX

First fold instruments

Second fold

Haemorrhoidectomy instruments

Pediatric instruments

CONCLUSION

•Eastern ethics and western science

•Truth has many faces

•Reason for the extinction of Instruments.