PAIN MANAGEMENT WITH LEECH THERAPY IN VATARAKTA (GOUT): A CASE STUDY

*Dr. Vineeta Negi

ABSTRACT

In the present era changing life style has created several disharmonies in the biological system of human beings. Vatarakta is one of the commonest life style disorder caused by vitiation of rakta and vata producing different types of signs and symptoms like joint pain, swelling, tenderness, redness and numbness etc. This disease can be compared with Gout in modern as Acharya Sushruta has mentioned almost similar features. It has got sangh type of srotodusti hence applying leech to the vicinity of the disease origin and pain leads to removal of srotodusti resulting to ease. In Ayurveda Acharya Sushruta has described twelve types of leeches out of which six types are non- poisonous. Among these only five types are used in human beings and one type is used in animals only. A few cases of gout were thoroughly examined and treated with leech therapy. Leech was applied over the most tendered and painful site in each case for 20-25minutes. Same procedure repeated after one week for total period of 4 weeks. Almost all the patients got completely relieved after 4 sitting of leech therapy. No recurrence and no complications were found in the patients during follow up period of six months. So this can be an ideal therapy to be adopted for pain management in acute gouty arthritis, as it helps not only in reducing pain but also reduced swelling and redness without any side effects.

Keywords: Leech (jalauka), vatarakta, pain, gout, srotodusti.