AYURVEDIC DIAGNOSIS A skilled Ayurvedic Practitioner uses several techniques to determine your current condition as well as any imbalances

in your doshas. These are used to augment the questions he or she asks during consultation to determine your dosha type. auxiliary diagnostic techniques employed in Ayurveda are: Pulse Diagnosis Pulse Diagnosis is a very important tool used by all Oriental edical Practitioners. !t is a very important tool used by "hinese and Tibetan #ealth Practitioners as well as "onventional medical doctors. To a skilled practitioner$ taking your pulse is more than counting the beats. The %unctioning and health o% the entire mind body constitution can be determined %rom the pulse$ including the balance o% the doshas$ the health o% the various organs$ advance warning signs o% potential problems that may crop up later etc. &y detecting early symptoms o% imbalance and disease reaction in the body$ one can take preventive steps to correct the problem be%ore it mani%ests into a ma'or one. (adial pulse is %elt with the %irst three %ingers$ the index$ middle and ring %ingers. Pulse %rom both wrists is taken. To get an accurate pulse$ the patient should be as close to his norm as possible. Taking pulse a%ter strong exertion$ a%ter exposure to a severe environment etc. will give wrong indications. The position o% the index %inger denotes the )ata dosha. *hen vata is strong in the constitution$ the index %inger will %eel the pulse strongly. The pulse will be irregular and thin moving in waves like the motion o% a serpent. This type o% pulse is called a snake pulse. The middle %inger denotes the pulse corresponding to the Pitta dosha. *hen the person has a predominant pitta constitution$ the pulse under the middle %inger will be stronger. Ayurveda describes this pulse as +active$ excited$ and move like 'umping o% a %rog.+ This pulse is called %rog pulse. The

*hen the throbbing o% the pulse under the ring %inger is most noticeable$ it is a sign o% ,apha constitution. The pulse %eels strong and its movement resembles the %loating o% a swan. #ence$ this pulse is called swan pulse. Tongue Diagnosis The tongue is the organ o% taste and speech. -i.e$ shape$ contour$ sur%ace$ margins$ and colour are the characteristics one can observe on the tongue. A pale tongue may indicate an anaemic condition or lack o% blood in the body. A yellowish tongue may suggest that excess bile present in the gallbladder or a possible liver disorder. A blue tongue is normally an indication o% problems with the heart. Di%%erent areas o% the tongue correspond to di%%erent organs o% the body. #ence by correlating the location o% the blemishes on the tongue$ the Ayurvedic practitioner can determine which organs o% the body are out o% balance. A whitish tongue indicates ,apha imbalance and mucus accumulation. A red or yellow green tongue indicated a Pitta imbalance. A vata imbalance is mani%ested by a black to brown coloration on the tongue. !% the tongue is covered by a coating$ it may indicate the presence o% toxins in the stomach$ small intestine or large intestine. !% the posterior part o% the tongue is coated$ it will indicate that toxins are present in the large intestine. !% the middle o% the tongue is coated$ the toxins are present in the stomach and in the small intestine. Facial Diagnosis Ayurveda teaches that %ace is the mirror o% the mind. Disorders and disease is mani%ested on the %ace in the %orm o% lines$ wrinkles$ etc. /or example$ hori.ontal wrinkling on the %orehead indicates the presence o% deep0seated worries and anxieties. A vertical line between the eyebrows on the right side indicates repressed emotions in

the liver. On the other hand$ the presence o% a vertical line between the eyebrows on the le%t side will indicate that the spleen is holding in emotions. A %ull and %lu%%y lower eyelid is an indication o% impaired kidneys. A butter%ly0like discoloration on the nose or on the cheeks may signal mal0absorption o% iron or the %olic acid and the sign o% a low Agni 1%ire2. The nose can be used to determine the dosha o% a person. )ata persons have crooked nose. ,apha persons have a blunt nose. On the other hand$ a sharp nose may denote a person with Pitta dosha. Nail Diagnosis Ayurveda considers nails as the waste product o% the bones. !% the nails are dry$ crooked$ rough and break easily$ it indicated a predominance o% the vata constitution. -o%t$ pink$ tender nails that are easily bent are indication o% a Pitta constitution. *hen the nails are thick$ strong$ so%t and very shiny$ then ,apha predominates. 3ongitudinal lines on the nails indicate mal0absorption in the digestive system. Transverse grooves on the nails may indicate the presence o% long0standing illness or malnutrition. 4ellow nails indicate a delicate liver or 'aundice. &lue nails are mani%estation o% a weak heart. 5ndue redness shows an excess o% red blood cells.

Lip Diagnosis (Ost a! !% the lips are dry and rough$ it may indicate dehydration or vata imbalance. Pale lips indicate anaemia. (epeated attacks o% in%lammatory patches along the margins o% the lips indicate the presence o% herpes and a chronic Pitta derangement. Poor digestion o% worms in the colon is indicated by the presence o% multiple pale brown spots on the lips. A person with 'aundice will have yellow lips. &lue lips may signal heart problems.

E"e Diagnosis )ata eyes are characteri.ed by small$ nervous$ with drooping eyelids and dry$ scanty lashes. The white o% the eye is muddy$ while the iris is dark$ grey0brown or black. Pitta eyes are moderate in si.e. They are sharp$ lustrous$ and sensitive to light. The lashes are scanty and oily. The iris is red or yellowish. ,apha eyes are large$ beauti%ul and moist. They have long$ thick$ oily lashes. The white o% the eye is very white. The iris is pale$ blue or black. 6xcessive blinking is a sign o% nervousness$ anxiety or %ear. A drooping upper eyelid indicates a sense o% insecurity$ %ear or lack o% con%idence. These are all signs o% vata imbalance. Prominent eyes indicate thyroid gland dys%unction. A yellow con'unctiva may signal a weak liver. A small iris indicates weak 'oints. A white ring around the iris may mean an excessive intake o% salt or sugar. !% the white ring is very prominent and very white$ it is an indication o% 'oint degeneration with potential %or arthritis and 'oint pain. Ayurvedic practitioners also employ other diagnostic techniques such as palpation$ percussion$ auscultation along with examination o% the heart$ liver$ spleen$ kidney$ urine$ stool$ sputum$ sweat$ and speech.

DISCLAI#ER
All in%ormation provided here is %or educational purposes only. -tatements contained here are reported in an e%%ort to preserve traditional in%ormation. Our aim is to prepare you to ask more educated questions to your own medical practitioner. 7othing here should be construed as an attempt to diagnose$ prescribe$ or recommend$ in any manner$ a treatment %or any health ailment or condition. "onsult a quali%ied physician regarding the treatment o% any medical condition. This in%ormation is not a replacement %or a thorough consultation and examination %rom a licensed health pro%essional. People should not try to medicate themselves or others with any o% the methods re%erred to here without the guidance o% a quali%ied practitioner who is thoroughly %amiliar with both the remedies and the individual8s medical status. -ome o% the herbs listed are poisonous9 some can elicit severe allergic reactions i% used inappropriately. !n%ormation about sa%ety and interactions may not be complete. Do not attempt to sel%0treat based on in%ormation given above.