Podikizhi – Churna Pinda Sweda

Podikizhi (also called Churna Pinda Sweda) is the ayurvedic technique of fomentation in which cotton bags filled with a hot a mixture of herbs are used. In podhikizhi, Cotton bags are rhythmical dabbed and massage is carried out simultaneously. Podikizhi is the common type of ayurvedic massage techniques that helps in alleviating pain and reduces swelling occurred due to arthritis, muscular spasm and rheumatism.

Herbal Poultice for podikizhi

The herbal mixture used in this technique contains 12 herbs. Main Ingredients of herbal poultice used in podikizhi are provided in table given underneath:

Other medicines used in Podikizhi:

• Ellumnishadi Choornam
• Grihadhoomadi Churna
• Jatamayadi Choornam
• Kottamchukkadi Choornam
• Rasnadi Choornam

The various churna used for this purpose includes, etc. The selection on the churna depends upon the nature of the disease and the dosha it is related to.

Steps involved in podikizhi

1. Take main ingredients and other ingredients as per condition of the individual.
2. Grind herbs and heat them in a little oil.
3. After 5 minutes, your herbal poultice is ready to put in cotton cloths to make small bags.
4. When these bags temperature is about to tolerable range, apply the bags over the affected parts of the body to reduce pain.
5. When the bags cooled down, reheat the herbs and reuse them on the body.
6. Repeat all above steps repeatedly for a 30 minutes, so that a proper fomentation can be done.

Notes:

• Poultice should be hot or have a heat at least tolerable level throughout the procedure.
• Apply bags and do massage simultaneously.
• Ask patient or individual to take a hot water bath after the podikizhi.

Duration of procedure

30 to 60 minutes

Course of the treatment with podikizhi

7 days to 3 weeks

Benefits of podhikizhi

• Podikizhi increases the peripheral blood supply, so it also helps in improving complexion of the skin.
• It relieves body ache and strengthens muscles and skin.
• It is also a good technique for relaxation and reliving stress.
• It has detoxifier properties for the skin, removes the toxins through the pores of the skin, and lowers the tendency of skin diseases.

Therapeutic Indications

1. Sciatica
2. Lumbago
3. Arthritis
4. Spondylosis
5. Rheumatoid Arthritis
6. Fibromyalgia
7. Muscular spasm, muscular pain or Muscular sprain and stiffness
8. Swelling on joints due to osteoarthritis of other disease
9. Paralysis and other neurological diseases
10. Post trauma or sports injury rehabilitation
11. Body Relaxation

Contraindication

• Fever
• Burning sensation of the body
• Vertigo
• Wounds