What is Meru Dandam? What is its Significance?

The Spine, Meru Dandam, in Ayurveda is a remarkable combination of strong bones, flexible ligaments and tendons, large muscles and highly sensitive nerves. It is designed to be incredibly strong, protecting the highly sensitive nerve roots, yet highly flexible, providing for mobility on many different planes. Most of us take this juxtaposition of strength, structure and flexibility for granted in our everyday lives—until something goes wrong. Once we're in pain, we're driven to know what's wrong and what it will take to relieve the pain and prevent a recurrence.

Why are we usually subjected to Neck & Back Pains?

This spine has a natural S shaped curvature and has two weak portions one at the cervical and the other at the lumbar regions. Any excess pressure in these areas increases the incidence of severe spinal damage. The first symptom to be observed usually is the neck and the back pain followed by the weakness, numbness, radiating pain, discomfort and finally disability.

What are the structures of the spine that produce Neck & Back Pain?

Many different structures in the spine are capable of producing back pain or neck pain, including:

1. The large nerve roots that go to the legs and arms may be irritated
2. The smaller nerves that innervate the spine may be irritated
3. The large paired back muscles may be strained
4. The bones, ligaments or joints themselves may be injured
5. The disc space itself can be a source of pain

What are the causes of Spinal Damage?

Irregular spinal postures, lifting heavy weights, increased car and motor driving, using dangerously uncomfortable chairs, stress, age, obesity etc. increases the pressure in these sensitive structures of the spine which ultimately leads to Cervical Spondilitis, Slip Disc- in the cervical region & Lumbar Spondilitis, Sciatica, Disc Prolapse, Degenerative Disc- in the lumbar regions and Osteoporosis in general.

Where can you get the solution for your Spinal Problem?

Whether your back is tender, or you have a 'slipped' disc, or you wake up with a stiff neck, or any damage on to the spine; Ayurveda has answers for you!

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda, the Science and Art of Life, is the oldest system of Indian medicine. It is not only the ancient science of preventative health & healing but also a philosophy of living. Ayurveda mainly cures by removing the root cause of the disease.

What is Meru Chikitsa?

Ayurveda deals almost in all branches of medical science. ‘meru chikitsa’ is one of them, that has been developed thousands of years ago. The term “meru chikitsa” (meru means ‘Spine’, therapy is ‘application’) places chief emphasis upon the Spine and its associated structures thus maintaining proper health of an individual.

Meru chikitsa-The Spinal Care is an ancient ayurvedic therapy based on the vedic principles & philosophy. This natural healing therapy deals with spine proper and its nerves, muscles, joints and blood & lymphatic channels. Authorities in the field believe that the body is co-ordinated by three different humors or energy forces i.e.; Vata, pitta and kapha. This therapy helps in restoring and balancing the energy forces of the body that regulates the physiological equilibrium to perform better function of the body mind soul & the senses.

How does Meru Chikitsa work?

Meru chikitsa is a complete system of healing, incorporating mechanical, psychological, bio-force, and biochemical aspects of the spine along with the nerves. It discovers the root cause of the disease and treats the same in an integrated manner. The disorder of the bodily organs causes an imbalance in the biochemical forces leading to the development of diseases. These therapies activates or deactivates the organs, through pressure or massage on the nerve channels to stimulate or depress the blood, & other body fluids and the nerve currents so as to restoring the balance and harmony of the body thus helping the body regain its equilibrium.

What happens in the session?

The initial consultation involves taking the total health history of the patient. A visual analyze is carried out by examining the eyes, color of the tongue, nails, skin, etc. Once the verbal and visual analyze are completed, further investigation involves examining the tender points (marma points). Focusing on these marma points the ayurvedic physician discovers the malfunctioning of the organs. Based on these investigations, a final picture is drawn about the patient's condition in relation to the three biochemical forces; vata pitta kapha. The dis-alignment of spinal vertebrae and musculo skeletal system is mainly concentrated and special attention is paid to the patient's food habits and life style. With full history and investigation the ayurvedic physician determines the amount of treatment required. Usually the treatment period is 7/14/21/28 days according to the severity of the disease.

What Therapeutic Methods are applied?

The Treatment usually involves a series of ABHYANGAM, SWEDAM, NASYAM, ELAKIZHI, NAVARAKIZHI, KATI VASTHI, KASHAYA VASTHI & ANUVASANA VASTHI etc. Marma chikitsa along with Vatahara chikitsa and Brumhana chikitsa are given utmost importance.

What are the Applications?

It is used as a therapy for chronic as well as acute diseases of the spine. It does not merely concentrate on particular malfunctioning of a system or disease, but deals broadly with the whole body especially the spine.

What Ayurveda / Meru Chikitsa does is...

• Apply scientific and holistic approaches to Treatment.
• Assist the body (mind-body-spirit) in restoring its natural equilibrium, thus enabling self healing
• Treat the whole human system and not only the apparent illness.
• Treat with no side effects.
• Provides immediate healing of some ailments, and others may need relatively longer duration.            
• Advocates a Natural way of living as the preferred way of living.

About The Kerala Ayurvedic Care:

Dr. kranthi’s Ayurvedic Land… The Kerala Ayurvedic Care, basheerbagh, hyderabad, aim at medical evaluation, treatment of all the chronic ailments including the Spinal Disorders. We, from the past 6 years are providing the Care, Comfort, Cure and Hope to all the suffering patients .

Our Mission Statement :

To Improve the Quality of Life for those with Spine Disorders; To advance the understanding and Treatment of those conditions through Research, Prevention and Education; and To deliver the finest quality Spine Care in a Friendly and Compassionate Environment, Treating every patient with the same Care and Respect we would demand for ourselves.

For Appointments, Please Contact:

Dr. kranthi vardhan at The Kerala Ayurvedic Care, Skyline Theatre lane, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad. Ph: 98666 66055 / 92461 66636 / 66101140 on all days from 8am –8pm strictly with a prior appointment.

Take great care and avoid straining that delicate structure called the ‘Spine’.

Published in THE HINDU News Paper on 10th Feb, 2005. Written by Dr. R. KRANTHI VARDHAN, Chief Physician & Managing Director, THE KERALA AYURVEDIC CARE, Speciality Panchakarma Centre, Basheerbagh, Hyd. Ph: 092461 66636, 098666 66055.