What is the Ayurvedic perspective on vasculitis?
According to the Ayurvedic perspective, vasculitis is caused by an imbalance of all three Dosha’s – Kapha, Pitta and Vata. Kapha Dosha is the waterDosha, Pitta Dosha is the fire Dosha, and Vata Dosha is the air Dosha.
Kapha Dosha imbalance.
The entire process begins with an imbalance of the water Dosha – Kapha Dosha. When the Kapha Dosha becomes unbalanced, it creates problems within the lymphatic system.
When the Kapha Dosha is in balance, fluid can flow freely throughout the body, wherever the body requires it. This is important because flowing fluid helps to remove cellular waste and toxins. The fluid also helps to bring a fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells. The end result is happy, healthy, oxygenated and well-nourished cells.
The lymphatic system is the part of the body that filters and regulates fluids that surround our cells. When the lymphatic system does not function normally, many impurities accumulate in the fluid between the cells. This accumulation of fluid negatively affects cellular function.
The lymphatic system is also the part of the body through which immune cells travel. Therefore, if the lymphatic system does not function normally, the immune system cannot function normally either.
An unbalanced Kapha Dosha results in an accumulation of fluid. The end result is that fluid does not flow freely through the lymphatic systemnor throughany part of the body. Fluid begins to congest.
With time,the entire fluid system becomes clogged.Fluid begins to thicken and coagulate around the cells. A free-flowing fluid no longer surrounds the cells. It is replaced by a mucous coagulate.
Naturally occurring fluid that bathes cells is thin enough to allow the transfer of oxygen, nutrients, wastes and toxins. Whereas, mucous coagulate is thick.
This thick mucus coagulate accumulates between cells in the blood vessel walls. The wall of the blood vessel becomes thicker due to fluid accumulation, this leads to a narrowed blood vessel lumen.Blood flow becomes slower andobstructed.
The affected cells now have two problems.
The first problem is that they are surrounded by a thick and sticky fluid that doesn’t allow easy exchange of oxygen, nutrients and wastes. This means that the cells have a difficult time obtaining oxygen and nutrients and expelling wastes.
The second problem is that blood flow has decreased in the narrow blood vessel lumen. When blood flow decreases, less oxygen and fewer nutrients are brought to the cells.
Therefore, the cells are receiving less oxygen and nutrients. While at the same time,they’re havinga harder time extracting availableoxygen and nutrients from the blood through a thick mucus. The cells become deprived of nutrients and burdened with waste.
The cells are in trouble.
Pitta Dosha imbalance.
The immune system turns up the heat by increasing the Pitta Dosha. It does this in order to try to clean up the Kapha accumulation in an attempt to help bring moreoxygen and nutrients to the deprived cells.
The immune system is in a resting state until Kapha accumulation causes it to increase heat production to melt away the sticky mucus. This is the body’s automatic cleaning process.
Kapha can accumulateso much that the Pitta heat cannot melt it away or dry it up. When this happens the excess heat attempts to escape the body through the skin. This shows up as spots, eruptions or ulcers on the skin, and sometimes fevers.
The side effect of this emergency cleaning mechanism is an imbalance of all Dosha’s and many of the body systems. The immune system wages a war on Kapha accumulations. This war leads to eruptions on the skin.
Vata Dosha imbalance.
Pain in vasculitis is produced by the Vata Dosha becoming trapped in various organs. This means that air is trapped in the organ, which produces painby extending or inflating the organ.
As the organ inflates, or gets bigger, the nerve fibers recognize that the organ is stretching. This produces pain to warn you that something is wrong.
How does Ayurveda explain the different types of vasculitis?
Ayurveda recognizes that there are various types of vasculitis. They are categorized by Western medical authorities. They manifest on different parts of the body.
However, the Ayurvedic perspective is that the root cause of any type of vasculitis is the same. The only difference is the organ system that is affected.
To recap: Kapha Dosha accumulates. The immune system produces more Pitta to melt or dry up the excess Kapha. Excessive Pitta produces skin eruptions and a burning sensation. If Vata becomes unbalanced, air gets trapped in the organs which results in pain.
Why does the Kapha Dosha become unbalanced in the first place?
Kapha Dosha becomes unbalanced because the lymphatic system does not work properly. The health of the lymphatic system reflects the health of the liver. This means that if the lymphatic system does not work properly, liver function is not optimal.
Therefore, the whole problem begins with liver malfunction.
Liver function in vasculitis is another place where the Ayurvedic perspective differs from the Western medical perspective.
In many cases, medical liver function testing indicates that the liver is in normal function. However, in Ayurveda, we understand that if the liver was functioning normally, the lymphatic system would also be functioning normally. There would be no Kapha accumulation, and no vasculitis.
Normally, the lymphatic system brings lymph, or fluid, to the liver. The liver purifies, detoxifies and controls the elements of the lymph.
Therefore, the main problem is a Kaphaimbalance. This is complicated by a Pitta imbalance. Finally, a Vata imbalance can further complicate the vasculitis and cause pain and distension.