🔘 Janu Basti

 

JANU BASTI:-

👉🏻 Introduction:-

 

- The word Janu basti has 2 terms:-

• Janu:- means knee joint

• Basti:- means to retain or hold (compartment which holds). 

- So Janu basti means hold or retain something like lukewarm oil on knee region.

- Janu Basti reduces shoola (pain), stabdhata (stiffness) and discomfort of the knee. 

- Knee joint is one of the most important joints in the human body. Degeneration, inflammation, and injury of knee results for knee pain and other conditions and Janu Basti can useful in these conditions.

- In simple words, Janu Basti is a pain relieving oil-pooling treatment conducted for knee joint pain caused due to many causes.

👉🏻 Reference:-

- Keraliya Panchkarma chikitsa vijnana by T. L. Devraj.

👉🏻 Defination:-

- The procedure in which, retaining of warm medicated oil is retained within a specially formed frame over the knee region is known as 'Janu basti'.

👉🏻 Indications:-

• Osteosrthriris:-

- It is the most common form of arthritis in the knee joint. It is a degenerative wear and tear type of arthritis.

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Patello-femoral pain syndrome (Chondromalacia patellae):-

- Pain is present between the patella and the underlying thighbone (femur).

• Knee injuries:-

- ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament injury)

- Torn meniscus

- Patellar tendonitis

• Osgood-Schlatter Disease

• Iliotibial band syndrome

👉🏻 Contraindications:-

- Acute inflammatory conditions of knee

👉🏻 Materials:-

- Black gram flour:- 400gm

- Medicated oil:- 300ml

- Vessel:- 1

- Bowl:- 1

- Spoon:- 1

👉🏻 Commonly used medicated oil:-

- Ksheerabala taila

- Mahanarayana taila

- Mahamasha taila

- Pinda taila

- Ashwagandhabalakshadi taila

- Sahacharadi taila

- Tila taila

- Dhanwantara taila

- Vishagarbha taila 

- Kottamchukkadi taila

- Murivenna taila

- Guggulutiktaka ghrita

- Nirgundi taila etc.

👉🏻 Preparation of Basti:-

- Add sufficient quantity of water and prepare a dough from black gram flour.

- Prepare a round pit of about 10-15 cm, thickness of 3 cm and height of 5 cm.

👉🏻 Preparation of Patient:-

- Janu basti can be carried out in four different locations of knee joint.

- Supine position of client with knee extended is ideal for treating anterior part of knee joint.

- Popliteal area in prone, medial and lateral part of knee in lateral positions.

- For comfort a pillow can be supported below knee and Prepared dough is fixed to the area in circular shape, steel or plastic rings can be used. - Ensure proper sealing and to avoid leakage of oil.

👉🏻 Procedure:-

- The prescribed medicated oil should be made warm by keeping the vessel on a hot water bath.

- After ensuring the tolerable temperature, oil should be poured inside along the sides of dough. 

- The temperature of the oil should be maintained at 40°C- 48°C by replacing a small quantity after reheating on hot water bath.

👉🏻 Precautions:-

- Uniform temperature is maintained throughout the procedure.

- Be cautious about temperature of oil to avoid accidental burns.

- Ensure proper sealing to avoid leaking of oil.

👉🏻 Duration:- 

- 30 min, usually done for a period of 7 days.

- As per medical condition of patients along with other important therapies like Yoga basti, Patra pottali sweda and Tiktaksheera Basti.

👉🏻 Post Operative Procedure:-

- After removing the dough, the part is massaged with circular and linear strokes.

- The part is given fomentation with a towel dipped in hot water.

👉🏻 Benefits of Janu basti:- 

- Janu Basti is an effective therapy for people experiencing different conditions in the knee. 

• The medicated oil used in the therapy effectively alleviates the pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints.

- Additionally, toxins are eliminated and joints are strengthened. 

• When Janu Vasti is combined with effective treatments like Abhyanga (massage with herbal oils), Patra Pinda Sweda (leaf bolus fomentation) and Basti (medicated enemas), with disease modifying drugs and compounds, it provides a very good relief in many painful knee conditions like Osteoarthritis etc.

• Reduce pain:-

- The warm oil poured over the Janu sandhi helps to feel person relax and effectively alleviates joint pain.

• Dissipate stiffness:-

- Janu Basti increases the flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood, so it also helps in stiffness.

• Increases circulation

- It Increases blood circulation around the knee; thus strengthening and nourishing the joints by increased circulation.

• Improves mobility and flexibility:-

- Janu Basti is known to improve mobility of the knee joints (knee flexion and knee extension).

• Reduces inflammation:-

- The medicated oils possess anti-inflammatory properties that can help with inflammation and pain.

• Strengthens knee joints:-

- Janu Basti boosts blood flow strengthening the muscles, bones and joints of the knee.

• Pacifies aggravated vata dosha in the knee region.

• It Lessen pain in Knee joint restoring the lubricating fluid in the joint and maintain integrity of the structures involved in the joint

👉🏻 Mode of action:-

- Almost all pains are caused due to aggravation of Vayu (mainly degenerative types of pain). This further leads to depletion and degeneration of tissues.

- Avarana of Vayu by one or the other element of the body including Pitta, Kapha, Dhatus etc.

- Ama, which hamper the smooth functioning of Doshas and Dhatus and block the excretion of body wastes by blocking them.

- Excessive Pitta can cause inflammatory type of pain in the knee joints.

- Excessive Kapha can cause stiffness and loss of movements in the knee joints

- Udavartana and or Churna Pinda Sweda done before Janu Vasti would dry up ama and kapha, liquidity of sama pitta and relieve stiffness and loss of movements. 

- Janu Basti nourishes the knee joints, pacifies the dosha causing pain or discomfort, soothes the nerves, relieves degeneration, stiffness and inflammation and cures pain. 

- Patra Pinda Sweda further rejuvenates the knee by controlling Vayu. 

- Shashtika shali pinda sweda strengthens and nourishes the knee and lower limbs.

- Virechana detoxifies the system and relieves inflammation and Vasti drives the morbid Vayu out of the system and fortifies the cure.

- Basti and Virechana also help in removing the avarana of Vayu and also in preventing the recurrence of knee pain. 

- Basti and Virechana together helps in preventing degeneration and inflammation, nourishes and rejuvenates the bones and soft tissues around the knee, enhances immunity and prevents its recurrence.

👉🏻 Complications and management:-

• Accidental burns:-

- Stop the procedure and perform agnidagdha chikitsa.

👉🏻 Conclusion:-

- Janu Basti is the best treatment which Ayurveda provides to heal your acute and chronic knee pains. 

- All you need to do is to meet an experienced Ayurvedic doctor and put forth your problems

- The doctor will help you to get your sore knee into its rhythm.

- The beauty of Janu Vasti is that it can even be administered on healthy individuals and health freaks. 

- Thus Janu Basti forms an important part of prophylactic knee care, a part of ‘prevention is better than cure’ mantra.