INTRODUCTION

Diagnosing or realizing the disease is of great interest to not only physicians but also patients and their relatives. A patient may present various symptoms to a physician. He may examine the patient with all the possible measures to elicit the signs. But before prescribing the medicines, is he sure about the final diagnosis?

Identification of the exact nature of the disease or ‘The diagnosis’ is an essential step in medical practice. Without proper diagnosis, all the interventions are nonscientific and non-ethical. At the same time, accurate diagnosis will be an indispensable lantern in the journey of healing. So in every scientific medical system, there are some chapters devoted to diagnosis based on their terms and principles. Indian medical system, ayurveda also is not an exception. This traditional knowledge base possesses very rich data regarding various signs, symptoms and excellent clinical measures to assess them. However, it is not an easy job perhaps for many to arrive at a correct diagnosis. Evolving trend in ayurvedic field makes the physician very much obsessed to modern diagnostic measures and to go after them.Mere western conclusions cannot contribute much for the development of a sole system like ayurveda. So a thorough study on ayurvedic diagnostics, based strictly on its own principles, is very essential.

Initially there were only senses to perceive the ailments. Even then, ancient Indian physicians were able to diagnose and treat the condition in line with their intuition built up on the basis of long term experience and perception. Later,as the medical science advanced, men studied the human body in detail and tried to probe in to the deep levels of the body facts, creating new measures and methods. The sprouting world of science has created so many sophisticated techniques. Now a days, people depend more on these measures to find out the facts, though the accuracy of many of them remain controversial even among the scientists. In spite of the scientific researches and inventions, human body and mind remain a mystic entity through decades. Hence it is the need of the time to grow beyond the modern diagnostic conclusions with the lamp of age old wisdom to the vast world of perceptions. Ayurvedic physicians can build up the enormous awareness through continuous efforts and sharpening thoughts.

Practicing  the methods of diagnosis

“I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true — hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice and practice” 

                                                                        -Ray Bradbury

First and foremost mistake on the part of ayurvedic physician seems to be the lack of proper clinical exercise. From the days of early student life itself, they often skip away from most of the clinical methods due to inconvenience. Later also, it won’t form a basic program laden by scientific steps in their clinical practice. The power to perceive from within, which is more superior to the observation with external sense organs, can be imparted only by constant clinical exercise. The interests, curiosities and needs felt by the individual will decide the dimensions through which he has to grow. Every physician should ignite this light of curiosity in his mind. This light should come from his compassion towards the patients. Simplicity in communication, kindness to patients and quest for knowledge are the three necessary qualities, a physician should possess. ‘Vaidyas’ should have all these qualities a little more, as the divine healing science of India expects more from its followers.

 To cure the sufferings of mankind, it is necessary to have a proper knowledge about the cause of the affliction and its details. As a primary step to this learning process, every medical student should develop the habit of examining the patient from ‘A’ to ‘Z’.   Training with the prepared standard evaluation sheet, eventually will build up the ability to see the patient within a fixed outline in which all the essential details are enumerated. According to ayurveda, only through continuous exercise, one can attain the vision necessary for the proper diagnosis and treatment. The presentation of a disease in a particular patient may not be similar to the one in another. So, each one should form a fresh chapter for a physician. Diagnosis is an art, acquired slowly through years of painstaking study and professional experience.

              Naming a disease is not an important thing in ayurveda. But diagnosing it in terms of involved factors, locations, and their degree of involvement etc has paramount relevance. With this view, an attempt is made here to arrange various concepts and measures scattered in different parts of the classic books for a better awareness of clinical diagnosis in ayurveda. This is an effort to interpret the clinical relevance of these facts in current day practice.There is no great claims about this book. This is not an outcome of very long clinical experiences, but an intention to revise the subject with a clinical orientation. The clinical experiences of our generation must have some scientific meaning which will contribute to our society and to ayurveda.Let this be a humble initiative to refresh our unique way of observation through continuous practice. I expect valuable criticisms and suggestions from teachers, students and practitioners for corrective measures,which would be gratefully acknowledged.