INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANCIENT URINE DIAGNOSIS
Have you ever wondered how diagnosis was made in ancient
times, when there were no X-ray, scan machines, MRI etc…?
There are eight methods of investigation thru which diagnosis is
determine, these are
1. Pulse
2. Urine
3. Stool
4. Tongue
5. Speech
6. Touch
7. Eye
8. Observation
of Body
Out of
these eight, diagnostic methods, special
attention is given to the Examination of Urine, (Neerkuri Sastram). Neer
is urine and Kuri is signs. The Urine analysis in this system is intended to
find the predominance of the Tri-Doshas
and also the prognosis.
The mention of urination may make you feel uncomfortable, but you will
agree with me after reading this entire article that there are important
information you can know from your urine.
Saint
Theraiyar, was one of the authors of Siddha medicine who wrote on urine
examination (The Sastra of Urine Analysis) and stages of health. He explains on
the colour and consistency of the urine in different doshas and disease. He
also
says
that careful observation of a drop of oil spreading on the surface of the urine
indicates imbalance of specific dosha and prognosis of disease, which is still
used by Siddha Vaithiyars (physicians).
How was diagnosis
conducted ?
It is
interesting to note that the colour, smell, probing of urine, guides the
physician to the Doshas and the state of
health.
1.
Colour of the Urine
a) Opaque or milky indicates – Vatha
b) Slightly yellowish red – Pitha
c) Deep yellowish red – Jaundiced
d) Frothy urine – Kapha
e) Deep red like Ruby – is a dangerous
sign/critical
f) White as milk – difficult to heal or
serious state of health
g) Honey colour – the disease can be
cured with some delay.
h) Straw or yellow colour – disease will
be cured
i) Like Rice washed rice colour –
Indigestion
j) Appears smoky/cloudy, excessive
urination – acute fever
k) Smoky, watery and hot – Vata-Patta
Fevers (suram)
l) Whitish with bubbles – Vata-Kabam
Fevers (suram)
m) Yellowish/Red – Chronic Fever
2.
Smell of Urine
n) Urine with foul odour indicates
presence of toxin the in the system, normal urine has uremic smell.
o) Sweet smelling urine indicates the possibility
for diabetes
p) Pungent smell indicates ulcer in the bladder.
q) Acidic smell indicates excessive heat which
may lead to coldness in limbs.
r) Smell
of raw meat indicates possibility of disease of muscle or adipose tissue.
3)
Others
s)
Droplets of fats - Rheumatoid arthritis (mudakkuvatham)
t)
Gravel in the urine sample indicates possibility for stones in the
urinary tract
u)
Scanty urine indicates water retention in the body
v) Tea,
coffee and alcohol are the substance stimulate urination and
aggravates pitta.
q) Dripping or continuous flow – Bladder is affected by
impact (Varmam)
r) Hot or painful – infection of the bladder
s) Direction of its flow
·
Left
side – indicated that impact (Varmam) has occurred on right side
·
Right
side – denotes that impact (Varmam) has occurred on the left side.
4) Test and careful
observations
Am sure, you will be wondering how is was done. The process
is very simple, and requires no sophisticated equipment or a laboratory.
Urine collected at about 5 am from midstream is put into a
china or glass bowl or cup and after ascertaining that the urine is stable and
devoid of wave or ripples, one drop of Gingelly oil (sesame) is dropped form a
very low height over the surface of urine without disturbing or touching the
surface and left for a few minutes. The pattern, spread time,
direction, spilt time, area covered and the distribution of the oil drop on the
urine are then considered to determine the diagnosis and prognostic feature.
If the shape of the oil dropped is
a) Elongated of the spot or takes the shape of snake, it indicates Vatha
illness
b) If it spreads on all directions or takes the shape of umbrella or has
rainbow colours, it indicates Pitha illness
c) Looks like spray or takes the shape of spray or pearl, it indicates Kapha
illness
d) If oil spreads quickly over the surface of urine the disease can be cured
e) If oil remains or if it does not spread, it is considered difficult to
treat
f)
If the oil sinks to the
bottom of the vessel it is incurable
And the list goes on. The examination of the urine constitutes a distinct
branch by itself and the science of the examination of the urine (Neerkuri
Sastram) is of great interest.
Hope you enjoyed reading
this article and remember to share it with your friends.. …. Keep in touch, Will write on the other diagnosis methods in
my future articles.
Obervation of urine diagnosis
 |
| Without any pattern – healthy person |
 |
| Reddish yellow tinged urine of Hepatitis A – with demon or tiger shaped pattern - curable disease |
 |
| Sieve shape of oil - (Rheumatoid arthritis) |
 |
| Viral fever with the oil spread pattern in the shape of snake – Vatha - curable disease |
 |
| Bubbles shape of oil spread – Viral fever – curable disease |
 |
Ring shape oil spread -
from Pandu (Anemia) - curable diseases
|
 |
Mukta (pearls) shape of oil spread - curable
Disease – Kapha - (Productive cough) |
 |
Owl bird shape of oil
spread Madhumeha
(Diabetes)
|
Photos: Courtesy of AYU
(An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda)
