Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Vidagdhajirna is a type of ajirna – indigestion.
The word Vidagdhajirna is made up of two terms –
– Vidagdha – this word has many meanings – burnt up, decomposed, spoiled, that which has turned sour, undigested
– Ajirna – indigestion of food
So, Vidagdhajirna = Vidagdha + Ajirna = is indigestion caused when the food gets burnt up, gets undigested and decomposed with change in its normal taste and turning sour ‘when the agni – digestive fire is influenced by morbid pitta’.
The pitta relation and mechanism / pathogenesis of vidagdhajirna
पित्ताद्विदग्धंतृ….| ॥अ.हृसू.८/२६॥
When the agni is influenced by high pitta, it causes vidagdha ajirna. Here, the fire is very intense and ‘all burning’ in nature and would burn the food instead of digesting it. The kind of agni will be tikshnagni i.e. severe and intense fire.
How can increased pitta cause agnimandya and ajirna?
We know that agni – the fire and surya – the sun energy represented by heat is represented in the body in the form of pitta. So, pitta is actually ‘body’s fire component’. Pitta and its subtypes are not only responsible for metabolism but also for all transformations and conversions and many other functions which might be caused and regulated by the heat.
When pitta represents agni in the body and in the gut, how can increased pitta cause sluggishness of the digestive fire and indigestion?
Master Charaka tells – ‘Just like the hot water too can put off the fire, pitta, since it is in the liquid form and is equivalent to hot water, can put off the gut fire and cause indigestion’.
Mechanism
Excessive consumption of pitta aggravating foods and activities
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Aggravation / Vitiation of pitta
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Pitta influences the agni
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Increase of qualities of pitta, mainly the liquidity (dravatva)
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Ati Dravatva – increased liquidity of pitta diminishes the ushna – hot and teekshna (strong and penetrating) quality of agni (digestive fire)
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Agnimandya – sluggishness of digestive fire occurs
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This will lead to indigestion of food
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The food acquired vidagdhata – gets burnt and sour
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This is called vidagdhajirna
What causes mandagni and ajirna: Decreased pitta or increased pitta?
Both. We have discussed how increased pitta causes low digestive strength and consequent indigestion in the above paragraph. Coming to decreased pitta in the gut, there will be agni and less heat (mandoshmata) – inadequate and weak enough not to digest food properly. This will also cause indigestion.
Effect of other doshas on pitta induced ajirna i.e. vidagdhajirna
Along with Pachaka Pitta, Samana Vata which fuels agni (pachaka pitta) and Kledaka Kapha (which moistens the food and makes it into a bolus) take part in the digestion activity in the stomach and upper part of the small intestine. When all these work in an integrated way, cooperating and complementing each other, the food is properly digested. When there is relative imbalance among these doshas the environment in the gut will get messed up.
When there is excessive kapha in the gut, it would dilute pitta / agni and hence would cause ajirna. When vata in the gut is weak, it doesn’t flame the fire. Even in this condition, the agni would become weak and cause ajirna.
But in the context of vidagdhajirna we consider the increase of pitta as caused by teekshnagni i.e. intense digestive fire which further leads to burning up of pitta. When the food is influenced by such a vidagdha pitta, it will lead to vidagdhajirna i.e. the food also will acquire vidagdhata i.e. sourness.
Tikshnagni and Vidagdhajirna
When the digestive fire is very intense, instead of digesting the food properly, it will cause burning and charring of food. This is also a type of indigestion wherein the food gets digested in a premature way, quicker than what is desired. This burnt food does not provide nutrition and is in a vidagdha state. This would lead to vidagdhajirna.
Causes of Vidagdhajirna
– Pitta vriddhikara nidana – etiological factors which would lead to pitta increase
– Kapha vriddhikara nidana – etiological factors which would cause kapha increase
– Ajirna nidana – etiological factors mentioned to cause indigestion
– Agnimandya nidana – etiological factors which are mentioned to cause sluggishness of digestive fire
– Manasika nidana – conditions like krodha – anger, which could increase pitta
Preventive measures
Avoiding the above said etiological factors / causes of vidagdhajirna are themselves the best preventive measures.
Symptoms of Vidagdhajirna
विदग्धे भ्रमतृण्मूर्च्छाः पित्ताञ्च विविधा रुजः।
उद्गारश्च सधूमाम्लः स्वेदो दाहश्च जायते॥मा.नि.६/११॥
Below mentioned are the symptoms of Vidagdhajirna –
– Bhrama – giddiness / dizziness
– Trishna – extreme thirst
– Murcha – fainting
– Vividha Pitta Ruja – various types of pains and troubles of pitta origin
– Sa dhuma amla udgara – belching which appears like smoke (as if smoke is coming out of the mouth) and is sour in taste
– Sveda – excessive sweating
– Daha – excessive burning sensation in the stomach and body parts
Treatment principles of Vidagdhajirna
Nidana Parivarjana
Keeping away the causative factors of ajirna and those which cause aggravation of pitta is the key for success in treating these conditions comprehensively.
Vamana or any other suitable measures as and when needed
विदग्धेवमनंयद्वायथावस्थंहितंभवेत्| ॥अ.हृ.सू.८/२७॥
Vamana – therapeutic emesis is said to be the best treatment for Vidagdha Ajirna. This is because there is plenty of burnt (food digested in a hurry), improperly digested and semi digested food in the stomach, which is also acidic in nature owing to the ushna, teekshna properties of pitta. This can irritate the stomach, cause belching, heartburn, damage to the stomach and intestines and can get toxic if it is not removed quickly from the stomach. It will also cause the symptoms of vidagdha ajirna. Such food becomes troublesome when it neither gets eliminated nor absorbed. It has to be expelled as soon as possible. Emesis will be the easiest and most effective therapy in this condition, to remove vidagdha food and excess pitta from the system. It also does stomach cleansing while reducing the symptoms.
Yatha Avastham Hitam Bhavet – Apart from this, Master Vagbhata says ‘implement anything which is beneficial as per the stage of the disease and condition of the patient’. This includes therapies like Virechana, to flush off the excessive pitta and to take control over its hyper-production and hyperactivity which could cause severe inflammatory changes and burnouts in future. After administering vamana, it is important to control pitta hyperactivity and finetune the stomach and intestines. Vamana and Virechana would reestablish the health and normal functioning of the stomach and intestines. Other important things to consider in this are – dosha and disease modifying foods, habits and lifestyle changes.
Other considerations
– Ajirna Chikitsa – General line of treatment of ajirna should be considered. This includes foods, medicines, therapies and lifestyle changes in accordance to the disease and doshas involved.
– Agnimandya Chikitsa – Line of treatment of agnimandya too shall be considered and implemented.
– Teekshna Agni – The digestive fire influenced by aggravated Vata will be too intense. This agni should be addressed.
– Pitta Vriddhi Chikitsa – It is important to combat the pitta aggravation and adopt Pitta balancing measures.