Scooping Review on the Symptoms of Apana vayu vaigunya in relation with Atiyana

The science of life which explains the knowledge of various guidelines to be followed to make a healthy living is called Ayurveda. With the expansion of facilities of travel and occupation, man has to undertake extensive journeys, through diverse modes such as rail, road, water, etc. Most of these situations cited have been principally implicated in the vaigunya (state of altered functioning) of Apanavayu. The manifestation of Apana vayu vaigunya varies from mild cases of constipation to severe cases of mental disturbances. One of the prominent factors highlighted as a cause of Apana vaigunya is Atiyana (excessive travel by any modality).

Symptoms of Apana Vayu vaigunya told in major classical books of Ayurveda were gathered to deduce a comprehensive understanding of the context. Apanavata is invariably associated with the component of pathogenesis in 45 diseases starting from Vatavyadi, Arsas(piles), Asmari, Prameha, Sosha, Jwara, Rakthapitta(Bleeding disorders), Vatarakta, Gulma(phatom tumour), Udara, Mutrakrcha(difficulty in urination), etc. Later the symptoms possibly associated with the vitiation of Apanavata present in diseases were listed and 332 symptoms were found to be associated with Apana kopa (vitiation of apana). These symptoms were further tabulated according to the order of frequency of occurrence as most repeatedly occurring symptoms, moderately repeated symptoms and least repeated symptoms. Thus out of 332 symptoms, 28 symptoms which can possibly occur due to atiyana were selected. In the modern era, due to irregular and bad habits of ahara, vihara along with the suppression of natural urges, the percentage of Apanavaigunyajanya vyadhis are increasing, which affects physical as well as psychological factors also. Work related travel is also now increasing, so it is the right time to concentrate this issue from the concepts of Ayurveda, Apana vayu vaigunya and athiyana. Based on these observations, aim of the present study is to explore the hidden concept of Apana vaigunya mentioned in Ayurvedic literature in relation with atiyana.