Critical Evaluation of Ayurvedic Shabda Pariksha (Auscultation) In Diagnosis of Diseases WSR to Computerized Sound Analysis

Authors: Waghe SD

DOI: 10.23880/jonam-16000349

Volume 6, Issue 2

Abstract

The various sound produced in the body are used as tools in the diagnosis of disease by Ayurvedic acharyas. Acharya Charaka, in Vimansthana, had asked to examine the bowel sounds, joint crepitation and other peculiar sounds produced in the body such as cough and hiccups to diagnose the particular disease condition of particular system. Apart from this ancient Ayurvedic scholars have described the typical sound produced in various disease conditions such as Tamak shwasa (Bronchial Asthma) causing audible wheeze. Maha Shwasa (Kussmaul’s breathing) causing loud audible wheeze. Krukaj Kasa (Whooping cough) causing characteristic Whoop sound, Swarabheda (Laryngeal disease) causing hoarseness of voice. These qualitative acoustic differences of cough could be well picked up by the trained physicians. Attempts to record the cough sound digitally and to analyse it on computer software are being going on across the globe. Examination of waveforms and spectrograms related to coughing as obtained from computerized respiratory sound analysis should hold a future acoustic based laboratory diagnosis of cough. Furter Ayurveda is also of the view that every individual has characteristic voice depending upon the doshik predominance of his body constitution. It is observed and concluded that sound examination can be used as tool to diagnose the disease and body phenotype as mentioned in Ayurveda.

Keywords: Shrawan; Auscultation; Shwasa; Kasa

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