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Conditionरोग

Indigestion (ajirna)

अजीर्ण (अपच) · अजीर्ण

Extracted from the text8 references

Ajirna is food that is not digested, in three kinds (ama, vidagdha, vishtabdha); constant eating of many foods leads to it and to alasaka, vilambika and vishuchika. It is treated with emesis, sudation, suppositories, digestive drugs, fasting and hot water, and certain signs are said to foretell death.

Names and synonyms

Sanskrit
अजीर्णअजीर्णरोगआमाजीर्णविदग्धाजीर्णविष्टब्धाजीर्ण
Hindi
अजीर्णअपचबदहजमी
English
Indigestionindigestiondyspepsia
Romanized
ajirnaapach

Types described in the text

Ama indigestion

आमाजीर्ण

Food stays raw and sweet, with sweet belching; the footnote links it to kapha.

Vidagdha indigestion

विदग्धाजीर्ण

Eaten food digests a little and turns sour; the footnote links it to pitta.

Vishtabdha indigestion

विष्टब्धाजीर्ण

Severe abdominal pain, distension and retention of stool; the footnote links it to vata.

What the text says

Each statement reports the source, with its chapter, page and verse. Traditional descriptions are not presented as proven medical facts.

Definition1

  • The commentary defines ajirna as the state in which food eaten is not digested.

    Chapter 17 · p. 351 · v. 23Hindi commentaryTraditional description

Classification1

  • Three kinds are named: ama indigestion, where food stays raw and sweet; vidagdha, where it turns sour after partial digestion; and vishtabdha, with severe abdominal pain, distension and retained stool.

    Chapter 17 · p. 351 · v. 23Sanskrit verseTraditional description

Causes4

  • Indigestion, along with irregular digestive fire, is named among the effects of a medicine given beyond the proper dose.

    Chapter 3 · p. 33 · v. 36Hindi commentaryTraditional description
  • Food eaten without an after-drink is said to dry up and cause indigestion, troubling the body.

    Chapter 4 · p. 51 · v. 19Hindi commentaryTraditional description
  • A footnote says ama indigestion arises from kapha, vidagdha from pitta and vishtabdha from vata.

    Chapter 17 · p. 351 · v. 23FootnoteTraditional description
  • Eating many kinds of food continually, like a cow, is said to produce indigestion and from it alasaka, vilambika and vishuchika.

    Chapter 17 · p. 352 · v. 24Hindi commentaryTraditional description

How it develops1

  • Indigestion is listed among the causes of kapha aggravation.

    Chapter 3 · p. 39 · v. 60Hindi commentaryTraditional description

Treatment principle1

  • Indigestion is to be relieved by emesis, sudation, a medicated wick placed in the anus, drugs that kindle the digestive fire, fasting and drinking hot water.

    Chapter 17 · p. 353 · v. 28Hindi commentaryTraditional description

Regimen1

  • Fasting is called the best measure for indigestion, with hot water drunk only on thirst, because the very weak digestive fire cannot digest food, medicine or doshas.

    Chapter 17 · p. 353 · v. 29Hindi commentaryTraditional description

Prognosis1

  • Blackening of the tongue, teeth, nails and lips, excessive vomiting, sunken eyes, loss of voice, loss of memory and slackness of the limbs are said to foretell the quick death of an indigestion patient.

    Chapter 17 · p. 354 · v. 37Sanskrit verseTraditional description

Where else is this mentioned?

Named 45 times on 25 pages. These are automatic name matches, so a few may refer to something else with the same name.

Questions and answers

What are the three kinds of ajirna, and which dosha does the footnote link to each?

Ama ajirna (food stays raw and sweet) from kapha, vidagdha (food turns sour) from pitta, and vishtabdha (severe pain, distension, retained stool) from vata.

Detailed answer and sources

All references

Every page and verse of the source that this entry draws on.

Quick facts

Content type
Condition
Categories
Digestive
Source pages with records
7
Pages naming it
25
Extraction tasks
T02, T03, T17
Record id
condition_ajirna