Upashya  

(Diagnosis by experimental method)

Upashya is a form of diagnosis method by applying the therapeutic method. After making a detailed investigation through all the methods of diagnosis discussed above i.e. nidanam, purva roopam, roopa, and sampraapti, a physician may still have a doubt regarding sure diagnosing a disease. The doubt may arise in exactly telling the nature of the disease i.e. the vitiated dosha etc. in such a condition upashya comes to play. As an example, we can say that, if there is any doubt regarding the disease presentation about its dosha aggravation .i.e. does it has vata dominance or pitta dominance or kapha dominance. So to get it confirmed, we suppose things like we assume that the disease is vata in nature or has occurred due to imbalance in vata, the physician administer anti- vata measures like he will be giving the patient with the anti vata medicine or snigdh (slimy) diet or advice him a panchkarma treatment like snigdh swed etc. if the disease is ameliorated thereby, his tentative diagnosis is confirmed; and this is called upashya. He is then enabled to pursue the treatment by anti vata measures in proper vigorous manner. Thus the medicine, food, panchkarma therapy or the modification in the life style which ahs given relief is called upashya. If the patient’s problem gets aggravated then by following this, it is then sure that it is not the cause or the aggravated dosha, then it is terms d as anupshya. It should be immediately stopped. Thus by knowing the anupshya, the physician is able to take an entire different course. This type of experimentation should be performed by a well qualified person and not by everyone as this involves complete knowledge of the subject. As mentioned by the ancient Maharishi Chakrapani, this sort of diagnostic method should be the last option of the intelligent physician for the purpose of diagnosis of a disease with hidden symptoms.

Upashya thus can be defined as the unbroken sequence of relief from the disease obtained by the use of Aushadh (medicine) or aahar (food) or vihar (lifestyle). It is to be noted that upashya gives the permanent cure not the temporary relief. Take an example of ahifen (opium), it can give a temporary relief say from headache but it is the solution of a problem and does not resolve the cause by which headache is caused.

Upashya is also called vyadhisatmya, i.e. which is conductive to the welfare of the patient by giving relief from the disease.

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