Vata Vyadhi (Pakshaghata Hemiplegia)

Pakshaghata (Hemiplegia), commonly known as a cerebral stroke, is a devastating illness with a high mortality rate. Among those who survive, many face significant disabilities. Stroke is as old as humankind, with references found in ancient classical Ayurvedic texts.

Globally, stroke is recognized as the second leading cause of death. Its incidence is particularly high in low-and middle-income countries and continues to rise steadily. The stroke rate increased from 56 per 100,000 people in the 1970s to 117 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2008, reaching 152 per 100,000 in 2021. Recognizing the seriousness of this condition, the WHO declared October 29th as World Stroke Day.

Strokes are classified into two types:

1. Ischemic stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is blocked due to a clot in the blood vessels.

2. Hemorrhagic stroke - occurs when bleeding in the brain is the primary cause.

Every year, there are approximately 13.7 million new cases of stroke worldwide, resulting in six million deaths. Studies indicate that one in four people over the age of 25 will experience a stroke in their lifetime. Additionally, nearly 116 million years of healthy life are lost due to stroke annually.

In India, various socio-economic changes have led to altered lifestyles, including reduced physical activity, excessive consumption of processed foods, and increased workplace stress. These factors have contributed to a rise in stroke risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. A particularly alarming trend is the increasing incidence of strokes among young individuals. Between 1996 and 2019, stroke cases in India doubled, reflecting a 100% increase.

About the Author:

Dr. B.G.Gopinath was born in the year 1941 at the village of Barige, Soraba Taluk of Shimoga district Karnataka, to Vaidya Sri. Ganesha S Patela and Smt. Nagavenamma. His early education was at Keladi and Sagara. He studied Ayurveda at Udupi and Postgraduate studies at Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar. He started his carreer as Lecturer at Udupi Ayurveda College. Subsequently he joined the Government Ayurveda Medical College, Mysuru. He worked as Assisstant Professor, Professor and Head of the Department of Kayachikitsa at Mysuru and Bengaluru. He also worked as Principal, Alva's Ayurveda Medical College Mudbidri, Karnataka; Ayurveda Medical College, Mangaluru and Mata Amrutanandamayi Ayurveda College, Kollam. He also functioned as Dean Sri Sri Ayurveda Medical College Bengaluru. He has guided more than 35 postgraduate theses and was an examiner to all the universities in Karnataka both for undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses as well as Osmania, Kerala and NTR universities.