My work is worship; Dr. Shahana AK, specialist in Ayurvedic para-surgery

This disease can mean pain like shame. This is especially true when it comes to anorectal diseases. Remedies are available in Allopathy but these are expensive and do not guarantee recurrence.

Free piles for five rupees….read news headline in Malayalam daily soon. This was done not by an Allopath but by an Ayurveda doctor at the Ksharasootra clinic of the Government Ayurveda Hospital at Chelakkara in Thrissur district.

The clinic and its head Dr Shahana AK have been attracting patients from different parts of the state and even from abroad for treatment of anorectal diseases such as fistula, hemorrhoids, fissures, and rectal prolapse. He treats them the old fashioned way kharasootra which involves inserting a thread containing medicine into the affected area or fistula.

A custom called Ksharasootra it takes very little time and the patient does not even need to be admitted. The thread is replaced with a new one several times until the patient is cured. It is simple, non-invasive, has no side effects, is inexpensive, and leads to less recurrence of the problem than surgery.

Dr. Shahana performs surgery in his clinic

Sushruta is considered the “Father of Plastic Surgery” and lived in India between 1000 and 800 BC. He is the author of the book The In Suśrutasaṃhitā which includes special chapters describing the surgical training, equipment, and methods of ancient Indian procedures. One of the oldest palm leaf manuscripts of the Sushrutasamhita is kept in the Kaiser Library of Nepal.

Dr Shahana has been practicing this ancient Ayurvedic surgical procedure in a government clinic for the past few decades and his name has become associated with Ksharasootra. Success stories have been spread across the country only by word of mouth, says the doctor. No one has tried to publish it. He says people come here after hearing about people who have been healed.

Speaking about a recent issue in a newspaper, he said: I want more people to know about the treatment so that they don’t fall for quacks, who ruin their cases forever and they charge a lot of money.

After his BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) he went on to do his master’s in surgery or Shalya tantra which had only three seats in government colleges at that time. In Ayurveda surgery has many para-surgical procedures including Ksharasootra, rakthamoksham, ksharakarmand and so on.

Although Ksharasootra was created by the father of Ayurveda Susruta centuries ago, this practice has evolved over the years, points out this author.

Why he chose Ksharasootrahe says, “I wanted to use my education to help as many people as possible.”

The world of anorectal diseases is dark, silent, and obscure where patients suffer in silence with fear and shame to reveal their suffering when it affects their private parts. If the patients are women, then it is even more embarrassing to discuss this issue with doctors.

Chelakkara Gram Panchayat Government Ayurveda Hospital in Thrissur

Patients are treated in Allopathy and undergo multiple surgeries when piles or cracks recur. So they run out of money when they turn to Ayurveda for a recurring condition, he says.

“When I started working the quacks ruled, as they promoted themselves as experts in this ancient method and provided treatment for piles, fissures and fistulas without surgery. o said.

Treatment of diseases like piles, fistula or fissures is free in his clinic, while other government Ayurveda hospitals in Kerala charge a token fee. Private Ayurveda clinics can be expensive.

The main advantage he says is that it does not cause uncertainty. Since it is a treatment in the anal area, patients often lose bowel control after surgery in Allopathy.

He says the situation of patients with anorectal disease has changed a lot. “Before there were mostly middle-aged people. Today there is no age difference. They come from all age groups including teenagers and children. Poor toilet habits, stress, junk food and lack of exercise all contribute to eating disorders in children even under the age of ten.

Dr. Shahana is spreading awareness about rectal disease

These diseases also occur in pregnant women mainly because of the normal food they eat for a healthy child. Nowadays, women do not have the ability to digest food and are being given meat supplements. So women who are already suffering from constipation get worse and have problems with urination and come here.

Patients are divided into groups and communities, and surprisingly, every religious festival leads to an increase in the number of patients in his clinic.

Onam, Easter, Christmas and Eid all create tension in situations and aggravate old cases. During the fasting month of Ramzan, patients suffer a lot as they eat spicy and fatty foods to break their daily fast. He says that it worsens these problems. At some festivals, the consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to high spirits.

His clinic is preparing to celebrate World Piles Day on November 20 with awareness camps and posters. He says: “We are trying our best to reach as many people as possible so that they can be saved from quack people. People often resort to self-medication, to avoid medical examination of their private parts. Or they go to quacks to avoid surgery. “They don’t realize that cancer of the spine and piles often show the same symptoms that can only be seen by a good doctor,” he says.

The explosion of Sage Sushrut

The Ksharasootra the clinic run by him single-handedly for the past few decades will be declared a center of excellence by the Kerala Government. This would mean more doctors and more money. “Of course, I would have retired by then but the treatment facilities would have improved,” he says.

It was asked if there is a stigma attached to the practice Ksharasootra he believes that the number of Ksharasootra experts are very few in the government. But he feels that it is because very few seats are available for surgery or Shalyatantra. “Not everyone who takes the course can get the opportunity or have the mindset to pursue this method. It is not possible for everyone,” he adds quoting Susruta on the qualities required of a surgeon… shauryamashukriyataishyam…. it means courage, speed and fearlessness while paying attention to the patient’s condition.…

“As for me, I feel it is an opportunity to do good. People come to me after two or three surgeries. Recently I had a patient who had eight times for piles and fistulas. He was mentally and physically broken, I can bring these people back, many of whom are suicidal. trust and normality,” he says.

He says his religion in Islam or his gender does not discourage the work he does.

“Being a woman has been an advantage that I feel as I am able to sympathize with their pain and approach patients with the love and concern of mothers. As a Muslim, the work I do is considered equal to devotion. Islam it considers all good deeds done with good intentions as ibadat. These devotions are considered superior to prayers or reading the scriptures,” he says.

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Dr. Shahana believes that if a person has a job that allows him to do good for many people, he should do everything he can. “That’s my plan. People often ask me why I take so much trouble to help these patients. I think that for anyone such as doctors or politicians who are in a position to do work for the benefit of the public and do not do it, then they should not be in that position.”

The writer is a former editor of Business Standard and teaches at a school in Andhra Pradesh