Stages of Disease In Ayurveda.

According to Ayurveda, there are six progressive stages of disease resulting from uncontrolled aggravating causes: accumulation, provocation, spread, deposition, manifestation, and differentiation.

ACCUMULATION
During the first stage, the aggravated dosha begins to accumulate in its respective location: kapha in the stomach, pitta in the small intestine, and vata in the colon. The dosha that accumulates is the result of one or more of the various causes previously listed. This beginning stage is the ideal time to begin therapy; the dosha is more easily removed before the condition spreads beyond its primary location. For this reason, Ayurveda strongly advises seasonal purification at the juncture of the seasons to eliminate the accumulation of doshas that tend to occur during the season.

PROVOCATION
During the second stage, vata, pitta, or kapha continue to accumulate in their respective locations and begin to affect the function of these and surrounding organs. This stage is also relatively easy to treat, although attention must be taken to strengthen the organs under pressure after the increased doshas are removed from the body. Excess dosha is removed by the traditional Ayurvedic cleansing therapy called panchakarma. The organ systems are strengthened through herbal supplements and modification of diet and lifestyle.

SPREAD
The third stage is spread. At this stage, the aggravated dosha moves from its primary location and begins to circulate in the body. The doshas may move in any direction. If vata moves upward, it can cause nausea, vomiting, or a feeling of light-headedness. If it moves downward too rapidly, diarrhea may result.
The tissues and organs of the body are divided into three margas, or pathways, through which the doshas flow. When a dosha enters this third stage of spread, it begins to travel along one of these pathways.

These margas are as follows:

• The internal, or gastrointestinal, pathway, which includes the entire alimentary canal.
• The intermediate pathway, which includes rasa (plasma) and rakta dhatus (blood tissues).
• The deep, or vital, pathway, which includes all the other dhatus (mamsa, muscle tissue; meda, fat tissue; asthi, bone tissue; majja, nerve tissue; and shukra/artava, reproductive tissue). This pathway also encompasses the essential organs and major vessels and nerves.

DEPOSITION
During the fourth stage, deposition, the aggravated dosha settles in a weak area in the bodily tissues and begins to accumulate. It is during this stage that the disease's prodromal symptoms begin. The physician must recognize these symptoms so that treatment can be initiated. By stopping the disease process at this stage, the body can heal itself more rapidly with less danger of lasting effects.

MANIFESTATION AND DIFFERENTIATION
In the fifth stage of manifestation, the diagnosis of the disease and the cardinal signs and symptoms are readily apparent. In Sanskrit, the sixth stage of disease is called bheda, which means destruction or differentiation (i.e., tissue damage). When the disease process reaches the sixth stage, it is fully manifest with structural changes and complications involving other tissues and systems. The disease is also more difficult to treat at this stage.