Article: FIBROCYSTIC BREAST DISEASE IN AYURVEDA: A REVIEW

Article Category: Review articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.16264

Pages: 162-165

Author: Priyanka Yadav, Anil Kumar, Rahul Sherkhane, Ashish Sharma *

Abstract: Fibrocystic breast disease is the most common benign breast condition in females of mature reproductive years (25–40 years) characterized by cyclical mastalgia and tenderness along with a sense of increased breast engorgement, nodularity or lumpiness of fluctuating sizes. The objective of present article is to comprehend the understanding of fibrocystic breast disease in terms of Ayurveda. A literary survey of relevant Ayurveda texts, standard textbooks of surgery and gynecology as well as web-based search engines and electronic databases revealed that the description of breast diseases in Ayurveda revolves around inflammatory and suppurative pathologies and no specific breast disease has been described which can be directly correlated with fibrocystic breast disease. However, the features of fibrocystic disease like cyclical nature of pain of varying degree, areas of nodularity with lumps of waxing and waning nature, cysts containing a cloudy yellow or clear fluid with firm consistency etc. are in accordance with the features of Vataja and Kaphaja Granthi described in Ayurveda. Therefore, on the basis of pathology, appearance, character and clinical presentation of fibrocystic breast disease, it may be closely correlated with Stana-granthi of Vataja or Kaphaja type in Ayurveda.

Keyword: Fibrocystic breast disease, fibroadenosis, Ayurveda, Granthi-roga, Stana-roga, Stana-granthi.