Article: COMPREHENSIVE AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA USING SHODHANA AND SHAMANA THERAPIES: A CASE REPORT

Article Category: Case Reports

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.17391

Pages: 20-23

Author: KM Aparna *

Abstract: Ayurveda emphasises the preservation of health and the management of disease through comprehensive and individualised therapeutic approaches. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic sleep-related breathing disorder characterised by recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to loud snoring, nocturnal breathing difficulty, and disturbed sleep architecture. Progressive airway narrowing may result in intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, and impaired quality of life. Conventional management includes Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy and surgical correction; however, patient compliance is often limited by discomfort or reluctance to undergo invasive procedures. A 48-year-old male patient diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in 2023 presented with complaints of snoring for 10 years and breathing difficulty during sleep for 1 year, including episodes in the supine position. He had a history of deviated nasal septum (towards the left) and bilateral turbinate hypertrophy. Although advised CPAP titration and surgical management, he declined these interventions. The patient underwent inpatient Ayurvedic management incorporating Shodhana therapies such as Vamana, Udwarthanam, Pradhamana Nasya, Teekshna Basti, and Marsha Nasya, along with internal Shamana medications and supportive yoga practices. At discharge, a reduction in snoring intensity and the absence of nocturnal breathing difficulty were observed. This case suggests that a comprehensive Ayurvedic approach integrating purification and pacificatory therapies may provide symptomatic improvement in selected OSA patients. Further controlled studies with objective sleep parameters are required to establish its clinical efficacy.

Keyword: Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Shodhana, Shamana, Nasya, Panchakarma.