The main difference between Ayurveda and Unani is that Ayurveda is a traditional Hindu medicine system, while Unani is an ancient system of medicine that has originated based on the teachings of Hippocrates and the Greek philosophers Galen and Razes.
Many years back, Unani medicine was greatly practiced by the Middle Eastern and South Asian medicine practitioners and was later converted into a more elaborate system of medicine by the Arabs and the Persians during the Middle Ages. The system of Ayurveda medicine originated in India more than 3000 years ago.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Ayurveda
– Definition, Beliefs, Treatment
2. What is Unani
– Definition, Beliefs, Treatment
3. Similarities Between Ayurveda and Unani
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Ayurveda and Unani
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Ayurveda, Unani
What is Ayurveda
Ayurveda is a traditional medicine system that originated in India. It has a long history of more than 3000 years. This medicine practice was initially passed from one generation to another through sages. However, this ayurvedic knowledge was later documented in books.
Within the Ayurveda medicine system, there are five elements, air, water, fire, earth, and ether, which make up the universe. Ayurveda experts believe that these five elements are present in the human body in the forms of vata, pitta, and kapha. Ayurvedic doctors believe that an imbalance in these elements can result in doshas, which brings us diseases.
In Ayurveda, doctors follow eight different ways of diagnosis: pulse, tongue, stool, vision, speech, appearance, and touch. Most significantly, in Ayurveda, the medicine focuses on boosting the ability of the human body to fight against diseases. Ayurveda doctors often use metals, minerals, and herbs to produce Ayurveda medicine. They also use massages, special diets, and cleansing techniques such as panchakarma therapy, where the body is purified through the five processes: vomiting, enema, blood detoxification, elimination through the nose, and purgation.
What is Unani
Unani refers to an ancient system of medicine that flourished with the teachings of Hippocrates, followed by the contributions of the Greek philosophers, Razes and Galen. Unani medicine is mainly practiced by doctors in South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. This system of medicine was converted into a more elaborate system of medicine by the Persians and the Arabs during the Middle Ages.
Unani medical system focus on the functioning of the key elements water, air, earth, and fire in maintaining human health. Moreover, Unani physicians believe that maintaining an equilibrium among the four humors, blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, in the body helps to maintain a healthy human body. The disease diagnosis in Unani medicine mainly involves examining the patient’s pulse and observing the patient’s appearance. Furthermore, Unani physicians also take into consideration the details as sleep history, diet patterns, and the history of psychological makeup.
Just like Ayurveda medicine, Unani involves natural medicine such as plant products. Most significantly, Unani medicine uses regimental therapy in order to remove toxic agents from the body and cleanse the systems through the techniques such as Turkish baths, massage, sweating, vomiting, purging, leeching, and exercising. Dieting is also a common technique in Unani medicine through which the doctor mainly regulates the quantity and the quality of food intake of the patient.
Similarities Between Ayurveda and Unani
- Ayurveda and Unani are two traditional systems of medicine with a long history.
- Both Ayurveda and Unani are still in practice today, especially in Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
- Both medicine systems use plants products and herbs.
Difference Between Ayurveda and Unani
Definition
Ayurveda is a traditional Hindu medicine system while Unani is an ancient system of medicine that originated based on the teachings of Hippocrates and the Greek philosophers Galen and Razes.
Belief System
In the Ayurveda medicine system, physicians believe that the universe is made out of five elements: air, water, fire, earth, and ether. These five elements are present in the human body in the forms of vata, pitta, and kapha. In the Unani medical system, physicians believe in the functioning of four key elements, water, air, earth, and fire, for the perseverance of health in the human body. Moreover, they believe that the equilibrium among the four humors, blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, helps to maintain a healthy human body.
Disease Diagnosis
In Unani medicine, disease diagnosis mainly involves examining the patient’s pulse and observing the patient’s appearance. But in Ayurveda, doctors follow eight different ways of diagnosis: pulse, tongue, stool, vision, speech, appearance, and touch.
Treatments
Apart from ayurvedic medicine, Ayurveda doctors also use techniques such as massages, special diets, and cleansing techniques, whereas Unani physicians use Turkish baths, massage, sweating, vomiting, purging, leeching, dieting, and exercising.
Conclusion
The main difference between Ayurveda and Unani is that Ayurveda is a traditional Hindu medicine system, while Unani is an ancient system of medicine that has originated based on the teachings of Hippocrates and the Greek philosophers Galen and Razes. Ayurveda medicine system is still well preserved in the South Asian countries, and Unani practice can be seen in both South Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Reference:
1. “Why Ayurveda?” Om Vedic Heritage | Ayurveda Pharmacy.
2. “Unani Medicine.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Ayurveda humors” By Krishnavedala – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Photo of nature, plant, board, wood, bunch, leaf, glass, aroma, food, green, spice, cooking, culinary, herb, produce, vegetable, natural, kitchen, care, drink, bottle, garden, medicine, lifestyle, healthy, cuisine, sauce, lemon, basil, freshness, eating, relaxation, spa, wooden, mortar, hairy, skin, raw, massage, oil, perfume, organic, fragrance, aromatic, therapy, aromatherapy, treatment, wellness, flavor, herbal, essential, flowering plant, land plant” (CC0) via Pxhere
Leave a Reply