Bone Tissue

🦴 Understanding Asthi Dhatu: The Body's Skeletal Tissue

Asthi Dhatu, associated with Air and Space elements and inversely related to Vata dosha, forms the skeletal framework that gives the body its structure and support. It produces teeth as a sub-tissue and contributes to bone marrow formation. Imbalances manifest as either excessive bone growth with related dental issues or bone degradation conditions like osteoporosis. Treatment approaches include calcium-rich diets, specialized therapies, and dosha-specific dietary regimens to restore proper balance between Vata and Asthi.

What is Asthi Dhatu?

Asthi Dhatu constitutes the basic structure and skeleton on which the body is constructed and upheld, providing shape and support to the body as a whole.¹

• Associated Elements: Air (Vayu) and Space(Akash)²
• Primary Dosha: Vata²
  • Note: Asthi Dhatu is inversely linked to Vata, meaning Asthi decreases with an increase in Vata and vice-versa.²

✨ Key Functions of Asthi Dhatu

• Constitutes the basic structure and skeleton
• Provides shape and support to the body as a whole¹
• Helps in production of Majja dhatu (bone marrow)¹
• Helps in production of sub-dhatus:
  • Teeth (Danta)²

🔺 Symptoms of Increased Asthi Dhatu

• Abnormally large and thick bones
• Bone enlargement
• Excess growth in the nails and hair mass
• Extra teeth or enlargement of teeth
• Pain in bones and teeth
• Distortion of the nails
• Diseases of the hair, beard, and body hair
• Calcaneal spur (heel spur)²
• Irregular shape of bones and joints due to extra growths²
• Healthy cravings for bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes²

🔻 Symptoms of Decreased Asthi Dhatu

Bone Issues

• Osteoporosis
• Degradation of bone - bones become brittle
• Pain and roughness in bones and joints
• Loss of sensation
• Looseness in joints
• Irregular shape of bones and joints due to porosity and weakness
• Teeth: Cavities, breaking of teeth, thin enamel, dullness in teeth color²
• Hair: Hairfall, thinning of hair, dryness of scalp, and dandruff²
• Nails: Ridges, easy breakage, white patches, darkening, and falling off²

Cravings²

• Healthy cravings for sweet, salty, and sour tastes, non-vegetarian foods
• Cravings for calcium-rich foods such as milk and other calcium-rich non-food items like chalk or paint

💊 Treatment Approaches

Dietary Interventions

• Calcium-rich diet for decreased Asthi Dhatu:
  • Milk, cottage cheese, buttermilk
  • Diluted yogurt, dry fruits
  • Sankha bhasma (conch shell ash preparation)

Localized Therapies²

• For increased Asthi Dhatu: Surgery to remove excess bone cells
• For decreased Asthi Dhatu: Oily treatments

Dietary & Lifestyle Adjustments²

• For increased Asthi Dhatu: Follow Kapha-pacifying diet
• For decreased Asthi Dhatu: Follow Vata-pacifying diet

Panchakarma Treatments²

After proper Oleation and Sudation

• For increased Asthi Dhatu: Emesis therapy
• For decreased Asthi Dhatu: Enema therapy

References

Primary Source: Acharya Balakrishna - A Practical Approach to The Science of Ayurveda - A Comprehensive Guide for Healthy Living

1. Susruta Samhita
2. School of Ayurveda and Panchakarma - Lectures and Notes