Swedana
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The word ‘swedana’ means act of sweating or perspiring. The terms like sudation, fomentation, steam are used to denote swedana therapy. It is one among the major six treatment modalities in Ayurveda. [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 22/4] It is also used as main treatment to subside various disease conditions due to vitiation of vata and kapha dosha. This is an important procedure performed before purification therapies (panchakarma). Different heating modes are used to induce sweating. The swedana therapy essentially includes sweating induced by implementing techniques or following methods for therapeutic purpose. Thus, it excludes pathological sweating either due to disease or sweating due to environmental conditions.