A study on Apabahuka (frozen shoulder) and its management by Laghumasha taila nasya

Apabahuka is a disease that usually affects the Amsa sandhi (shoulder joint).It is produced by the Vata dosha. Even though the term Apabahuka is not mentioned in the nanatmaja Vata vyadhi, Acharya Sushruta and others have considered Apabahuka as a Vataja vikara. Amsa shosha (wasting of the shoulder) can be considered as the preliminary stage of the disease, where loss or dryness of sleshaka kapha from amsa sandhi occurs. For the present study, Marsha nasya with Laghumasa Taila was administered to 15 patients for seven days, and the following results were obtained. After treatment, 53.33% relief was found on Bahupraspandita hara, 26.66% on Shoola, 30.00% on Stambha, 60.00% on Atopa, and 37.50% on wasting of muscles. On the overall effect of therapy alone, one (6.60%) patient got marked improvement, eight (53.33%) got moderate improvement, four (26.66%) were improved, and two (13.33%) patients remained unchanged.