Abstract

CRITICAL REVIEW ON OTOMYCOSIS: AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH

Abhinav Muley* and Milind Bhoi

ABSTRACT

Otomycosis is an fungal infectious disease, Caused in external ear canal. It is characterized by foul smelling watery discharge, inflammation, severe itching, severe pain, Aural fullness and scaling. Sometimes there will be obstruction of the meatus is seen which further leads to the partial hearing loss and tinnitus.[4,5] This disease is caused due to fungii known as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium and Candida albicans. Commonly found in tropical regions where more humid climate is present. General causes of Otomycosis are seems to be excessive swimming, aural unhygiene, stagnation in aural cavity, recurrent aural manipulation, instillation of different otic drops, recurrent washing of aural cavity, instillation of edible oil in ear cavity and prolonged use of topical antibiotics and corticosteroids. In Ayurveda different types of Karnarogas are mentioned by different Acharyas. Otomycosis consist of group of symptoms which are seen in different Karnarogas. As it is a fungal infection it can be consider as Krumijanita Karnaroga. It symptoms include ear pain, tinnitus which can be considered as Vataja origin. Foul smelling discharge and inflammation with Pittaja origin & itching can be originated by kapha dosha. We can include Krumihara, Kledahara & Vedanahara dravya as a line of treatment in this condition. Hence here is attempt is made to correlate Otomycosis with various Karnarogas on the basis of pathophysiology.

Keywords: Otomycosis, Krumikarna, Karnarogas.