As a parent, your greatest wish is to see your offspring thrive. You watch them navigate their struggles and challenges, and they move on at their own pace and strength. You want to continuously support them, which can ease their stiffness, build their confidence, and simply want to make them feel comfortable in their own skin and body.
Sree Subramania wants to support you and your child in every thick and thin. We can be a partner that truly cherishes every moment and improvement of your child. Not only the positive side, but we want for every parent, as well as their family, to nurture their children the most. Njavarakizhi, which is one of the core therapies for building strength and soothing young muscles, is a treatment that feels less like medicine and more like a nurturing embrace.

Early intervention and dealing with it can help improve the cerebral palsy condition. Cerebral palsy is diagnosed in childhood, but it is a lifelong neurological condition, according to medicine and studies. Sree Subramania is a trusted hospital for diagnosing and cerebral palsy treatment in Ayurveda.
Let’s see how effective Njavakkizhi is for muscle strength in Cerebral Palsy.

What is Cerebral Palsy in Simple Terms?

A child’s brain is an incredible part of the body. It keeps sending messages to the body and stimulation to do activities like reaching for a toy, smiling, clapping, grabbing, picking, and moving. The brain is the main centre. Cerebral Palsy is a condition where the centre has a small glitch.
For children with the condition called “cerebral palsy”, the brain still sends messages; either the messages are too strong or the body is too weak, making it hard to obey the commands from the nerves or to hold a position. Sometimes the messages get crossed, making movements a bit unpredictable.

The main point about cerebral palsy is that it is not an illness that gets worse. But rather it is a different way in which the body and the brain are wired. With the proper support and the best partner through care and core therapies, we can truly help the muscles get stronger and gain independence along the way.
Cerebral palsy is not only seen in kids, but it is a condition where individuals are born with a brain condition that is caused by damage to the developing brain, either before, during, or shortly after birth. This damage does not get worse over time, but the resulting physical symptoms are permanent.

What is Njavarakizhi? What is the Science Behind Ayurveda Using Rice?

Njavarakizhi is a pounded rice bolus that is cooked and dipped in milk and herbal concoctions. It is a soothing and nourishing therapy for Cerebral palsy that is massaged rhythmically all over the body. Procedure requires two therapists at a time while doing the procedure. It is not simply a massage, but a medicated therapy all over the body with deep, medicated heat treatment, which is a herbal therapy that penetrates the tissues, loosens tight muscles, and nourishes the muscle system, especially in the case of cerebral palsy.

According to ancient Ayurvedic scripts, it is known by the term “Shashtika Shali Pinda Sweda.” Here, ‘pinda’ means a warm bolus, and ‘Sweda’ means soothing, therapeutic warmth. ‘Shashtika Shali’ refers to a very special type of rice, known as Njavara. This isn’t ordinary rice; it’s a medicinal rice, packed with nutrients.
Let’s see how this gives the best impact for children in strengthening muscles:
Imagine two therapists gently and rhythmically guiding your patient’s entire body with soft, warm linen-based pouches. These pouches are filled with that special medicinal rice (Njavara) and milk that’s been cooked with potent, medicinal herbs. It’s a therapy that truly feeds the body from the outside in.

What is the Step-By-Step Procedure of Njavarakizhi?

• Preparation:

  Firstly, give the kids a gentle wash with medicated oils, preparing for the main njavarakizhi therapy. This will give messages in the brain that the body is preparing for the therapy. It can help them warm up their body. It is a quiet and relaxing procedure.
  The initial phase of Njavarakizhi is basically done for muscle loss, in order to strengthen the muscles, but it is also not done at the time of inflammation.

• The Main Procedure:

  Then follows the main procedure, with two therapists who will be present throughout the procedure. The main procedure is to dip a soft cloth in cooked Njavara rice. This is cooked in milk, which is to be noted. The bolus is dipped in milk or a medicated decoction. The continuous, rhythmic pattern, a like movement, helps in penetrating deep inside the body. As per the Ayurvedic procedure, there are a particular number of cycles completed and different types of medications and herbs used. It is designed to soothe the entire body of the child.

• Integration:

  Njavarakizhi is a gentle and natural process. Right after the Njavarakizhi therapy, the remaining residue is wiped off. The patient is allowed to relax for a certain period, as it is a time allowed to soak up all the healing benefits, leaving them deeply penetrating into the body to provide nourishment.

• Contraindications:

  There are certain contraindications in Njavarakizhi. A contraindication is a condition that may make a procedure or treatment harmful to the patient. There are cases when Njavarakizhi is not practical, as there are conditions where it may change with the type of decoction, such as with ashwagandha choornam; without ashwagandha choornam, the herbal decoction complementing the rice bolus will be different depending on the medical condition. It is something that needs to be done with expert physicians and experienced therapists, keeping in mind the contraindications.

What are the Key Benefits of Njavarakizhi for Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is the term used to describe a group of brain disorders that particularly affect movement, posture, and balance. There are many advantages to treating it in Ayurveda, especially with njavarakizhi for strengthening muscles.

• The medicated oil and herbal therapy with njavara rice help to reduce the stiffness and tightness of the muscles, thereby enhancing the movement of the body.
• The combination of milk and herbal medicine will give a nourishing effect to both body and skin.
• The reduction of spasticity and increase in strength facilitate joint movement, promoting better sitting, standing, and walking patterns, and coordinating better independence.
• Njavarakizhi nourishes the nervous system, which is directly connected to the Vata dosha, promoting stability and calmness.
• The rhythmic ayurvedic therapy with medicated bolus stimulates blood flow and nutrients to the muscles and nerves.

At Sree Subramania, our team of expert faculty, including doctors, staff, therapists, and physicians, is specially trained. We curate personalized treatment plans, ensuring children receive the precise, compassionate, and effective care they deserve with the healing energy of Ayurveda. Sree Subramania also offers natural treatment for diabetes in Kerala. Please contact us or visit our website to know further details.