Benefits of Sarvanga Dhara –
• Provides strength to the tissues, mainly muscle tissue.
• Rejuvenates and energizes the body.
• Prevents wasting of muscles and degeneration of joints and soft tissues.
• Relieves pain, stiffness and swelling associated with arthritis and other painful conditions.
• Pacifies the morbidity of Vata, Pitta and Rakta in the skin, afflicted joints, muscle and soft tissues.
• Deha Sthairyam—makes the body strong.
• Agni Sthairyam –establishes the normalcy of digestive fire and corrects metabolism.
• Varna Sthairyam – provides and establishes proper colour.
• Ojo Sthairyam—stablises and fortifies ojus in the body (ojus in the essence of the all tissue formed as an end produt of tissue formation, its normalcy in terms of quality and quantity point towards an established immunity.
• Cause sweating and bring about lightness and a feeling of health in the afflicted joint, muscles and soft tissues.
• When combined with Nitya Virechana, eliminates the body toxins, establishes health and tones up the joints and soft tissues.
• Improves the movements of the joints and enhances flexibility of the body.
• Soothes the nerves and improves blood circulation.
• Removes stress, relaxes mind.
• Paatavam indriyasya—relaxes and rejuvenates the mind and senses.
• Jaraso maandhyam –delays ageing.
• Chiram jeevitam – provides longevity of life.
• Nitaraam doshaan – controls and creates equilibrium in all the doshas.
• Vrishataa- acts as an aphrodisiac.
• Improves circulation to skin, improves colour and complexion.
• Helps in easy delivery of the child during labour (difficult labour).

Indications
The uses of sarvanga dhara can be enusmerated as mentioned below:
Sarvanga Sneha dhara is used in the below said conditions-
1. Rheumatoid Arthritis (Amavata)-It is a chronic progressive disease causing inflammation in the fingers, wrists, feet and ankles. It has an autoimmune component. Sarvanga dhara is useful in the chronic stage of RA (jeerna or pravruddha Amavata)where in the inflammation and the stage of ama has subsided but pain has been lefts over . This will serve the purpose of rejuvenating and strengthening the joint, muscles and soft tissue. it can also be applied when RA has developed complication in the later stages. It will help in improvising the movements.
2. Osteoarthritis (sandhingata Vata)- Osteoarthritis in the common form of arthritis. it result form the breakdown or damage of proctective joint cartilage on the ends of bones and underlying bone. OA can affect joint and cause stiffness, joint swelling and decreased range of movements are also present in many cases. This treatment helps in preventing the degeneration process form progressing and strengthens the joints and muscles.
3. Ankylosing Spondylitis -It is a form of arthritis which primarily affects the spine. it cause severe inflammation of the vertebrae that might eventually lead to chronic pain and disability. The disease will cause pain stiffiness in other parts of body. Other large joints such as the shoulders, hips and knees can be involved as well.
4. Polymyalgia Rheumatica – It is an inflammatory disorder that causes pain and stiffness in various part of the body. it commonly affects neck, shoulders, arms, thighs and hips.
5. Fibromyalgia- It is a rheumatic condition characterized by muscular or musculoskeletal pain with stiffness and localized tenderness at specific points on the body.
6. Guillain Barre Syndrome- It is a rare condition in which your immune system attacks your nerves leading to muscle weakness and even paralysis. There is a rapid onset of muscle weakness as a result of damage of the peripheral nervous system.
7. Paralysis- It is the loss of muscle function in part of our body (one or more muscles). It can be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. It happens when something wrong happens with the way messages pass between your brain and muscles. It can be complete or partial, can occur on one or both side of your body. (Hemiplegia – paralysis of one side, Diplegia – Paralysis affecting symmetrical parts of the body, Facial paralysis etc)
8. Spinal stenosis – It is a condition in which the spinal column backbone or spine) narrows and starts compressing the spinal cord. It is a gradual process. The symptoms include leg or arm weakness, lower back pain while standing or walking, numbness in legs or buttocks and balance problems.
9. Spina bifida (occulta) – It is a birth defect where there is an incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. It presents with leg weakness and paralysis, club foot, hip dislocation, bladder and bowel control problems etc.
10. Pain and catches in the joints and spine especially neck and low back) due to bad postures.
11. Pain due to repeated trauma of bones, joints, muscles, soft tissues.

Sthanika Sneha dhara is effective in –
• Coccydynia – Tail bone pain.
• Frozen Shoulder – Chronic pain and stiffness of the shoulder joint with limitation of range of movements, also known as adhesive capsulitis.
• Patello-femoral pain syndrome (Chondromalcia patellae) – This often results from issues associated with muscle imbalance, tightness and alignment of the legs, rather than an injury. Pain is present between the patella and the underlying thigh bone femur).
• Old (chronic) joint injuries, which was not properly treated, sprained ligaments, cartilage tears, sports injuries, sprains and strains.
• Elbow pain due to various conditions like Tendinitis, Olecranon bursitis, elbow sprain, cellulitis, arthritis, nerve entrapment etc.
• Low back pain or Lumbago (Lumbar spondylosis).
• Sacroiliac joint Syndrome or Sacroiliac joint Dysfunction (Kati-shula/Kati-graha).
• Cervical spondylosis (Greeva-shula, Greeva-stambha).
• Sciatica (Gridhrasi).
• Intervertebral disc protrusion or prolapsed.
• Spondylolisthesis (is a forward displacement of a vertebra, especially a 5th lumbar vertebra).

Benefits of specific types of Sarvangadharam:
Sarvabga Taila Dhara is useful in following conditions:
• Dhaatu drudhata – strengthens and fortifies the tissues
• Vrishataa – acts as an aphrodisiac.
• Deha sthairyam – makes the body strong.
• Agni sthairyam – establishes the normalcy of digestive fire and corrects metabolism.
• Ojo sthairyam – stabilises and fortifies ojus in the body (ojus is the essence of all the tissues formed as an end product of tissue formation, its normalcy in terms of quality and quantity points towards an established immunity).
• Paatavam indriyasya – relaxes and rejuvenates the mind and senses.
• Jaraso maandhyam – delays ageing.
• Chiram jeevitam – provides longevity of life.
• Asthnaam bhagnam apakaroti – heals fractures and dislocations.
• Nitaraam doshaan – controls and creates equilibrium in all the doshas.
• Sarvanga Kashaya Dhara is used in pacifying and destroying.
• Vata vitiation and Diseases caused due to excess morbidity of Vata.
• Kapha vitiation and Diseases caused due to excess morbidity of Kapha.
• Vata Kapha vitiation and Diseases caused due to excess morbidity of Vata-Kapha Ama dosha and Diseases caused due to excess formation and stagnation of Ama Medo-roga and Diseases caused due to excess morbidity of Meda.

Sarvanga Dhanyamla Dhara is used in the following conditions:
• Excess ama in the body
• Sama-vata, when ama is associated with vayu and is causing painful conditions:
• Amavata – Rheumatoid arthritis
• Agnimandhya low metabolism
• Painful conditions like myalgia, fibromyalgia eto
Sarvanga Ksheera Dhara is used in the following conditions:
• Inflammatory diseases
• Gout
• High pitta conditions and diseases caused due to vitiation of pitta Rakta (blood) morbidity and diseases caused due to morbid rakta Debility and loss of strength eto

Sarvanga Takra dhara is used in the below said conditions:
• Psoriasis.
• Hypertension.
• Stress related diseases.
• Raised heat and burning sensation.
• Vata pitta diseases etc.
• Conditions in which Ekanga Pariaheka can be done (local stream pouring).
• Gulma- abdominal tumours.
• Anaha – flatulence.
• Bhagandara -fistula.
• Vrana- wounds and ulcers.
• Shula-colic.
• Abhighata- trauma, injury.
• Toda pricking pain.
• Kotha -skin eruptions
• Ashtila- prostate enlargement.
• Visarpa- herpes.
• Piha-splenomegaly.
• Vidradhi- abscess.

Procedure
Purvakarma (Pre-treatment procedures): This includes:

• Preparation of the patient
• The patient is thoroughly examined The Prakriti (basic constitution) and Vikriti(details of morbidiy) are documented in detail. The disease is also examined. After careful assessment, it is decided if Sarvanga Dhara is suitable to the disease and diseased or not. The required, materials and medicines which need to be used are enlisted.

Preparation for the treatment.
Materials needed for the treatment are collected beforehand. They are:
For Sneha dhara (Kaya seka, Pizichil)= medicated oils and ghee are collected Sneha dhara can be done just by using gingely oil,/ sesame oil or ghee of cow The below mentioned taila’s / ghrita’s are used in Sheha dhara or Kaya seka
• Tila tailam- sesame oil
• Go ghrita- cow’s ghee
• Vasa-muscle fat
• Ksheerabala Tailam
• Dhanwantaram Tailam
• Sahacharadi Tailam
• Mahanarayana Tailam
• Balashwagandhadi Tailam
• Karpasasthyadi Tailam etc.

Since Tala-dharana should be done during Pizhichil or Sneha dhara (Sarvanga dhara)-the materials required for it a so should be kept ready- Amalaki churna, Bandage clothes Chandanabala lakshadi tailam, Ksheerabala tailam etc.
For Kashaya Dhara – Coarse powder of chopped parts of roots, dry leaves, stem, bark etc of medicinal plants are collected and stored beforehand.
For Dhanyamla dhara- the medicated fermented liquid should be kept ready. The liquid cannot be prepared overnight Dharyamla need to be prepared well in advance because fermentation process of the medicinal herbs takes time. Dhanyamla is prepared by processing medicinal herbs; some grains and pulses and is kept in closed containers and left for fermentation to take place.
Dhanyamla is generally kept ready in Ayurvedic pharmacies so that it is always available. It is heated in big vessels at least once or twice a week so that it doesn’t decay.
For Ksheera Dhara – Milk, roots of Dashamula (10herbs), Yashtimadhu(Liquorice), Laksha (Lac) etc. are kept ready. The milk is processed with medicinal herbs and used for dhara.
For Takra Dhara Butermilk Amla powder, Musta churna should be kept ready for preparing medicated buttermilk.
While doing Kaya Seka(Sarvanga dhara), shiro dhara (stream pouring of medicated buttermilk over the head) also can be carried out simultaneously as per the preference of the doctor