Read

A 50-year-old female patient presented with muscle wasting and weakness in both upper and lower limbs for the past 5 years, along with slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing liquids, and a weight loss of nearly 12 kgs over the last year. The symptoms started in 2019. She took allopathic medicines, but there was no relief in symptoms, and the condition was progressing. In 2021, based on the focused exome sequencing and deletion/duplication test report, the allopathic doctor confirmed the biomedical diagnosis was confirmed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis- Bulbar onset.  She wanted to try Ayurveda and so she consulted Dr Zankhana in February 2023. The ayurvedic diagnosis was Mastulunga Majja Kshaya: Kapha Avruta Udana. The line of treatment followed was tridosha shamana, agni vardhana, indriya bodhana, balya and brimhana. After 1 month of starting ayurvedic treatments, the appetite, sleep and writing ability improved. The Standard and patient outcome scales indicated that the disease has not progressed. The ayurvedic medicines were stopped after 2 months and the patient was advised to come for a follow-up after 6 months. This case report narrates the successful integrative management of ALS- bulbar onset in a female, who was on conventional medicine for a long time, but the disease was progressing and the symptoms were worsening. With supportive Āyurvedic treatments, the symptoms could be maintained without further deterioration.