What it is
Not a massage package — a proper programme
Panchakarma is Ayurveda's classical cleansing and rejuvenation process. Rather than treating one painful spot, it works on the things sitting underneath a long-standing complaint: digestion, sleep, energy and how well the body clears what has built up in it.
It is carried out over several days, not in a single sitting. Warm medicated oils, steam and specific procedures are used in a set sequence — preparation first, then the main cleansing steps, then a recovery phase with diet guidance.
People usually come to us for panchakarma when the problem is not one clear injury. Digestion that has been off for months. Waking up tired regardless of hours slept. Stiffness that moves around. Recurring seasonal complaints that return every year.
Ask about panchakarma
How a programme runs
Three phases, in this order
Skipping the preparation phase is the most common mistake — it is what makes the rest work.
Preparation
Purva karma
Internal and external oiling along with steam, over several days. This loosens what has settled deep in the tissues and moves it towards the digestive tract, where it can be cleared.
Main procedures
Pradhana karma
The cleansing steps themselves, chosen for your constitution and complaint — never all five, and never without the preparation phase behind them.
Recovery
Paschat karma
A graded return to normal food and routine, with specific diet guidance. Results hold or fade depending on how carefully this phase is followed.
What is involved
Panchakarma Procedures at our Noida center
Which of these you receive depends entirely on the assessment — nobody gets the whole list.
The five main karmas
These are the actual cleansing procedures panchakarma is named after. They are only carried out when clearly indicated, after the preparation phase, and under supervision — never as a walk-in treatment.
Therapeutic emesis
Vamana
A supervised upward cleansing procedure, used mainly where congestion, heaviness and repeated seasonal complaints dominate the picture.
Therapeutic purgation
Virechana
A downward cleansing procedure using medicated preparations. Considered where heat, skin complaints and sluggish digestion are involved.
Medicated enema
Basti
Medicated oil or decoction administered rectally. Classically the most important of the five, used widely for back pain, sciatica and joint complaints.
Nasal administration
Nasya
Medicated drops through the nose. Used for sinus congestion, recurring seasonal complaints and heaviness in the head and neck.
Blood-letting
Raktamokshana
A localised procedure used only in specific indications, and only where it is clearly appropriate after assessment.
Oil & heat therapies
These make up the preparation phase, and many patients come for these alone when a full programme is not needed.
Warm oil massage
Abhyanga
Medicated warm oil worked over the whole body in a set pattern. Loosens tissue, eases stiffness and prepares the body for what follows.
Herbal steam
Swedana
Controlled steam after oiling, so what has been loosened can move. Helps with stiffness, heaviness and joint discomfort.
Continuous oil pouring
Pizhichil
Warm medicated oil poured steadily over the body along with massage. Used for stiffness, weakness and long-standing joint or nerve complaints.
Herbal leaf bolus
Elakizhi / Patra pinda sweda
Warm herbal leaves tied in a cloth bolus and applied over the body. Effective for muscular pain, stiffness and swelling.
Medicated rice bolus
Njavarakizhi
Cooked medicinal rice applied warm in a bolus. Used where muscle wasting, weakness or nerve-related complaints are present.
Herbal powder massage
Udvartana
Dry or semi-dry herbal powders worked over the body. Chosen where heaviness, sluggish digestion or weight is part of the picture.
Head, eye & localised therapies
Targeted procedures where oil is held over one specific area for a set period.
Oil poured on the forehead
Shirodhara
A steady, warm stream of oil across the forehead. Used most for poor sleep, mental restlessness and stress that has become physical.
Buttermilk pouring
Takradhara
Medicated buttermilk poured over the forehead instead of oil. A cooling variation used for heat, irritability and sleeplessness.
Oil retained on the scalp
Shiro basti / Shiro pichu
Warm oil held over the scalp for a set duration. Used for chronic headaches, hair complaints and mental fatigue.
Eye rejuvenation
Netra tarpana
Medicated ghee held over the eyes within a dough ring. Used for eye strain, dryness and heaviness from long screen hours.
Ear oil instillation
Karna purana
Warm medicated oil placed in the ears. Traditionally used for ear discomfort, jaw tension and neck stiffness.
Foot massage
Padabhyanga
Focused oil massage of the feet and lower legs. Calming, and commonly used for sleep, heel pain and tired legs.
Oil pooling therapies
Warm oil held in place over a single joint using a dough ring — among our most requested treatments for localised pain.
Lower back
Kati basti
Warm oil held over the lumbar area. One of our most-used procedures for long-standing lower back pain and sciatica.
Neck & cervical
Greeva basti
Oil retained over the back of the neck. Used for cervical stiffness, desk-related neck pain and shoulder tension.
Knee joint
Janu basti
Oil pooled over the knee. Chosen for joint stiffness, morning pain and age-related knee discomfort.
Chest
Hrid basti
Oil retained over the chest area. Traditionally used for tightness, breath-related discomfort and stress held in the chest.
Shoulder
Prishta / Skandha basti
Oil pooled over the shoulder or upper back. Used for frozen shoulder and stiffness between the shoulder blades.
Full body oil retention
Sarvanga dhara
Warm oil applied across the whole body with sustained retention. Used for widespread stiffness and general depletion.
What we use it for
Where panchakarma helps most
Complaints that sit across the whole system rather than in one spot.
Practical details
Duration, diet and precautions
Tell us before starting if
You are pregnant or breastfeeding, have uncontrolled blood pressure or blood sugar, a heart condition, kidney or liver disease, are recovering from surgery, have an active infection or fever, or are on regular medication of any kind.
Panchakarma is a demanding process for the body, which is why it is not started on the same day you walk in. We assess first, and if a programme is not appropriate for you right now we will say so. We work alongside your doctor's treatment and never ask anyone to stop prescribed medicine.
Common questions
Panchakarma therapy — your questions
It runs over several days rather than a single visit, because the preparation phase has to come before the main procedures. The exact length depends on your constitution, your complaint and how much time you can realistically commit. We set it out clearly after the first assessment, including what each day involves.
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. Oil massage (abhyanga) is one part of the preparation phase. Panchakarma is the full sequence — preparation, main cleansing procedures, then a structured recovery phase with diet guidance. A single oil massage session, however good it feels, is not panchakarma.
Yes, and it matters more than most people expect. Food is kept light and specific during the programme, and the recovery phase has its own graded diet. Following it is what decides whether the results hold. You will be given clear, practical guidance — nothing exotic or hard to arrange.
Light work is usually manageable, but this is not a process to run alongside a demanding week. The body is doing real work during a programme, and rest is part of the treatment rather than a bonus. Plan a lighter schedule, and avoid travel, late nights and heavy gym work.
Some people feel tired, heavy or slightly off during the middle of a programme. That is common and usually passes. But tell us immediately if you feel genuinely unwell — dizziness, severe weakness, fever or anything that worries you. We would rather adjust or pause a programme than push through something that is not right.
Traditionally it is done seasonally, most often at the change of seasons. For most people once or twice a year is plenty. It is not something to repeat frequently, and anyone selling it to you as a monthly package is not following the classical approach.
Avni Wellness Center is at D-14, Sector-49 Barola, Noida, Uttar Pradesh — easily reachable from Sector 50, Sector 51, Sector 47 and nearby areas. We are open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and closed on Mondays.
Also at our center
Our other therapies
Acupressure therapy
Firm pressure on specific points to release muscle tension and ease chronic pain.
Learn moreCupping therapy
Suction cups to improve circulation and loosen deep stiffness in the back and shoulders.
Learn moreAcupuncture therapy
Fine sterile needles for sciatica, migraine and pain that has become long-standing.
Learn moreStart with an assessment
Panchakarma is planned, not booked off a menu. Tell us what you are dealing with and we will suggest whether a programme fits — and what it would involve.