Status of ojus in post-COVID subjects of different dosha prakriti - An observational study

The novel Coronavirus outbreak was declared as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the highest alarm level by WHO on 30th January 2020. As of July 2021, more than 18 crore cases have been reported all over the world and the death toll has risen to more than 40 lakhs. After the recovery period also, the patients suffered from several symptoms and complications known as post-COVID syndrome. Ojus is the essence of all seven dhatus responsible for the body’s strength and maintenance. Ojus plays an important role in consciousness, positivity, longevity, intelligence & memory. Fatigue is an ojokshaya lakshana which is a main symptom experienced by post-COVID individuals. Prakriti is a unique concept in Ayurveda that is inherent in the individual from conception to death. The concept of prakriti in Ayurveda stands as one of the most widely accepted & applied principles. Analysis of prakriti must be done to understand the anatomical, physiological, and psychological constitution of the body. This paper assesses the status of ojus and prakriti in post-COVID subjects. The paper study follows an observational design with a sample size of 71 participants. The status of ojus was assessed using the tool developed by Dr Amrutha Elamon for the clinical evaluation of the status of ojus. Prakriti assessment questionnaire from the book ‘A Working Model for Diagnosis in Ayurveda’ by Dr. P.M Madhu was utilized for the assessment of prakriti. The results indicated a significant change of ojus among the subjects with vatapitha, pithakapha and tridoshaja prakriti.