Can Ayurveda offer a cure to the Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar who has been suffering from serious injury to his vertebrae sustained during the Brazil-Columbia quarter final last week? Neymar fans in Kerala believe that Ayurveda, the ancient healthcare system which is widely practised in the State, is ideal for Neymar.
Heartfelt proposal On Tuesday, the Kerala Football Association floated a suggestion that Neymar be flown to Kerala or a team of Ayurvedic physicians be flown to Brazil. The suggestion was put to CM Oommen Chandy who asked his Health Minister to follow up. “There have been several instances of Kerala footballers, who had suffered the same kind of injury as Neymar, getting cured by Ayurvedic treatment,” K.M.I Mather, president of the KFA, told BL.
“We are confident that it will work for Neymar.” He pointed out that a team of senior government Ayurvedic physicians had gone through the details of Neymar’s medical condition available on the net and felt Ayurveda could offer a cure. After receiving a formal medical opinion, the KFA would make a proposal to the Brazilian Football Association officials, Mather said.
Dr. K. Muraleedharan, additional chief physician at the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, the seat of classical Ayurveda treatment said that treatment was available for Neymar’s kind of problems, but a medical opinion could not be given without making a full investigation.
“Without getting a full picture of Neymar’s medical condition, we can’t say if he could be cured,” Dr. Muraleedharan said. “The cure depends on the nature and size of the injury and the exact location.” He, however, said the AVS was willing to treat Neymar and, if necessary, to create a panel of Ayurvedic physicians and a paramedics. The AVS had in the past cured countless patients with marmaaghatham (injury to the neuro-muscular-vascular junction).
Football circles in Kerala had been abuzz with the rumour that Neymar would be flown down to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment. The CM’s office had to come out with a statement denying it.