140 Diseases of Ayurveda

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How Ayurveda Classifies Disease

Understanding Vata, Pitta & Kapha Disorders — with the Complete Classical Disease Lists

By Radhika Gajula  |  Gajula's Lifestyle & Ayurvedic Wellness

In Ayurveda, disease is never random. Every disorder — from a dry cough to a burning ulcer to sluggish weight gain — is traced back to an imbalance among the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These three biological energies govern every function in the body, and when one or more moves out of balance, it produces a recognizable pattern of disease. Understanding this classification is the foundation of Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatment.

Classical Ayurveda goes a step further than just describing symptoms — the Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana, Chapter 20 — Maharoga Adhyaya) actually enumerates a fixed number of diseases caused by each dosha acting alone. These are called Nanatmaja Vyadhi (single-dosha diseases), and the classical count is exactly 140 diseases in total: 80 caused by Vata, 40 by Pitta, and 20 by Kapha. Below, each of these classical lists is included at its respective section, alongside the modern conditions they correspond to.

This guide breaks down how diseases are grouped by dosha, what symptoms mark each category, and how Ayurveda approaches restoring balance.

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The Tridosha Foundation

Vata governs movement and the nervous system, Pitta governs transformation, digestion, and metabolism, and Kapha governs structure, stability, and lubrication. Every person has a unique proportion of the three (their Prakriti, or natural constitution), and disease arises when one dosha accumulates and aggravates beyond its normal limit — a state called Dosha Vaishamya.

Classical texts like Charaka Samhita classify diseases into three broad categories based on which dosha (or combination of doshas) is disturbed: Vataja (Vata-origin), Pittaja (Pitta-origin), and Kaphaja (Kapha-origin) disorders, along with combined and Tridoshaja (all three vitiated) conditions.

◆ Vata — Air + Ether   |   ◆ Pitta — Fire + Water   |   ◆ Kapha — Earth + Water

Category One  ·  80 Named Disorders

Vataja Diseases — Vata-Dominant Disorders

Vata is composed of air and ether. When aggravated, it produces dryness, instability, coldness, and irregular movement in the body. Vata disorders are typically fast-onset, variable, and linked to the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.

Common signs of Vata imbalance:

◆ Dry skin, cracking joints, and constipation

◆ Anxiety, restlessness, and disturbed sleep

◆ Irregular digestion and bloating

◆ Cold hands and feet, poor circulation

Examples of Vataja diseases:

◆ Arthritis and joint disorders (Sandhivata) — degeneration, stiffness, cracking sounds

◆ Sciatica (Gridhrasi) — shooting nerve pain down the leg

◆ Insomnia (Anidra)

◆ Paralysis and facial palsy (Pakshaghata)

◆ Constipation (Vibandha) and bloating (Adhmana)

◆ Anxiety disorders and tremors

The Classical List: 80 Vataja Nanatmaja Vyadhis
According to Charaka Samhita, these are the 80 named disorders that arise from Vata alone:

1 Nakhabheda
cracking of nails

2 Vipadika
cracking of feet

3 Pada Shoola
foot pain

4 Pada Bhramsha
foot drop

5 Pada Suptata
numbness of foot

6 Vata Khuddata
club foot

7 Gulpha Graha
stiff ankle

8 Pindikodveshtana
calf cramps

9 Gridhrasi
sciatica

10 Janu Bheda
bow-leggedness

11 Januvishlesha
knock knee

12 Urustambha
thigh stiffness

13 Urusada
thigh pain

14 Pangulya
paraplegia

15 Guda Bhramsa
rectal prolapse

16 Gudarti
tenesmus

17 Vrushanakshepa
scrotal pain

18 Shepha Stambha
penile stiffness

19 Vankshana Anaha
groin tension

20 Shroni Bheda
pelvic girdle pain

21 Vit Bheda
diarrhoea

22 Udavarta
upward gas movement/bloating

23 Khanjatva
lameness

24 Kubjatva
kyphosis

25 Vamanatva
dwarfism

26 Trikagraha
sacro-iliac stiffness

27 Prishtagraha
back stiffness

28 Parshva Marda
chest-side pain

29 Udara Veshta
gripping abdominal pain

30 Hrit Moha
bradycardia

31 Hrit Drava
tachycardia

32 Vaksha Udgharsha
chest rubbing pain

33 Vaksha Uparodha
impaired chest movement

34 Vakshastoda
stabbing chest pain

35 Bahu Shosha
arm atrophy

36 Greeva Stambha
neck stiffness

37 Manyastambha
torticollis

38 Kanthoddhvamsa
hoarseness of voice

39 Hanu Bheda
jaw pain

40 Ostha Bheda
lip pain

41 Akshi Bheda
eye pain

42 Danta Bheda
toothache

43 Danta Shaithilya
loose teeth

44 Mookatva
dumbness/aphasia

45 Vak Sanga
stammering speech

46 Kashaya Asyata
astringent taste in mouth

47 Mukha Shosha
dry mouth

48 Arasajnata
loss of taste

49 Ghrana Nasha
loss of smell

50 Karna Shoola
earache

51 Ashabda Shravana
tinnitus

52 Uchhaih Shruti
hard of hearing

53 Badhirya
deafness

54 Vartma Stambha
drooping eyelid

55 Vartma Samkocha
eyelid entropion

56 Timira
vision loss

57 Akshi Shoola
eye pain

58 Akshi Vyudasa
eyeball displacement

59 Bhru Vyudasa
eyebrow drooping

60 Shankha Bheda
temple pain

61 Lalata Bheda
forehead pain

62 Shiro Ruk
headache

63 Kesha Bhumi Sphutana
dandruff

64 Ardita
facial paralysis

65 Ekanga Roga
monoplegia

66 Sarvanga Roga
polyplegia

67 Pakshavaha
hemiplegia

68 Akshepaka
convulsions

69 Dandaka
tonic convulsion

70 Tama
fainting

71 Bhrama
dizziness

72 Vepathu
tremor

73 Jrumbha
excessive yawning

74 Hikka
hiccups

75 Vishada
weakness/despondency

76 Ati Pralapa
delirium

77 Raukshya
dryness of body

78 Parushya
hardness/coarseness

79 Shyava Aruna Bhasata
dusky-red discoloration

80 Asvapna
sleeplessness

Category Two  ·  40 Named Disorders

Pittaja Diseases — Pitta-Dominant Disorders

Pitta is composed of fire and water and governs digestion, metabolism, and body temperature. When Pitta is aggravated, it produces heat, inflammation, sharpness, and acidity throughout the body.

Common signs of Pitta imbalance:

◆ Acidity, heartburn, and excessive thirst

◆ Skin rashes, redness, and inflammation

◆ Irritability, anger, and impatience

◆ Excess body heat and sensitivity to sun

Examples of Pittaja diseases:

◆ Hyperacidity and peptic ulcers (Amlapitta)

◆ Skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis (Kushtha)

◆ Inflammatory conditions and fevers (Jwara)

◆ Migraines (Suryavarta) triggered by heat

◆ Hyperthyroidism-type conditions with excess metabolism

◆ Hair loss and premature greying (Palitya, Khalitya)

The Classical List: 40 Pittaja Nanatmaja Vyadhis
According to Charaka Samhita, these are the 40 named disorders that arise from Pitta alone:

1 Osha
heating sensation

2 Plosha
scorching sensation

3 Daha
burning sensation

4 Davathu
internal boiling feeling

5 Dhoomaka
fuming/smoky sensation

6 Amlaka
sour eructation

7 Vidaha
heartburn

8 Antardaha
internal burning

9 Amsadaha
burning in shoulder

10 Ushmadhikya
excessive body heat

11 Ati Sveda
excessive sweating

12 Anga Gandha
foul body odour

13 Angavadarana
cracking body pain

14 Shonita Kleda
blood sloughing

15 Mamsa Kleda
muscle sloughing

16 Tvak Daha
burning skin

17 Charma Dalana
skin itching/cracking

18 Tvagavadarana
skin cracking

19 Rakta Kotha
urticaria

20 Rakta Visphota
red vesicles/blisters

21 Raktapitta
bleeding disorders

22 Rakta Mandala
red wheals

23 Haritatva
greenish discoloration

24 Haaridratva
yellowish discoloration

25 Neelika
bluish moles

26 Kaksha
herpes

27 Kaamala
jaundice

28 Tiktaasyata
bitter taste in mouth

29 Lohita Gandhasyata
blood-smelling breath

30 Pootimukhata
foul mouth odour

31 Trishnadhikya
excessive thirst

32 Atrupti
non-satisfaction after eating

33 Asya Vipaka
stomatitis

34 Gala Paka
pharyngitis

35 Akshi Paka
conjunctivitis

36 Guda Paka
proctitis

37 Medhra Paka
penile inflammation

38 Jivadana
haemorrhage

39 Tamah Pravesha
fainting

40 Harita-Haridra Netra Mutra Varchas
greenish/yellowish eyes, urine and stool

Category Three  ·  20 Named Disorders

Kaphaja Diseases — Kapha-Dominant Disorders

Kapha is composed of earth and water, giving the body structure, lubrication, and immunity. When Kapha accumulates in excess, it causes heaviness, congestion, sluggishness, and stagnation.

Common signs of Kapha imbalance:

◆ Weight gain and slow metabolism

◆ Congestion, excess mucus, and heaviness

◆ Lethargy, oversleeping, and mental dullness

◆ Water retention and swelling

Examples of Kaphaja diseases:

◆ Obesity (Medoroga)

◆ Diabetes / metabolic disorders (Prameha)

◆ Sinus congestion, cold, and cough (Pratishyaya, Kasa)

◆ Asthma and bronchitis (Shwasa)

◆ Hypothyroidism-type conditions with slow metabolism

◆ Edema and lymphatic congestion (Shopha)

The Classical List: 20 Kaphaja Nanatmaja Vyadhis
According to Charaka Samhita, these are the 20 named disorders that arise from Kapha alone:

1 Trupti
false sense of fullness/anorexia

2 Tandra
drowsiness

3 Nidradhikya
excessive sleep

4 Staimitya
timidness/heaviness of senses

5 Guru Gatrata
heaviness of the body

6 Alasya
laziness

7 Mukha Madhurya
sweet taste in mouth

8 Mukha Srava
excess salivation

9 Shleshmodgirana
mucus expectoration

10 Maladhikya
excessive excretion

11 Balasaka
loss of strength

12 Apakti
indigestion

13 Hrudayopalepa
sensation of a coated heart

14 Kanthopalepa
phlegm-coated throat

15 Dhamani Pratichaya
hardening of vessels

16 Galaganda
goitre

17 Ati Sthaulya
obesity

18 Sheetagnita
suppressed digestive fire

19 Udarda
urticaria

20 Shvetavabhasata
pallor with whiteness of urine, eyes and stool

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Dual-Dosha (Dwidoshaja) Diseases

Many chronic conditions involve two doshas moving out of balance together. Ayurveda names these combination patterns specifically, since treatment must pacify both doshas without aggravating either further.

Vata-Pitta disorders:

◆ Burning joint pain with inflammation (a heated form of arthritis)

◆ Anxiety with acidity or ulcers

◆ Insomnia accompanied by heat and irritability

Pitta-Kapha disorders:

◆ Infections with both inflammation and mucus (sinusitis with fever)

◆ Certain skin conditions with both heat and oozing/discharge

◆ Gallbladder and liver congestion disorders

Vata-Kapha disorders:

◆ Chronic fatigue with both dryness and heaviness

◆ Certain forms of chronic cough with dryness and congestion alternating

◆ PCOS-type hormonal imbalances involving irregularity and weight gain together

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Sannipatika (Tridoshaja) Diseases

When all three doshas are simultaneously vitiated, the condition is called Sannipatika — generally considered the most complex and difficult to treat, since remedies that pacify one dosha can aggravate another. Advanced autoimmune conditions, severe chronic fevers, and complicated multi-system disorders often fall into this category. These require careful, sequential treatment (first pacifying the strongest dosha, then rebalancing the rest) rather than a single blanket remedy.

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How This Classification Guides Treatment

Once a disease is classified by dosha, Ayurvedic treatment follows a simple governing principle: Samanya-Vishesha Siddhanta — like increases like, and opposites balance. This is why:

◆ Vata disorders are treated with warm, moist, grounding therapies — warm oil massage (Abhyanga), regular routine, and warm cooked foods

◆ Pitta disorders are treated with cooling, calming approaches — coconut, ghee, cooling herbs like coriander and sandalwood, and avoiding excess heat and sun

◆ Kapha disorders are treated with stimulating, warming, and drying therapies — dry massage (Udvartana), exercise, and light, spiced foods

This is also why two people with the same modern diagnosis — say, both diagnosed with arthritis — may receive completely different Ayurvedic treatment plans, depending on whether their condition is Vata-type (dry, cracking), Pitta-type (hot, inflamed), or Kapha-type (swollen, heavy).

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Identifying Your Own Imbalance

A useful first step is observing which symptoms recur most for you — dryness and anxiety point to Vata, heat and inflammation point to Pitta, and heaviness and congestion point to Kapha. Most people experience some blend, since stress, season, diet, and age all shift the doshas over time. A qualified Ayurvedic practitioner can confirm the exact pattern through pulse diagnosis (Nadi Pariksha) and a detailed history, but self-observation over a week or two — tracking digestion, sleep, skin, and mood — often reveals the dominant pattern clearly.

Final Thoughts

Ayurveda's dosha-based classification isn't just an ancient curiosity — it's a practical diagnostic lens that explains why the same disease can look completely different from person to person, and why the same remedy doesn't work for everyone. By learning to recognize the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha signatures behind common health complaints, you gain a much clearer map for choosing the right foods, routines, and herbs to bring your body back into balance.

The 140 Nanatmaja Vyadhi listed above (80 Vataja, 40 Pittaja, 20 Kaphaja) are drawn from the Maharoga Adhyaya, Chapter 20 of Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana, one of the foundational texts of Ayurveda. This article is for educational purposes and reflects classical Ayurvedic concepts. It is not a substitute for personalized diagnosis from a qualified Ayurvedic physician, especially for chronic or serious health conditions.