Warning Signs After Ayurvedic Treatment: When to Stop and Get Care

Get emergency help first

Call 911 in the US (or your local emergency number) if, after an Ayurvedic herb, product or treatment, you or someone else has:

• Swelling of the throat or tongue, or difficulty breathing or breathing very fast. These are signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that happens very quickly. [1]
• Fainting or loss of consciousness, or chest pain. [2] A seizure or loss of consciousness can also be a sign of severe low blood sugar in someone with diabetes. [3]
• Vomiting blood, or bleeding from the rectum, mouth, vagina, nose or in the urine. WHO lists these among the events needing treatment or referral. [2]
• Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue with signs of dehydration, being confused, or being sleepier than normal or hard to wake. [4]
• A burn that is very large or deep, or on the face, genitals or bottom. [5]

Do not drive yourself; ask someone to drive you or call an ambulance. [5] If you think someone swallowed something poisonous, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 in the US; see Poison Help by country and poisoning: what to do first. Then tell the emergency team exactly what was taken or done, and bring the product.

What this page covers

Herbs, oils and other products you take or use, and body treatments such as massage, heat or steam, and cleansing procedures done by a practitioner. It is information only and cannot diagnose you. Most Ayurvedic care causes no problem. When it does, early action matters.

Warning signs, and what to do

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists adverse events that Ayurveda practitioners are expected to watch for. [2] We have grouped them by urgency.

Liver warning signs

Herbal products can injure the liver. A review states that well-performed observational studies have confirmed the liver toxicity potential of Ayurvedic drugs. [6] NCCIH lists fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, dark urine and jaundice as liver damage symptoms to watch for with turmeric or curcumin products and says to stop them immediately and talk to a provider. [7] Jaundice, yellow skin or eyes, is a sign of something serious such as liver disease and needs urgent medical help. [8] See liver injury from Ayurvedic herbs.

Signs of metal poisoning

Some Ayurvedic preparations may contain lead, mercury or arsenic in toxic amounts. [9] MedlinePlus lists folk remedies containing lead as one source of lead exposure. [10] In adults, lead can raise blood pressure and cause nerve problems and muscle and joint pain. [10] A child who swallows a lot of lead may develop anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness and brain damage. [10] These signs are not specific to lead, so if you have them, tell your doctor which products you use. See lead poisoning from Ayurvedic medicines.

What to do right now

1. Stop the product or treatment. The FDA advises stopping a supplement immediately if it caused a serious reaction or illness. [11]
2. Get care as in the table above. Do not wait for it to pass.
3. Keep the evidence: the package, label, receipt and a list of what you took and when.
4. Tell everyone: the practitioner, your doctor or pharmacist, and the clinic if the problem followed an in-person treatment.
5. Report it: see reporting a problem with an Ayurvedic product.

Do not take another herb, laxative or "cleanse" to fix a reaction.

Questions to ask before you start

Ask a clinic how they handle emergencies and when they send patients to a hospital. WHO's practice benchmarks say clinics should have a plan for adverse events and a clear referral policy. [2] Also see panchakarma safety: who should avoid it and warning signs and who should avoid Ayurvedic bodywork, heat treatments and cleansing.