Aghili's Viewpoints about Vertigo in Moalejat

Mohammad HosseinAghiliKhorasani،the famous Iranian physician، lived in the late 12 and early 13 Hijri. Gharabadin-e-Kabir، Makhzan-ol-Advieh، Kholasat-ol-Hekmah and Moalejat are the books left from Aghili. Moalejat is an invaluable book including a complete classification of diseases according to Iranian traditional medicine together with experienced prescriptions. This study deals with vertigo from Aghili''s points of view in Moalejat. Patients describe the experience of different feelings in their head and the disturbance in their gait as dizziness. Worldwide the prevalence and annual incidence of vertigo are 5 and 1 percent، respectively. Vertigo is known as dovar in Iranian traditional medicine. Dovar is a state in which the patient feels that things rotate around him or her. The general cause of dovar is the waving motion of rooh in the brain''s vessels and spaces. The motion of rooh might be due to external causes like trauma and falling down. This state seems like throwing a heavy object in water and the formation of circular waves. Sometimes dovar is due to internal causes created in the brain. In this case، the patient feels that the objects are spinning، but the objects are، in fact، still and it is the corporeal spirit which is moving. Dovar owing to internal causes is divided into two categories. In the first category، the substance causing dovar is in the brain and in the second one، the other organs are involved. In traditional medicine، treatment of the patients with dovar is based on the diagnosis of the causes. If the causes are considered to be external، then the conversion of temperament to its natural state is the first step. Of course، as in all cases prevention is the best solution. If dovar is due to internal causes، we should identify whether the brain or the other organs are involved، and then the conversion of temperament or the emission of the causing substances should be considered.