You are Here : HomeAyurvedaBranches of Ayurveda

Branches of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is also known as Ashtanga Veda (science with eight branches) because it is classified into eight different branches. Ayurveda provides comprehensive preventive, promotive and curative aspects of health through eight major clinical specialties.


  1. Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine)
  2. Bala chikitsa (Paediatrics)
  3. Graha chikitsa - Bhoota Vidya (Psychiatry)
  4. Urdhvanga chikitsa (Treatment of eyes, ears, nose, throat and head)
  5. Shalya chikitsa (Surgery)
  6. Damstra chikitsa - Agada tantra (Toxicology)
  7. Jara chikitsa-Rasayana (Gerentorology)
  8. Vrishya chikitsa - vajikarana (Aphrodisiacs)

These major eight specialties have been further developed later into many sub-specialties of Ayurveda.