It has also been revealed that patients with numbness and certain types of infiltration and nodules seek treatment from Ayurvedic practitioners at some point in time. Similarly, deformities such as ulcers, footdrop, and clawhand may be treated by Ayurvedic medicine, as there are traditional medical practitioners who specialise in treating these conditions. Ayurvedic practitioners are well aware of Leprosy. They know leprosy as laduru , which is not an Ayurvedic illness category, and they will not recognise it in its clinical form. However, given the low endemicity of leprosy in Sri Lanka, not many Ayurvedic practitioners have encountered laduru patients, although they routinely treat Hiri vata and Rakta vata - illnesses that share symptoms with laduru .
Ayurvedic practitioners are reluctant to refer patients without trying some treatment on their own.
In Ayurveda, as practised in Sri Lanka, there is no tradition of referrals, since all Ayurvedic practitioners are regarded in cultural terms as ends in themselves. However, the possibility of referral becomes a greater reality if categories of illness outside the Ayurvedic tradition, e.g. Laduru , can be applied. The main thrust of the programme is to keep these practitioners from diagnosing laduru so that they will refer suspected leprosy patients. Patients who are referred but confirmed to be free of leprosy will be referred back to the Ayurvedic physician. If another illness is diagnosed, the patient will be informed and asked to make a choice between going back to the Ayurvedic practitioner or seeking treatment in the biomedical system.