Treatment of arthritis in Ayurveda
Ayurvedic Treatment For Arthritis: The Therapies That Really Work
Ayurvedic treatment for arthritis includes shodhana or purificatory therapy and shamana or the palliative treatment together. The main objective of ayurvedic treatment for arthritis is to reduce joint pain, swelling, inflammation and improve metabolism disturbances.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis or Sandhivat is a term indicated for disease of bone and joints. It is mainly characterised by symptoms such as joint pain, redness, swelling, oedema and inflammation. Arthritis develops following inflammation of joints or breakdown of the cartilage cushion present between two bones. An intact cartilage disc acts as cushion and helps in smooth movement of joints while performing actions such as walking, running etc. However arthritis causes inflammation or the tearing of cartilage and makes the bones to rub against each other. This causes severe arthritis pain and difficulty in moving the joint.
What are the Common Types of Arthritis?
Arthritis or Sandhivat is a broad term and indicates complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of different diseases that affect joints, bone, supporting muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Other types include juvenile arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout and fibromyalia.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis a chronic condition that causes breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. The loss of cushioning effect causes, stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis:
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused due to inflammation of joints. This is an autoimmune disease and occurs when body’s own immune system attacks the healthy tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by pain, inflammation, redness and swelling of joints. This inflammation may also spread to the other parts of the body, such as the muscles, blood vessels, nerves and eyes.
Juvenile arthritis:
Juvenile arthritis is an inflammatory arthritic conditions that can develop in children aged 16 and younger. This type of arthritis also causes inflammation of joints
Psoriatic arthritis:
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis which occurs in people suffering from a skin condition called psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis is characterized by symptoms such as painful, swollen joints, morning stiffness, and fatigue.
What are the Common Symptoms of Arthritis?
The symptoms of amavata as told in ayurveda include,
- Angamarda or body ache
- Aruchi or tastelessness
- Trishna or Excessive thirst
- Alasya or lethargy
- Gourava or heaviness in body
- Jwara or feverishness
- early morning stiffness in the joints
- pain in the joints ( similar to the pain as stung by a scorpion)
- Other symptoms such as constipation, indigestion, fullness of abdomen, lack of sleep
Is There a Cure for Arthritis in Ayurveda?
The signs and symptoms of arthritis in modern science can be correlated to that of amavata in Ayurveda. As the name suggests vitiated vata dosha and ama or undigested or improperly formed food essence in the body are the main culprits for the disease. The main cause for amavata is altered state of digestion and metabolism caused by unhealthy food habits when there is diminished digestive power. Ayurveda thus offers cure for arthritis through therapies that aims to correct digestion and metabolism.
How Does Natural Treatment to Reduce Arthritis Pain Works?
Ayurvedic treatment of arthritis includes correction of digestion and metabolism, Immuno-modulation, treatment for joint pain with panchakarma therapy and ayurvedic medicines. So the Shodhana or purificatory therapy and shamana or the palliative treatment together plays a major role in the management of Amavata.
