Arthritis is one of the most prevalent joint conditions across the globe that affects many people globally. Its most common symptoms are unbearable pain in joints that can intensify and are often accompanied by fever. In more severe cases, the problem doesn’t go away even after taking pain killers. Other common symptoms of Arthritis are fatigue and loss of appetite. While the mild cases might get cured after proper medication and care, the patients can also end up with joint deformities, especially if they do not attend in time in severe cases. The Ayurvedic treatment for Arthritis falls under the Sandhi Chikitsa category and recognizes different types of Arthritis.
What is Arthritis, and what is the Ayurvedic view of the disease?
In Arthritis, fluid gets collected around the joints and puts intense pressure on them. Arthritis is of two types, namely – Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. While allopathic medicine offers no cure for Arthritis, in Ayurveda, one can find better and more long-lasting treatments that can lead to permanent recovery.
As per the Ayurveda, Arthritis is a Vata (air) dosha related disease and can be curing permanently, when addressed in time.
When the Pitta element in our body is not balanced, the digestion is impaired, and a person’s food is not broke down completely. The deposited food is harmful and releases different types of toxins while sitting in the large intestine. These toxins travel along with the nutrients to the entire body via the blood. Over time, the metabolism gets impaired, and the healthy cells are devoid of healthy blood and nourishment. This, in turn, leads to tissue damage.
These toxins get deposited in the form of a layer called Ama localize to the joints in Rheumatoid Arthritis. When caused by an aggravation of Kafa, the wet and greasy lubricants and mucus in our body gets mixed with Ama and affects the body joints.
Now, let us move on to explore the symptoms of types of rheumatoid arthritis, according to Ayurveda.
Symptoms of rheumatoid Arthritis according to Ayurveda
Osteoarthritis patients experience inflammation in the joint cavity or synovial area, and the joint stiffness is a significant characteristic of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Osteoporosis and Spondyloarthritis (Spinal) Arthritis are also considered arthritis types in the Ayurveda.
Rheumatoid Arthritis has its roots in imbalanced eating habits such as excessive consumption of saline, hot, sour, alkaline, spicy, and improperly cooked foods. Outsized oily food items and radish are also linking to Rheumatoid Arthritis, and the same is the case with the foods that cause a burning sensation upon digestion.
Sugarcane, excessive consumption of curd, Aranala, alcohol, and consumption of contradictory foods are also some of the causative factors behind Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Hence, the Ayurvedic treatments focus on diet and lifestyle changes along with the medication.
Some of the common symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis apart from the ones listed above are as follows:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- Altered taste
- Heaviness and/or weakness in the body
- Body aches
- Increased thirst
- Burning sensations
Ayurveda treatment for Arthritis – How effective is it?
As per the Ayurveda, our body is a result of what we eat. Hence, all the diseases can be trace back to the Jathar or stomach (digestive system). Accordingly, the Ayurvedic treatments for all conditions, including Arthritis, focus on diet and lifestyle changes. While the Osteoarthritis treatment includes various herbal oils and prescription of oil-rich diets, the Rheumatoid Arthritis is tackle by prohibiting the patients from consuming all kinds of fats.
Some of the standard Ayurvedic therapies employed by the practitioners for treating Arthritis include the following:
- Abhyangam
- Elakizhi
- Janu Vasti
- Podikizhi
- Manalkizhi
- Podikizhi
- Ama Pachan
As every person has a different body disposition, every person is prescribed a different set of medicines and has a different treatment plan.
However, all the patients must mandatorily go through the body cleansing and purifying procedures to flush out of the body. The digestive system is ready to process the medicines.
Once the system is rendered clean, the patient’s diet is simple yet, nutritious. Further, the practitioners prescribe Yoga, Asanas, and meditation to the patients.
There are two cases when even the Ayurveda fails to cure Arthritis:
- If the disease is a result of an imbalance in all the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kafa)
- If the joints of limbs, waist, and head are all inflamed at the same time
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments for different Doshas
- If the disease is Vata-type, the diet is prescribe such that the Vata element is soothe. Hard to digest foods, cold drinks, cold foods, and salads are prohibited. Other off-limits for such patients are legumes, potatoes, eggplants, dried corn, barley, and tomatoes. Guggulu, Haritaki, and Mahanarayan oil are use for such patients.
- For the treatment of Pitta Arthritis, all the spicy and hot foods are eliminate from the diet. The patients are also prohibite from consuming curd, spinach, and tomatoes. Kayshore Guggul, Sudarshan, and Amalaki are use for treating the disease. Applying cold coconut oil or castor oil on painful joints is recommended. Sandalwood water and dust paste are also applied to the joints to soothe them. The Ayurvedic experts can also prescribe cold compresses on affected joints.
- Kafa Arthritis patients are put on a diet that is devoid of cold drinks and dairy products. Punarnava Guggul and Bibitaki are most commonly use as medications for such patients.
Every human body has a different type in Ayurveda, every person is prescribed a different set of medications and is puting on a different diet. Other herbal supplements and drugs might also be prescribe for some patients.
As the Ayurvedic treatment focuses on the disease’s root cause, the recovery rate is very high, and patients can be permanently cure.
You can consult an Ayurveda hospital in Kerala or an ayurvedic practitioner anywhere and learn about the effectiveness of treatment procedures.
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