Arthritis in any form is becoming one of the worlds burning health related issue which is making majority of those suffering crippled and dependant. We feel ourselves in a helpless condition when the joints of our body which help us in locomotion and enable us to accomplish all the activities throughout our lives give way.Living at mercy and walking with support is what we dont desire to happen atleast in the middle and active part of our lives. It not only affects the individual suffering from it but also influences passively on all the dependants. Arthritis has its deadly influence on the socio-economic life and also the proffessional life of an individual. Moreover the person will be morally lost.
World Arthritis Day is celebrated worldwide on 12th of october every year to tackle this problem and also to create the awareness regarding the arthritis. The Aims of World Arthritis Day are:
*To raise awareness of arthritis in all its forms among the medical community, people with arthritis and the general public
*To influence public policy by making decision-makers aware of the burden of arthritis and the steps which can be taken to ease it
*To ensure all people with arthritis and their caregivers are aware of the vast support network available to them.
The theme for 2009 is “Let’s Work Together”
Arthritis may be of several types including Inflammatory arthritis eg.Rheumatoid Arthritis, Degenerative Arthritis eg.Osteo-Arthritis, Crystal Arthritis eg.Gouty Arthritis etc. Whatever may be the form of arthritis they produce pain and disability.
Signs and symptoms: Pain in the afflicted joint/joints, stiffness, swelling, redness, crepitus(o.a), difficulty to move the joints, etc
Prevention: Arthritis is a life style disease. We can avoid ourselves from being the victims of Arthritis when we follow a disciplined and planned approach towards our diet and way of living. Minimum exercises like walking, running, jogging, cycling etc can avoid arthritis from creeping in by strengthning the soft tissues and joints. Ayurveda too advocates regular Vyayama or exercises as an important part of life style measures. Vyayama provides karma samartya(ability to do the work properly and uninteruptedly), deeptagni(regulation of digestive process and metabolism at the systemic and cellular levels), medasaha kshaya(depletes fat stores and destroys excess fat- we know the direct relationship between obesity and arthritis), vibhakta gaatrata(good frame work of the body) and ghana gaatrata(well built proportional body).Ayurveda too emphasises Nitya Abhyanga or daily oil massage to the whole body. The joints require regular lubrication to keep working. Abhyanga rejuvenates the musculoskeletal system(jara hara), relieves exhaution(srama hara) and subsides vitiated vata. Apart from this it enhances the eye sight(drishti prasada), gives strength to the muscles, soft tissues and joints(pushti), induces good sleep(swapna), improves color and complexion of the skin(su twak) and provides stability to the body(dhaardya krit).
Arthritis and Ayurveda: Arthritis is not a new concept for Ayurvedic science. Rather we can tell that Ayurveda is the first medical science to explain arthritis and other joint related problems. We can find references of various type of arthritis which simulate with those explained in the modern texts. Arthritis in Ayurveda is a disease involving the vitiated vata dosha in one or the other form, though the other doshas-pitta and kapha are also invariably involved being disturbed in varying proportions. The main dhatus afflicted are rasa–rakta(blood), mamsa(muscles, tendons, ligaments) and ashti(bone and joints). When these tissues are afflicted by one or more of the above said doshas with predominance of vata arthritis get manifested. Disturbed metabolism(agni dushti), circulating endo-toxins(ama), improper food and activities(mithya ahara and vihara) etc are also the chief causes. This indicates that most of the arthritis according to Ayurveda have a systemic origin).
Types of Arthritis as per Ayurveda: Many conditions resembling various types of the modern day arthritis is available in the Ayurveda viz:
*Amavata: Where ama is involved along with vata to produce a picture resembling an inflammatory arthritis with special mention of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
*Sandhigata vata: Where the vitiated vata enters the joints and occupies them causing swelling, pain etc. This condition indicates the explanation similar to degenerative arthritis w.s.r.t Osteo-Arthritis.
Vata-Rakta: Where the vitiated vata along with the vitiated rakta produce painful conditions of the joints mimicking the picture of crystal arthritis w.s.r.t Gouty-Arthritis.
There are many other conditions explained but the above said are important ones. The notable feature is the mention of the word vata in common in all the conditions.
Treatment of Arthritis in Ayurveda:
The treatment of arthritis can be initiated only after understanding the ailment in detail(nidana panchaka) and after a thorough examination of the patient through Dashavida pariksah(10 fold examination of the patient), Trividha(3 fold examination) and Ashta Stana Pariksha(examination of 8 essential parameters). In general the below said treatment can be implemented as per the type of the arthritis being dealt:
*Langhana(fasting and other forms of treatment which bring lightness in the body), Deepana(enhancing the digestive fire or improving the metabolism),Pachana(digesting the endotoxins and separating them from the association with morbid doshas) etc when ama is associated with the doshas in the pathogenesis of the arthritis. Eg in Amavata
*Shodana(purificatory measures including panchakarma): In the form of :
1.Virechana(purgation) – in all types of arthritis
2.Vasti(medicated enemas) – Kashaya vastis(decoction enemas) and teekshna vastis(strong enemas-evacuatory) in amavata, Ksheera vastis(medicated enemas prepared in milk base) in vatarakta, Anuvasana and matra vastis(oil or ghee enemas) in sandhigata vata etc
3.Rakta mokshana(blood letting) – In vatarakta
4. Snehapana – Intake of medicated oils and ghee – in amavata/sandhigatavata/vatarakta
*Sthanika Chikitsa(Local treatment):
1. Janu vasti(oil pooling around the knee joints in a chamber constructed around the joint using flour so as to accomodate oil) – in sandhigata vata
2.Patra pinda sweda(sudation to the painful joint using medicated leaves tied in a cloth in the form of a bolus) – in sandhigatavata
3. Shastika shali pinda sweda(sudation to the painful joint using processed rice tied in a cloth in the form of bolus) – in sandhigata vata
4. Lepa and Upanaha( annointments and poultices) – in all types of arthritis
5. Abhyangam and swedana(massage and fomentation) – in sandhigatavata
6. Vaaluka sweda(sudation to the painful joint using heated sand tied in a cloth in the form of a bolus) – in amavata
7. Parisheka(sprinkling or spraying medicated fluids) – in vatarakta
8. Sandhi pichu(keeping a cotton pad dipped in medicated oil in contact with afflicted joint and wrapping it with a bandage to keep it in position) – in sandhigata vata
*Shamana Chikitsa: (Palliable treatment in the form of oral medication) – Some of the important medicines useful in various types of arthritis are mentioned below:
Oils for application: Balaguluchyadi tailam, BalaAshwagandadi tailam/kuzhambu, Chandanadi tailam, Dhanwantaram khuzhambu, Karpasasthyadi tailam, Karpooradi coconut oil, Kottamchukkadi tailam, Ksheerabala tailam, Madhuyashtyadi tailam, Mahamasha tailam, Murivenna, Narayana tailam, Pinda tailam, Sahacharadi tailam, Vatamardanam kuzhambu, Vatashini tailam
Oils and ghee for internal consumption: Bala tailam, Dhanwantaram tailam(3 & 101), Gandha tailam, Ksheerabala tailam(3 & 101), Sahacharadi tailam, Gulgulu tiktakam ghritam, Varanadi ghritam etc
Kashayam’s: Amrutottaram Kashayam,Balaguluchyadi Kashayam,Dhanwantaram Kashayam, Gulgulutiktakam Kashayam/Tablets, Kokilaksham Kashayam,Maharasnadi Kashayam/Tablets,Rasnadi Kashayam(small and big),
Tablets: Amruta Gulgulu/Amruta Gulgulu(DS), Dhanwantaram/Mahadhanwantaram Gulika, Kaishora Gulgulu/Kaishora Gulgulu(DS), Shaddarana gulika/Shaddarana gulika(DS), Yogaraja Gulgulu/Yogaraja Gulgulu(DS) etc
Patent medicines from the house of Arya Vaidya Nilayam(AVN):
*Amavatari Kashayam: Contains important ingredients like Amruta, Kokilaksha, Punarnava and Dashamoola. Indicated in – Rheumatoid Arthritis, Auto-immune Collagen diseases, Ankylosing Spondylosis, Gout, Dermato-Myositis, Osteo-Arthritis.
*Tablet Arthoven: Comprises of Amruta, Kokilaksha, Punarnava, Dashamoola and Guggulu. Indicated in Sinovitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Auto-immune collagen disease, Enthesopathy, Ankylosing Spondylosis, Gout, Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, Cartilage degeneration, Osteo-Arthritis and other inflammations of the skeleto-muscular system.
*Tablet Zeotone : Composition comprises of Guggulu, Shalllaki, Amruta, Kokilaksha, Nisha and Shanka bhasma. Indicated in Osteo-Arthritis.
*Zeotone soft gel caps: Composition comprises of chiefly of Gandha Tailam and Tila Tailam processed in aqueous extract of Vajravalli, bala, vilwa etc drugs. Indicated in Osteo-Arthritis.
*Arthorub Liniment/Ointment(External application): Indicated in Stiff and swollen joints, Arthritis, Sprain, Blunt injuries, Sports injuries, Musculo skeletal edema and pain of varied etiology.
Ayurveda has wonderful remedies for Arthritis alike any other diseases. The above mentioned medicines should be prescribed as per the disease and the condition of the patient and not to be taken on self. They may be harmful when not taken under medical supervision.
For details contact:
Dr Raghuram Y.S,MD(ayu),
Consultant Physicia
Arogya Ayurvedic Centre
12th cross,Jayanagar 7th Block/Off K.R. Road
Bangalore – 82
Landmark: Opp Upahar Sagar hotel/Behind Shastry’s Bakery
Ph: +91-9480071422 or 080-26766291
Mail us at: drraghuramys@gmail.com
Visit us at: www.avnarogya.in or www.arogyabangalore.com
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