RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

                                                                            

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic joint disorder of unknown cause. It involves multiple synovial joints in symmetric fashion mainly of hands and feet. Organs other than joints such as the skin, heart, lungs, and eyes can also be involved. Cervical spine involvement usually affects C1-C2 and may potentially cause serious neurologic consequences. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of childhood arthritis.

Ayurvedic View

In ayurveda rheumatoid arthritis is known as Aamvata. When the digestive fire decreases due to various reasons the food remains undigested. This undigested food is called Aam. It travels throughout the body and due to its viscous nature it blocks channels and causes increase of vata dosha. In the favourable conditions when this increased vata occupies joints along-with aam it causes aamvata.

This disease also has a relation with mind. It is commonly seen that RA attacks women mostly; it shows that this has some "emotional" reasons also, whether these are responsible for causing it or aggravates it. In many cases it has been noted that women with lot of depression are suddenly caught by this disease, it also proves the impact of psychological stress and changes on the disease.

Aggravating Factors

1) Genetic susceptibility
 2) An external trigger like trauma and infection that triggers autoimmunity
3) Sex hormones
4) Immunological factors


Symptoms

1)    Difficulty in day to day activities

2)    Fatigue, malaise, weight loss

3)    Morning stiffness

4)    Low grade fever

5)    Painful  and swollen joints

6)    Rheumatic nodule formation occurs in subcutaneous tissues of the finger, in toe and heel pads, in tendons, and in viscera.

Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

1)   SukhAyurveda detox and purification therapy

According to ayurveda this disease is mainly caused by aam and we at SukhAyurveda give purification therapies to eliminate aam from the body so that blockage of channels should be removed. Therapeutic purgation i.e. virechana and medicated enema should be done to eliminate aam.  Sukhayurveda’s Arthritis care therapies including full body Abhyangam, Ilakizhi(pottali Massage), NavaraKizhi(Medicated Rice Pottali massage), Svedanam(Steam bath) are used along with Destress therapies like Shirodhara, aromatherapy.

2)   Proper Nutriton

We at SukhAyurveda help to improve the digestion by giving herbal    formulations and advising simple adaptive modifications of diet to the patients. Cold, spicy, stale and hard to digest food should be avoided. Proper spacing between two meals is necessary. One should take Old Rice, Butter Milk, Wet Ginger, Garlic, Wheat, Bitter gourd and Horse Gram in his diet. Avoid consumption of Dairy products, Sweets, Oily foods, Chinese Food, Junk and Fast Foods, Salty and Sour Foods, Jaggery, Black Gram, Fish, Cold Drinks and Ice Creams.

3) Physical exercise

Fatigue and decreased endurance are frequent symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A reduction in muscle strength is noted due to the disease itself and to the lack of physical activity in these patients. Exercise is an important part of the rehabilitation management of Rheumatoid arthritis. We at SukhAyurveda recommend various Yogic exercises to the patients to improve joint activity.

  

4)Life style

SukhAyurveda Consultant advises proper life style to the patient for reduction of the episodes of exacerbation and rehabilitation. Sedentary life style, excessive exercises, cold exposure and wandering in rain should be avoided. Bathing with cold water should be strictly avoided. Warm water bath is recommended. It is also advisable to take a gentle walk after consumption of food. Also it is good to avoid water intake immediately after consuming food.

5) Herbal Preparations

Sukhayurveda consultant advises various herbal formulas according to the disease. Guggulu and castor oil are most effective drugs in treating ‘Amavata’. Also herbal preparations of Ashwagandha, haritaki, Rasna, Shunthi, Pippali and Trivrut are helpful in ‘Aamvata’. The above mentioned drugs should be taken only after consulting a Qualified Ayurvedic Consultant.

6)Strengthening the Body's Natural Healing and Self-Repair Mechanisms

Sukhayurveda not only cures disease by therapies but also boost one’s inner strength to fight with diseases naturally. The healing response is one of the most complex and coordinated activities within the human physiology and often cannot be strengthened significantly without a comprehensive natural approach.

Taking together, all the SukhAyurveda health programmes described above you can create the ideal mental, physical and behavioral environment for healing.

Happy Ayurveda!