Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
Rheumatoid Arthritis, or RA, is so much more than just joint pain.It is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which occurs when our immune system mistakenly attacks our own body’s tissues causing inflammation in the affected parts of the body. Here will discuss Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis
RA commonly affects the small joints, progressing to larger ones, and eventually affects the lining of the joints, causing thickening of the joint capsule, and painful swelling that can result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
The Main symptoms of RA
1)Tender Warm and swollen joints.
2)Morning stiffness that may last for hours.
3) Rheumatoid nodules under the skin.
4)Fatigue, Weightloss, Fever, and loss of appetite.
Rheumatoid Arthritis in Ayurveda/ Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ayurveda has a different management approach for RA and is found to be very effective. It cannot be correlated with one single disease entity in Ayurveda as it was observed that clinicians use the protocols for the management of Amavata and Vatasonita in different stages of RA.
Due to its etiological and clinical relationship, Rheumatoid arthritis is correlated with Amavata to some great extent.
The Ama Element
The word ‘Ama’ literally means the undigested, or a metabolic toxin at the gut as well as cellular levels which are produced in the body due to the weakening of digestive fire that has the capacity to create blocks in the body and produces pain, swelling, and stiffness at the site of its adherence and localization.
The Vata Element
Vata Dosha is the fundamental biological element that is responsible for controlling specific actions in the body. Vitiated vata, disturbs the body’s function and immunity, thereby causing various dysfunctions resulting in painful diseases.
Thus, Ama and Vata when vitiated cause many painful conditions at the place of its vitiation and lodgement.
WHY AGNI IS IMPORTANT IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF RA/ AMAVATA?
Agni is the soul of Ayurveda and considered the whole chikitsa to be nothing but a correction of “Antaragni”.
It is responsible for the entire food digestion process and all aspects of metabolism.
Due to the hyperfunctioning of Jataragni the first dhatu “Rasa” is not properly formed. This malformed rasa is called Ama which causes srotorodha resulting in vitiation of vata dosha, a condition called Amavata.
It is the Agni that is responsible for the production of Oja, Bala, varna etc.
Ayurvedic line of Treatment for Amavata (RA)/ Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Management of Amavastha and Niramavastha
The Treatment guidelines include Shamana (Conservative) and Shodhana (Biological Purification of the body) Chikitsa.
Depending upon the stages (acute/chronic) and Doshas involved, many measures are advised such as:
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- Langhana: Method of depletion of body tissues.
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- Deepana: Increase Digestive fire.
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- Pachana: Digestion of food.
For accumulated Ama ( Digestion of undigested material):
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- Snehapana (Oleation),
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- Swedana (Fomentation)
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- Virechana(Purgation)
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- Basti (Enema) for the elimination of Doshas from the body.
Rasapanchaka (Pharmacodynamics) of Drugs used in the Management of Amavata.
1)Rasa: Katu rasa (Pungent) ,Tikta rasa (Bitter)
2)Virya :Ushna(Hot in potency)
3)Guna: Laghu(Easily digestible), Tikshna (Penetrating property through tissues.)
4)Dosha :Vata-Kapha Dosha hara
5)Amapachaka.
Principles of Management
AMAVASTHA
Langhana is the line of treatment, it can be gained by fasting and also following strict dietic rules.
Light Food like Green Gram Soup and gruels are beneficial.
Rukshna can be achieved by the Application of Sudation by Potalis(Valuka Swedam/ Choorna pinda swedam)
If Pitta Dosha is involved in the disease, this rukshana can be done with danyamla Dhara or Dasamoola Kashaya Dhara to get better effects.
Lepas (Application of Medicated Paste) like Kottamchukkadi(Kapha dominance), Jatamayadhi (Pitta Rakta dominance) and Nagaradi (Vata dominance)can be used to reduce pain and swelling.
Upanahas are also applied to painful and swollen parts.
Internal Medication / Herbs for Rheumatoid Arthritis / Ayurvedic medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Decoctions like Amruthotharam, Rasna Panchak, and Guggulutik thakam are selected according to the patient’s condition.
Gulika like Ama Pachana vati, Kaishora Guggulu, and Churna forms like Vaishwanara, Guduchi, and shadharana will be more beneficial.
Basti is more effective in this condition, as Vaitarana, Kshara Basti etc.
Niramavastha
When Ama loses its association with Vata Dosha, it will be called Nirama Vata.
The pathological element in the form of ama has been separated from vata, the free vata is still pathological, as it is still in its vitiated form.
Vatanuloma ( Vata alleviating or expelling), treatments and medicines can be given to pacify the vitiated vata dosha.
Panchakarma Management / Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Role of Panchakarma Virechana in Amavata (RA)
Panchakarma is a specially designed set of 5 procedures for the internal purification of the body through the nearest possible route.
Among the 5, Virechana karma (Therapeutic Purgation) is one of the treatment modalities for treating Santarpanajanaya viharas(Metabolic disorders) that clears the srotavarodha(Obstruction), normalizes the Agni and brings a balanced state of Tridosha.
Virechana liquefies the morbid dosha and brings them up to the amashaya, from here, the morbid factors through the anal canal route are expelled out leading to virechana.
It is described as the effective management of Amavata as a Shodhana therapy. As it is the most suited therapy for the Sthanika Pitta Dosha, it might be responsible for Agnivardhana and the evacuation of Ama, which is the main culprit of this disease.
Virechanakarma followed by the Vishishta Nidana Parivarjana in the form of food and drugs gives remarkable symptomatic relief in the features of Amavata.
IMPORTANCE OF BASTI IN RA
Basti is considered a prime treatment modality for Vata dosha. It is not merely the enema, but a therapy with a wide range of therapeutic actions and indications.
Acharyas have opined that there is no treatment of Amavata or Vatrakta equal to Basti. Because of its vast field of therapeutic action.
Hence, RA can be managed well with Ayurveda medicines and Panchakarma as Changes of Recurrence are very less if a person follows the Ayurvedic Concept of a healthy lifestyle and regular cleansing of the body through Panchakarma.
There is no one size fits all solution for Ayurvedic Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis, each treatment is unique to the age and condition of the patient. Adyant Ayurveda is known as Best Ayurveda treatment centre to treat rheumatoid Arthritis
Have a word with expert doctors at Adyant Ayurveda treatment centre, Bangalore for Comprehensive care for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Consult our Best Ayurveda doctor
