Ayurveda treatments for Rheumatism and Arthritis

Rheumatic Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joint. The main symptoms are pain and/or stiffness. Usually, arthritis is a condition experienced as one grows old. The most common is 50+. Arthritis is general can be classified as 2, degenerative and infective. Both are conditions which are not very easy to handle.

Degeneration is the law of nature. But it can be definitely slowed down if it is happening due to lifestyle issues. One major factor leading to degenerative arthritis is sedentary life and constant trauma on the joints due to excess weight. Weight-bearing joints like knees, hip and ankles get affected faster due to obesity and they degenerate faster. Injury and improper handling of the joint can also lead to arthritis.

Infective arthritis is many, but the most common one is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). This is an auto-immune condition wherein all the joints (especially the small) gets inflamed. This if not handled properly can lead to disfiguration of the joints. Steroids are usually prescribed for this condition.

The treatment approach for both is slightly different. In the infective type, we have to handle the inflammation first before doing treatment for the joint directly. In most of the conditions, the inflammation is throughout the body even though it is exhibited only locally. But ultimately, for both, the treatment is to strengthen the muscles around the joint and tone the soft tissues. Mild to moderate lifestyle changes are also needed to have sustained results.

Osteo Arthritis

Osteo Arthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disorder without inflammation. This involves both the bones and cartilage of the particular joint. It can occur in all ages but most prevalent in overweight elderly adults and larger joints like knee, shoulder, hip, etc. Pain is the main symptom. In advanced cases, it also creates a crackling sound while the joint moves. Occasionally the joint gets fluid-filled. Pain while climbing down the stairs is one of the most significant symptoms.

Since OA is degenerative, the main approach will be to arrest the progress of the condition. Due to degeneration and rubbing of the bones, dryness is experienced. Depending upon the severity and response to our procedures, the treatment may vary from 14 days to 21 days. We along with improving the condition of the joint, also see that the muscles around the affected joint are strengthened. Once this is achieved the joint starts repairing itself. The proper follow-up, medicines and moderate lifestyle changes are to be made for the management of OA.

Osteo Arthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disorder without inflammation. This involves both the bones and cartilage of the particular joint. It can occur in all ages but most prevalent in overweight elderly adults and larger joints like knee, shoulder, hip, etc. Pain is the main symptom. In advanced cases, it also creates a crackling sound while the joint moves. Occasionally the joint gets fluid-filled. Pain while climbing down the stairs is one of the most significant symptoms.

Since OA is degenerative, the main approach will be to arrest the progress of the condition. Due to degeneration and rubbing of the bones, dryness is experienced. Depending upon the severity and response to our procedures, the treatment may vary from 14 days to 21 days. We along with improving the condition of the joint, also see that the muscles around the affected joint are strengthened. Once this is achieved the joint starts repairing itself. A proper followup, medicines, and moderate lifestyle changes are to be made for management of OA.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is an autoimmune chronic condition associated with joint inflammation. It can affect all the joints in the body. But the small joints are more susceptible to RA. The condition includes pain, swelling, stiffness and sometimes hot to touch. This is more in the mornings and goes up by activity. Rest gives a little relief. Chronic RA leads to joint deformity and the superficial Rheumatoid nodule is a characteristic distinguishing factor.

RA being an autoimmune condition is not easy to handle. Our main approach is to strengthen the joint. But if the joint exhibits inflammation, then that has to be handled before we adopt procedures to rejuvenate the joint. Treatment duration may vary from14 days to 28 days depending upon the condition and response to our treatments. Equal importance is given to both internal and external medication. Proper diet and lifestyle change are critical to getting the condition under control.

Gout

When there is a long duration elevated uric acid level in the body, there are chances that this uric acid can solidify and form crystals. This then gets deposited in the small joints of the body creating severe pain. This condition is called Gout. The commonly affected site is the base of the big toe. It gets swollen and becomes red in color associated with severe pain. Usually, the person gets up in the morning with a gouty toe. It can also be associated with mild fever. The person will not be able to place the foot on the ground due to severe pricking pain. Heels and fingers are also sometimes affected. Other joints very rarely get affected.

This is mainly due to the retention and accumulation of bodily wastes which are otherwise supposed to be excreted. So detoxification is the main approach. Somewhere between 14 to 21 days is usually the time frame for handling gouty arthritis. To relieve the pressure from the affected joint, blood-letting is the best option. Apart from internal medicines, proper lifestyle and diet have to be followed to prevent a recurrence.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a degenerative condition where the density of the bone is reduced. Calcium (mainly) and other minerals get eroded from the bones making them porous and brittle. Such bones are susceptible to fracture easily. This is mostly seen in pre and post-menopause ladies. This condition is mostly asymptomatic. But what we have to look for is lower and/or middle back pain with minimum strain. The most affected area is the spine, hip, ribs, and wrist. A normal x-ray is more than enough to diagnose this condition.

Since this is a degenerative condition, our main approach will be to rejuvenate the body. This takes a minimum of 14 days to a maximum of 28 days depending upon the severity of the condition. Proper follow-up, medicines, diet and lifestyle changes are to be made for better results. Strenuous exercises are to be avoided. Calcium supplement is one option. But the best way is to improve the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the body in general. This will help tackle all deficiencies.

Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder as such is not a disease. It is only an exhibited symptom and that can be due to many reasons. It can start with pain while lifting hand all the way to complete inability to lift. It is called adhesive capsulitis. The primary reason for this condition is unclear. But many conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, tumours, injuries etc will lead to frozen shoulder. Usually the patient does not take medical advice in the initial stages. When the pain or stiffness start affecting their daily activities only, they seek medical advice. By that time it would have become chronic.

Getting the shoulder unfrozen is not an easy task. There will be calcium deposits in and around the capsule which has to be dissolved or broken. Forceful rotation of the arm may cause injury to the soft tissues in the joint.Treatments with oil followed by heat is very effective to improve circulation to the shoulder joint and relieve the stiffness and pain. Once the shoulder joint is properly greased and relaxed with our treatments, we take the help of our physiotherapy unit to soften it further. This is a slow process and can take a minimum of 14 days to a maximum of 21 days.