Arthritis & Ayurvedic Treatment

Arthritis & Ayurvedic Treatment

Disease Process in Arthritis

According to Ayurveda mostly pains are caused by the aggravation of vaata (air) dosha. Arthritis is a condition which is caused by accumulation of aama and aggravation of vata. (Aama is a toxic by-product of improper digestion.) This aama circulates in the whole body and deposits or gets collected at the sites which are weaker. When it deposits in the joints and at the same time there is aggravation of vata, it results in a disease called amavata. This amavata is arthritis.

Remedies

As described above ama and vata are the main causes, so efforts should be made to digest ama and to reduce the vata. The digestion should be improved so that no further ama is produced. Efforts should be made to relieve the pain and inflammation. This is the line of treatment according to Ayurveda.

treatments

• is very beneficial for digesting the ama.

• fasting be complete or partial depending on the strength of the person, season and place.

• tea spoons of lemon juice mixed in 250 ml. of warm water and a tea spoon of honey is good to take twice a day -morning and evening.

• .Body massage with sesame or mustard oil helps to reduce the vata and thus reduce the pain.
  
• .The joints affected by pain can be massaged for longer time.

• exercise is useful but you must know your limits: as a general rule if any exercise, including walking, causes pain after one hour, you have crossed your limit.

• intake of orange juice or sweet limejuice or Vitamin C enhances the efficacy of any anti rheumatic drug, since Vitamin C can reduce skeletal pain.

• Gugglu is a very helpful herb for curing arthritis. If available it can be taken in one to 3 gm dose twice a day after meals with warm water.

Contra-indications:

• recommended for people with kidney disease or acute rashes.

Diet

• which are easily digestible and do not make wind or gas are good.

• juices and soups are good. Juices of carrot, beat root and cucumber mixed together is also beneficial.

• salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt is also good.

• like apples, oranges, grapes and papaya can be taken.

• .Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini and pumpkin are good.

• with spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, asafetida, garlic, fennel and turmeric is also good

• .Avoid eating hot, spicy and fried foods, sweets, wind forming foods like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra and potatoes should be prohibited.

• .Avoid taking too much tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yogurt, chocolate and cocoa, excessive smoking,