Everything you need to know about Arthritis in Ayurveda

Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation of joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are stiffness and intense pain in the joints. There are many treatments available in the market to bring down the pain and make the joints as flexible as before. The most prominent treatments amongst them will be Ayurveda. 

Ayurvedic treatments are different from those of western medicine, as they believe in bringing holistic changes to the patients’ routines and using natural substances as medicines to bring down and eliminate disease. 

Arthritis can be classified into two types: degenerative and infective. Both kinds are difficult in their own different ways. 

Degenerative arthritis usually happens as the result of the aging process. But if it is happening because of bad lifestyle habits, it can be easily slowed down. Sedentary lifestyles and unapprehended upper body weight can initiate pain in the joints. Improper handling or injury to the joints can also lead to degenerative arthritis. A type of degenerative arthritis is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis does not cause any specific inflammation to the joints and the pain is caused by either old age or due to the unbalanced upper body weight or obesity. The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is constant pain and trouble climbing stairs. 

Infective arthritis, on the other hand, is the more common one and can also be called rheumatoid arthritis. It is an autoimmune condition where there is constant inflammation of the joints. It is a bit more serious and has to be given all due care before it aggravates. 

Ayurveda suggests certain dietary restrictions that will help reduce the inflammation of the joints and other changes in the overall lifestyle, especially in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. 

Both degenerative and infective arthritis have different treatment procedures. The goal of degenerative arthritis treatment will be to arrest the condition. In the case of infective arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, the treatment will be to first take care of the inflammation in the joints and then come back to the pain. The pain can be detrimental to one area of the body, but the inflammation will be present throughout the body. In both cases, bringing about changes in the lifestyle can help tune down the pain to a great extent. 

How ayurvedic treatment works for arthritis?

According to Ayurveda, the pain in the body is mainly caused by vata doshas. And in the case of arthritis, there is an aggravation of vata and an accumulation of ama. Ama is the toxicity released due to undigested food, and vata dosha is the disruption in the body that stops the free flow of air in and out of the body. The ama moves along the body, and these toxic wastes get collected in the weaker sections of the body. When ama deposits itself in the joints, there is a disruption in the flow of vata, which results in amavata, or arthritis. 

Arthritis is caused by vata aggravation, and the primary goal of ayurveda is to stabilize vata flow and restore it to its normal pace in the body. By bolstering the metabolic pathway and the gastrointestinal tract, this can be corrected. When the pathways are strengthened, it promotes an easy flow of nutrients and helps them reach the weakened joints, thereby reducing the inflammation of the joints. 

A good level of hydration will help flush out the toxins in the body, and certain dietary changes and Ayurvedic medicines can help speed up the process and relieve you of that difficult joint pain. 

The ayurvedic diet is extremely holistic and helps with digestion. When there is better digestion, the production of toxins, or ama, recedes. A healthy diet can also help bring down the inflammation and promote better flexibility in the joints. This natural treatment might take time and may not provide immediate relief, but it makes sure that the condition does not re-introduce itself in the future. Ayurveda treats the root cause and has no side effects. 

Some of the foods suggested under Ayurvedic treatment for arthritis to bring down inflammation are: 

• Including foods that help contribute to omega-three fatty acids can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. They are usually found in fishes like sardine, mackerel and salmon.
• Ginger is a miracle food that has wonderful properties and therefore should be an essential ingredient. Ginger helps boost better digestion process and hence less of Ama and thus reduces the inflammation in the joints.
• Turmeric is suggested to arthritis patients as it has very credible anti-inflammatory properties. It helps increase the flexibility of the joints and help increase the walking capacity of arthritic patients. Curcumin is another natural ingredient with great anti-inflammatory properties and gives the similar effect to taking in medicines.
• Garlic is highly effective and it prompts prostaglandins to initiate reducing the pain related to arthritis.
• Other natural ingredients like potato juice and bitter gourd juice can reduce the inflammation and ease the pain due to arthritis. 

Let us look at some important tips in Ayurveda that will help in the overall treatment of arthritis:

• Partial fasting can help the body to get rid of toxins effectively.
• It is ideal to take lukewarm water with lemon and honey in the morning on an empty stomach.
•  Using mustard oil or sesame oil to massage the body as it can improve the pain on the joints. A hot oil massage can be extremely beneficial and help in inducing better flexibility in the muscles and joints.
• Adding fenugreek seeds into food can help balance the ama and vata and helps in promoting holistic health in the body through reducing inflammation.
• Taking in juices of fruits and vegetables which is a good source of Vitamin C can help improve the arthritis condition.
• Meditation can help bring down stress and anxiety as these both are the main culprits that increase ama in the human body.
• Having a well-defined sleep schedule is another way to promote a healthy lifestyle. Not having enough sleep can induce stress and anxiety.
• Avoid hot and spicy foods.

These are some of the treatments and lifestyle changes promoted by ayurvedic treatments to help with arthritis. At Leelajani, we offer holistic treatment for all kinds of orthopaedic disorders. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctors may suggest for 14 – 21 days of in house treatment with medicine and good massage therapy. In order to make sure to get rid of such diseases, ayurvedic treatment for orthopedic diseases is the best bid for a long and healthy life.
Contact us to get the best ayurvedic treatment for arthritis.