Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a medical condition involving a mix of several autoimmune diseases. Patients typically complain of Reynaud’s phenomenon, swollen fingers, joint pain, hardening skin, pulmonary hypertension, difficulty in swallowing, and painful muscles. The presence of U1 RNP and snRNP antibodies is diagnostic of this condition. Women are affected more than men. The presence of pulmonary hypertension and other symptoms related to the cardiovascular system indicate an adverse prognosis.

Most patients are managed with drugs to treat pain and swelling, low dose steroids, and immune suppressing agents. Symptomatic treatment is given for difficulty in swallowing and acid reflux. Patients with pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease as well as heart involvement require special attention.

The Ayurvedic treatment of MCTD involves detoxification, reduction of generalized inflammation, and special rejuvenation therapy for the cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system. Once the symptoms gradually start subsiding, immune modulating herbs are introduced slowly. Special care is required since most patients are already on steroid and immune suppressant therapy. As inflammation decreases, the body gradually starts accepting immune modulation and immune strengthening treatment.

Treatment is continued till all symptoms are completely in remission; at this stage, modern medicines like steroids and immune suppressant drugs need to be tapered off gradually. This stage is highly sensitive, since the patient may experience an aggravation of symptoms for about 1-2 months.  Counseling and encouragement needs to be given to the patient at this stage to continue with the treatment. Once the aggravation subsides, then further treatment can be given to treat any residual symptoms and build up the immune system of the body so that it works to the patient’s advantage.

Treatment is then gradually reduced in dosage and frequency so that the patient can start living a life free of medication. Most patients with MCTD, or for that matter, any autoimmune disease, require regular treatment for a period of about 12 to 18 months for a complete remission of the disease with complete cessation of all modern drugs.   It is important to educate the patient to adopt a healthy life style and healthy eating habits, as well as avoid stress, so as to prevent a relapse of the condition.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment thus has a specific role to play in the successful management and treatment of MCTD.

The writer, Dr A A Mundewadi, is available as an Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and  www.ayurvedaphysician.com for Ayurvedic herbal treatment of MCTD, kindly click here

Successful Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) is an autoimmune disease which includes Reynaud’s phenomenon (discoloration of fingertips and toes in extreme temperatures), arthritis, esophageal dysfunction, myositis (inflammation of muscles), pulmonary hypertension, sclerodactyly (swollen and hardened fingers and toes), skin rash, reduced white blood cell counts, pleuritis (inflamed coverings of lungs), pericarditis (inflamed coverings of heart), along with high levels of ribonucleioprotein antibodies. Women are ten times more affected by this condition than men.

Autoimmune diseases are those clinical conditions in which the immune system of the body becomes dysfunctional and starts targeting body organs and tissues, resulting in long term inflammation and damage. The modern, conservative treatment of MCTD is to suppress the dysfunctional immune system using steroids or immunosuppressant drugs; while this brings about an early relief from symptoms, most patients tend to relapse in the long run. The Ayurvedic treatment protocol for the management of MCTD consists of treating symptoms, treating the damaged tissues and organs, normalizing metabolism, soothing a hyper-reactive immune system, and treating all possible causes of the disease. Causes include chronic allergies, chronic inflammation, chronic infections, nutritional deficiencies, degeneration, and toxic build up in the body.

Detoxification, rejuvenation treatment of tissues and organs, immune modulation and symptomatic treatment need to be done separately or concurrently. Treating and protecting important internal organs like the heart, lungs and kidneys, and bringing about successful immune modulation, need to be accorded top priority in the long run. When it becomes apparent that the immune system is gradually functioning at optimal levels, the herbal medicines can be tapered off gradually. Depending upon the severity of the condition and the treatment response of the patient, treatment time may range anywhere from six to twenty-four months. Educating the patient about a healthy diet and lifestyle becomes important at this stage so as to enjoy optimal health and avoid a relapse of the condition.

Concurrent treatment with modern medicines and Ayurvedic herbal medicines can be safely given on a long term basis; however, adequate monitoring and testing is essential.

The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com

Successful Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune disorders are caused due to a dysfunction of the immune system of the body which attacks body organs and systems assuming them to be foreign, causing more than 160 different autoimmune diseases. Conservative modern treatment is in the form of immune suppression which results in temporary improvement in the symptoms; however, most patients with serious symptoms do not benefit in the long run, and may in fact exhibit serious side effects from treatment.

Almost all affected individuals exhibit some genetic predisposition to disease, along with exposure to environmental triggers. These include allergies, chronic infections, traumatic inflammation, degeneration, nutritional deficiencies, and toxic build up in the body. Ayurvedic treatment can be given for a few months to systematically detoxify the body; this is followed up with rejuvenation therapy for the next few months. When treated in this manner, patients can be gradually given medicines to treat generalized inflammation and also to gradually modulate a compromised immunity, without showing any aggravation of symptoms.

Treatment is also given to treat specific symptoms as they present. The key to successful treatment  is to treat specific and generalized inflammation, which is the hallmark of autoimmune disease. This can result in remission of commonly occurring autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, alopecia areata, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), thyroiditis, Addison’s disease, pernicious anemia, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), scleroderma, and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).

Simple diet instructions are given which can be easily followed by most affected people. Avoidance of fast food, fried food, and packed food items; minimization of sugar, salt, non-vegetarian food, and dairy; and consumption of large amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits (subject to tolerance) are recommended.

Most affected individuals report significant improvement with about four to six months of Ayurvedic herbal treatment, and go into a full remission after about eight to ten months of therapy. Medicines can then be gradually tapered off and then stopped altogether. Patients who are already on steroids and other immune suppressant drugs may require more time to obtain remission of symptoms as well as to gradually get off all modern medication. Early institution of Ayurvedic herbal treatment is important in preventing permanent damage to important organs.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus be systematically used to comprehensively treat all autoimmune disorders.

The writer, Dr A A Mundewadi, is available as an Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Mixed Connective-Tissue Disease (MCTD)

Mixed connective-tissue Disease is a serious disorder which is a combination of several autoimmune diseases such as Reynaud's phenomenon, arthritis, myositis, skin rash, and involvement of the heart and lungs.  Mixed connective-tissue disease usually results from a decreased or compromised immunity, in which the immune complex of the body works against itself.  This condition is more common in women, and its onset is usually seen in a young age.

Mixed connective-tissue disease is usually treated in the modern system of medicine with steroids and other medicines which suppress the body immunity.  While this gives symptomatic relief initially, the long-term results are not favorable and the side-effects of these medicines can be considerable and quite serious.  Ayurvedic herbal treatment is very effective in the treatment of mixed connective-tissue disease.  The most important aspect of Ayurvedic treatment is that it aims to correct the autoimmune process going on in the body of the affected individual.  Correction of the immune complex is a must in order to treat the condition completely.  Ayurvedic herbal medicines normalize the immune process and treat the inflammatory reaction going on in the body, which results in the manifestation of autoimmune disorders mentioned above.

Ayurvedic herbal medicines are aimed at normalizing and correcting the tissues of the body such as blood, muscle, fat, skin, as well as the imported internal organs.  This process is usually slow and takes around three to six months in order to show significant improvement.  However, treatment in this manner corrects and normalizes the inflammatory process going on in these tissues and in the internal organs and thereby leads to a complete cure of the condition.  Aggressive treatment of this condition in the initial phase of the disease is advisable in order to prevent serious manifestations of the imported internal organs in the long run.  Involvement of the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys can be serious and possibly fatal; hence early recognition of these conditions and prompt treatment is very important.

Ayurvedic herbal treatment is thus very effective in the management of mixed connective-tissue disease and this treatment should be offered to all individuals affected with this condition, since the viable and effective treatment options for this condition are few in the modern system of medicine.

The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com