Avascular Necrosis (AVN) – Modern (Allopathic) versus Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

 Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a disease in which the blood supply to the head of the joint bone reduces drastically, causing a complete disorganization and ultimate collapse of the head of the joint bone.  Though the hip joint is most commonly affected, AVN can also involve other joints such as the shoulder.  This condition may be caused due to sudden or repeated, low-grade trauma, long-term use of steroids, excessive intake of alcohol, and chronic diseases like blood disorders and auto immune disorders. 

 Of late, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of auto immune disorders with a resulting increase in the use of steroids; hence, AVN is being diagnosed much more frequently. Patients in their late 20s and early 30s usually present with this disease. The condition may happen within a span of a few days to a few weeks, but the ensuing physical disability may remain life-long. A similar condition in children, known as Perthe’s disease, may reverse spontaneously within a year or two.

 The conservative management of this condition in the modern system of medicine is to give biphosphonates in order to possibly reduce the rate of decrease of calcium and thereby preserve the joint structure to the maximum extent possible.  This is supplemented with graded physiotherapy to preserve joint function and maintain muscular strength.  A slightly advanced condition calls for core decompression surgery in order to reduce stress on the joint.  Further management is only with the use of pain killers like paracetamol, and to adopt a ‘wait and watch’ policy.

 Patients who progress to the third or fourth stage of the disease, involving gross destruction of the joint, are usually advised total replacement of the joint.  Joint replacement surgery can be prohibitively costly; in addition, it may not provide the full range of movement which the person previously had with a normal joint. If the causative factors persist, other joints may become involved.

 Most patients taking biphosphonates, or having undergone core decompression surgery, either do not benefit at all, or find the beneficial effects to be transitory. Such patients can be treated with Ayurvedic herbal medicines for a period of about four to six months and usually get complete and lasting benefit from pain, stiffness, and limitation of movement.

 Patients having the third or fourth stage of the condition usually require higher doses of Ayurvedic oral medicines, supplemented with one or several courses of medicated enemas. Most patients with severe involvement of AVN do recover significantly with the regular use of Ayurvedic treatment for a period of about eight to twelve months.

 To sum up, modern treatment is not very effective in controlling the severe pain and other symptoms associated with AVN. The much touted joint replacement surgery is available to only a select few, and has its own limitations. Ayurvedic herbal treatment is a comprehensive, safe and economical treatment for all the stages of AVN.

The writer, Dr A A Mundewadi is available as an Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com To start Ayurvedic treatment for AVN, click here

Established Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Avascular Necrosis of Hip (AVN)

Long term use of steroids, excessive intake of alcohol, chronic blood disorders and autoimmune diseases cause a drastic and sudden reduction in the blood supply to the head of the hip joint. This causes a complete disorganization of the bone structure, ultimately leading to a collapse of the head of the bone; this condition is known as avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip. Other joints too can be affected, though the hip joint is usually more commonly affected. Modern treatment involves the use of medicines to help reduce bone absorption, surgery to reduce bone stress, or hip joint replacement. Overall, modern treatment options are unsatisfactory and not cost effective.

Mundewadi Ayurvedic Clinic has been singularly successful in effectively treating patients even with advanced AVN. The treatment consists of herbal medicines to be taken for eight months, along with some simple Panchkarma procedures which can be done at home. Most patients report a complete remission in symptoms like pain, stiffness and rigidity within 2-4 months of commencing treatment. After completion of treatment, individuals can lead a normal life without symptoms provided they abstain from high impact activities. Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus provide satisfactory management of a refractory condition like AVN, which is now being increasingly observed in young individuals.

The author, 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 Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of Hip

Avascular necrosis is a disease in which the blood supply to the head of the hip joint reduces drastically, leading to a disorganization and ultimate collapse of the head of the hip joint.  While this medical condition usually relates to the hip joint, it is also less commonly seen in other joints such as the shoulder joint. This disease usually occurs due to unknown causes, but it may also be related to trauma and the use of medication such as steroids.

Ayurvedic treatment has been very successful in the management of this disease, by reversing the main pathology of the disease, by improving and normalising the blood circulation to the head of the hip joint.  In addition, Ayurvedic medicines are also very successful in treating the symptoms of this disease such as pain, stiffness, and impaired mobility.  Treatment is usually in the form of oral medication and is supplemented by local applications and fomentation.  Intensive therapy is usually given for about six months, after which the affected individual can take supplemental therapy for another twelve months.  Pain and stiffness disappear in about four to six months, usually due to reversal of the pathology of the disease.  However, the process of remodelling of bone structure of the head of the hip joint takes a much longer time and may continue for twelve to eighteen months.  This is why maintenance therapy is necessary and recommended.

Currently, there is no treatment for this condition in the modern system of medicine, other than providing medication for pain relief and advising graded exercises for reducing stiffness and impaired mobility.  Gross changes in the structure of the head of the hip joint are surgically corrected, or a complete replacement is advised.  In this scenario, it is heartening to note that Ayurvedic medicines can successfully treat this disease completely and reverse the entire pathology of the disease.

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

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Avascular Necrosis of the Hip (AVN)

Avascular necrosis of the hip is a medical condition in which, due to various reasons, the blood supply to the head of the hip joint reduces drastically.  This results in a gradual deterioration of the structure of the hip joint, resulting in a destruction of the hip bone head.  This causes severe pain to the affected person and also results in impaired mobility of the hip joint.  There are no modern medicines which can halt the progress of this disease or reverse the damage done to the hip joint.  Modern treatment consists of controlling pain and graded mobility exercises of the joint.  The standard treatment for advanced avascular necrosis of the joint is surgical correction, whereby the hip joint is either repaired or replaced.

Ayurvedic medicines can be utilised judiciously to treat avascular necrosis of hip.  Ayurvedic medicines help to restore normal blood supply to the hip joint and also provide sufficient nutrition and calcium to the hip joint to help restore and reorganise the structure of the hip joint.  In addition, pain also needs to be controlled effectively in order to maintain the morale of the affected individual.  Local application of medicated oils and fomentation also helps in reducing pain to some extent.  The main treatment of avascular necrosis of hip is to help reorganise the hip joint to the maximum extent possible.  The amount of improvement obtained with medicines depends upon the degree of damage done when the patient opts for Ayurvedic treatment.  However, irrespective of when treatment is commenced, all people affected with avascular necrosis of hip improve to some extent.

Usually, treatment is required from four to six months in order to give significant relief to the patient.  Most of the people affected with avascular necrosis of the hip can resume their normal day-to-day activities and lead a near normal life.  Ayurvedic treatment is thus very important in the treatment of avascular necrosis of hip.

The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at www.ayurvedaphysician.com