Joint Diseases – Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Diseases of the joints can be classified mainly into two categories: 1) Diseases of joints resulting from inflammation 2) Diseases of joints resulting from degeneration.  In clinical practice, very often, there is a considerable overlap between the two.

The common joint diseases mainly encountered are as follows:

1) Osteoarthritis: This is known as the ‘wear and tear arthritis’; the commonest presentation being osteoarthritis of the knees. Basically, this condition results from degeneration of the joint cartilage due to trauma, overuse, obesity, or familial tendency. This disease is usually progressive, meaning conservative treatment does not stop it from progressing.

2) Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is an autoimmune disease primarily causing inflammation, pain and swelling in the small joints. Anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and immune suppressants can bring about a response, but there is no long term cure. Most autoimmune disorders affect the joints in the long run.

3) Spondyloarthropathies: This is a group of joint disorders that usually include ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease associated arthritis, and reactive arthritis aka Reiter syndrome. Most patients have an involvement of the spine, though in a few patients, large joints may be involved. Treatment is mostly symptomatic and supportive.

4) Gout: This is a metabolic disorder with high uric acid being deposited in excess, mainly in the big toe. This can be treated with drugs and diet control.

5) Bursitis: This is inflammation of bursae, which are fluid filled sacs which provide cushioning and sliding surfaces for tendons close to joints. Trauma and overuse are the most likely cause of inflammation leading to bursitis. Treatment is again symptomatic.

Global Burden of Joint Diseases: As per 2019 estimates, nearly 530 million people were affected globally with osteoarthritis, with nearly 65 million cases in India alone. During this same period, 224 million cases were affected worldwide with rheumatoid arthritis. This is the severity of joint disease and the huge burden it places in terms of economic loss, loss of working hours, severe compromise in quality of life, and not to mention the burden in terms of increased morbidity and mortality.

In most households, several senior citizens and middle aged people; also some unfortunate young individuals, are forced to limit themselves to their houses due to severe restriction in activity resulting from joint diseases. The same story plays out even in the houses of health professionals themselves, since conservative allopathic treatment has limited benefit, especially in rheumatoid arthritis, while the surgical treatment of osteoarthritis calls for huge expenses which are beyond the reach of most individuals who are paying for their treatments.

In such a scenario, it would be worthwhile to consider and review the enormous treatment potential of Ayurvedic herbal medicines for all joint diseases.

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment of Joint Diseases: Ayurvedic treatment for all joint diseases is with three treatment modalities: 1) Local application: Medicines like Narayan oil, Mahamash oil, Vishgarbha oil, and Gandhapuro oil are used as local application and are followed up with medicated steam fomentation usually using Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata) leaves. This is highly effective in reliving joint pain, swelling and stiffness.  2) Oral medications: These include herbs like Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Rasnamul (Pluchea lanceolata), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa), Shunthi (Zinziber officinale), Shallaki (Boswellia serrata), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Bala (Sida cordifolia), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), and Asthishrunkhla (Cissus quadrangularis). These medicines have excellent anti-inflammatory properties, are good immune modulators, and can be given safely for prolonged periods in high doses without serious adverse effects.3) Panchkarma Procedures: Panchkarma procedures like snehan (oleation), swedan (fomentation), virechan (induced purgation), basti (medicated enema), and rakta-mokshan (blood-letting) have immense additional therapeutic value in bringing about remission in very advanced joint disease too.

A combination of these three treatment modalities can help Ayurvedic treatment to bring about a complete remission in most patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis and other types of inflammatory arthritis. Ayurvedic herbs can repair joint cartilage and help heal advanced osteoarthritis and indeed remove the need for joint replacement. Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus bring about significant improvement in all types of joint diseases. It is the need of the hour to bring about global awareness about the immense treatment potential of Ayurvedic herbal medicines in joint diseases.

The writer, Dr A A Mundewadi, is available as an Ayurvedic Consultant at 

https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – Modern (Allopathic) Versus Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a medical condition characterised by inflammation, swelling, and pain in symmetrical joints, usually involving the smaller joints. This disease typically runs a chronic course, while having a varied long-term outlook. About half of those affected may have mild symptoms, which are usually well controlled with conventional treatment,  one-fourth may have a chronic but limited course, while the remaining one-fourth have an aggressive form of the disease, with severe pain and joint disfigurement.

The modern treatment of RA is usually with standard, oral anti-inflammatory and pain-killing medications, as well as local applications having the same mode of action. Most of these medicines cause acidity and ulceration in the gastrointestinal tract, and may harm the liver and kidneys if taken for prolonged periods. People affected with refractory RA are usually put on steroids and immune-suppressant drugs. The response to these medications is usually good to start with; however, the long term benefits are usually limited, while the side effects are substantial and serious. For most patients with severe symptoms, modern drugs are not able to stop the progression of the disease.

 Ayurvedic treatment helps reduce the chronic inflammation process related to RA and modulates the immune system of the body, so that it helps positively in combating the disease. Herbal medicines act on the joints to reduce pain as well as swelling, and help repair the joint structure. Deformities in joints can either be prevented or reduced with the long term use of Ayurvedic medicines. Regular Ayurvedic treatment for about 8-18 months is usually sufficient to significantly reduce all associated symptoms even in patients with severe forms of RA. Most such patients may also have concurrent symptoms related to other auto-immune disorders, especially of the skin and mucous membranes. These symptoms too can be treated aggressively, in order to bring about a remission of arthritis.

Most of the herbal medicines which are regularly used in the treatment of RA have to be given in high doses and for prolonged duration, in order to be effective; in spite of this, these medicines do not exhibit any serious side effects. Ayurvedic medicines have a major edge in treating refractory patients, while limiting the potential side effects. For those patients with very active disease and not responding even to standard Ayurvedic treatment protocols, supplementation of treatment with Ayurvedic Panchkarma procedures usually brings about a favourable response. The procedures include induced vomiting, induced purgation, blood-letting, and one or several courses of medicated enemas.

To sum up, Ayurvedic medicines have a major role to play in the treatment of aggressive and refractory types of rheumatoid arthritis because of their efficacy and safety as compared to modern medicines which have an immediate effect in suppressing symptoms, but prove to be ineffective and harmful in the long run. It is pertinent to note that patients should refrain from self-medication even with Ayurvedic treatment, and take the advice of a qualified and experienced Ayurvedic physician.

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 rheumatoid arthritis, kindly click here

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

 Rheumatoid arthritis is a medical condition characterised by inflammation, swelling, and pain in symmetrical joints, usually involving the smaller joints. This disease typically runs a chronic course, while having a varied long-term outlook. About half of those affected may have mild symptoms, which are usually well controlled with conventional treatment,  one-fourth may have a chronic but limited course, while the remaining one-forth have an aggressive form of the disease, with severe pain and joint disfigurement.

The modern treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is usually with standard, oral anti-inflammatory and pain-killing medications, as well as local applications having the same mode of action. People affected with refractory rheumatoid arthritis are usually put on steroids and immune-suppressant drugs. The response to these medications is usually good to start with; however, the long term benefits are usually limited, while the side effects are substantial and serious. Ayurvedic medicines have a major edge in treating such refractory patients, while limiting the potential side effects.

The aim of Ayurvedic treatment is to reduce the chronic inflammation process related to rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to regulate and regularise the immune system of the body, so that it helps positively in combating the disease. Herbal medicines act on the joint to reduce pain as well as swelling, and work on the joints to help repair the joint structure. Deformities in joints can either be prevented or reduced with the long term use of Ayurvedic medicines. Active Ayurvedic treatment for about 8-18 months is usually sufficient to significantly reduce all associated symptoms even in patients with severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis. Most such patients also have concurrent symptoms related to other auto-immune disorders, especially of the skin and mucous membranes. These symptoms too need to be treated aggressively, in order to bring about a remission of arthritis.

To sum up, Ayurvedic medicines have a major role to play in the treatment of aggressive and refractory types of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr A A Mundewadi is available as an Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com  For treatment of RA, kindly click on this link https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com/product-page/rheumatoid-arthritis-ra 

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a medical condition characterised by inflammation, swelling, and pain in symmetrical joints, usually involving the smaller joints. This disease typically runs a chronic course, while having a varied long-term outlook. About half of those affected may have mild symptoms, which are usually well controlled with conventional treatment,  one-fourth may have a chronic but limited course, while the remaining one-forth have an aggressive form of the disease, with severe pain and joint disfigurement.

The modern treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is usually with standard, oral anti-inflammatory and pain-killing medications, as well as local applications having the same mode of action. People affected with refractory rheumatoid arthritis are usually put on steroids and immune-suppressant drugs. The response to these medications is usually good to start with; however, the long term benefits are usually limited, while the side effects are substantial and serious. Ayurvedic medicines have a major edge in treating such refractory patients, while limiting the potential side effects.

The aim of Ayurvedic treatment is to reduce the chronic inflammation process related to rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to regulate and regularise the immune system of the body, so that it helps positively in combating the disease. Herbal medicines act on the joint to reduce pain as well as swelling, and work on the joints to help repair the joint structure. Deformities in joints can either be prevented or reduced with the long term use of Ayurvedic medicines. Active Ayurvedic treatment for about 8-18 months is usually sufficient to significantly reduce all associated symptoms even in patients with severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis. Most such patients also have concurrent symptoms related to other auto-immune disorders, especially of the skin and mucous membranes. These symptoms too need to be treated aggressively, in order to bring about a remission of arthritis.

To sum up, Ayurvedic medicines have a major role to play in the treatment of aggressive and refractory types of rheumatoid arthritis.

The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com You can start treatment for this condition here