Thromboangiitis obliterans, also known as Buerger disease, is a medical condition involving inflammation and resulting blockage of small and medium-sized arteries and veins, especially in the extremities of the affected individual. This causes pain at rest, non healing ulceration, and gangrene of the fingers and toes. Thromboangiitis obliterans is not related to atherosclerosis, but is however precipitated by a disturbed and weakened immunity and has a strong association with the chronic and heavy smoking.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment for thromboangiitis obliterans is aimed at reducing the inflammation in the arteries and veins. Ayurvedic herbal medicines which have a soothing and anti-inflammatory action and can specifically target the walls of the arteries and veins are used in high doses, in order to treat the inflammation and thereby either prevent or reduce the blockage in the arteries and veins. This treatment needs to be given aggressively, in order to prevent complications like non healing ulcers and gangrene.
Herbal medicines which strengthen the muscular fibers and connective tissue of the arteries and veins are also used along with the anti-inflammatory treatment, to help in an early healing of the arteries and veins and thereby prevent long-term damage. Since this medical condition is related to a disturbed immunity, immunomodulatory herbal agents are also used in high doses in order to boost the immune status of the affected individual, so as to bring about a quick and early relief from the symptoms.
If the affected individual already has complications like non healing ulcers, these need to be treated separately with Ayurvedic herbal medicines which bring about a healing of ulcers as well as prevent gangrene, by helping in improving the microcirculation of the affected tissue. Treatment of the root cause of the disease as well as the presenting complications needs to be given simultaneously so as to bring about a complete cure of this condition. Depending upon the severity of the condition, patients affected with thromboangiitis obliterans need to take treatment for about four to eight months in order to recover completely from this condition. Cessation of smoking is a must in order to obtain early benefits of treatment.
The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at www.ayurvedaphysician.com
