Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common ailment for which Ayurvedic help is being sought these days.
The ayurveda suggests that arthritis is caused primarily by an excess of ama and lack of agni. This can be caused by poor digestion and a weakened colon, resulting in the accumulation of undigested food and the buildup of waste matter. Poor digestion allows toxins to accumulate in the body, and problems with the colon allow the toxins to reach the joints.

Symptoms:Following are the signs that indicate the presence of this ailment:

• Severe pain in the affected joints.
• Muscles, ligaments and cartilage become inflamed.
• Movement of the joint becomes extremely painful, especially in cold, windy and damp weather.
• It is notable that if this disease is not taken care of properly at the initial stages the joint becomes immobile and may also become permanently deformed.
  

Causes:
Causes include internal and external factors. It is more common in cold, damp and windy climates. Internally it is a condition which is related to low Agni (poor digestive fire) and poor digestion which leads to the accumulation of toxins (ama). The toxins (ama) produced in the colon are taken up by various parts of the body and depending on the site of deposition, it causes many diseases in the body. For example, if it deposits in the lungs, it causes cough and asthma, in the intestines it causes dysentery. When it deposits in the joints and at the same time there is aggravation of vata, that means if biological humor air is also disturbed, it results in a disease called amavata or arthritis.

Remedies:

1. Two tea spoons of lemon juice mixed in 250 ml. of warm water and a tea spoon of honey is good to take twice a day -morning and evening.
2. Body massage with sesame or mustard oil helps to reduce the vata and thus reduce the pain. The joints affected by pain can be massaged for longer time.
3. Light exercise is useful but you must know your limits: as a general rule if any exercise, including walking, causes pain after one hour, you have crossed your limit.
4. Liberal intake of orange juice or sweet limejuice or Vitamin C enhances the efficacy of any anti rheumatic drug, since Vitamin C can reduce skeletal pain.
5. Camphor, wintergreen and cinnamon oils are beneficial for external application. They can be combined with herbs like ashwagandha in sesame oil for external applications.
6. Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with warm water helps cure arthritis.Dosage: Taken twice a day
   
7. One raw clove of garlic every day is very beneficial. This clove can be fried in ghee (clarified butter) or castor oil.Dosage: Once daily for two-three months.
   
8. Guggulu (a herb) is very helpful in curing arthritis. If available, eat half a teaspoon twice a day after meals with warm water. ·Paste of 1 teaspoon red chilies and fresh ginger mixed in half a cup of sesame oil and strain. Gently rub this oil on the affected joints. ·Camphor, wintergreen and cinnamon oils are also beneficial for external application.

• Mahanarayan oil improves flexibility, stiffness, muscle fatigue, and removes pain. It is mixed with sesame oil (1:1) and applied to the painful areas. This oil also breaks up blockages and begins to heal locally. After oil application, warm heat, yoga, bath, or mild exercise further improves this situation.
• Narayan oil is good for muscle and joint pain, lower body circulation, and reversing imbalances caused by aging.
• Avipattikar churna is good to ingest for rheumatism.
• Mahamasha taila is also good for externally apply.
• Karpashasadi oil is good for muscle pain & stiffness.
• Rasnadi kashayam: 2tsp kashayam mix with 4 tsp warm water ,take thrice a daily before meals.
• Sahacharadi kashayam : 3tsp twice a daily.
• Ayurfine forte tab, Dhanvantaram tab, Myostal forte tab, Flexopen tab, etc...
  

Therapies:

• Steam Applying heat to the site of arthritis, liquefied toxins, enabling them to flow back into the blood stream to their site of origin. Herbs, food plans and panchakarma removed the toxins from the system. A pressure cooker with herbal or oil steam, like eucalyptus, dislodged toxins. Oils were also be applied to the arthritis (e.g.,. winter green, mixed in a base oil) to help dislodge toxins and remove pain.
• Enemas and other means of cleaning the colon are often used to help detoxify the body.

Useful Herbs:
A variety of herbs, spices and bitters are used in ayurveda. These are often applied externally or ingested. These are believed to cleanse the body and to relieve pain and stiffness. Mint, ephedra, golden seal, gentian, nirgundi, eucalyptus leaves, prasarini, quassia, coptis, scute, phellodendrom, aloe, guggul, du huo, ligusticum, Siberian ginseng, myrrh, and yucca are some of the herbs used.

Dos and don'ts:
Following is the diet suggested for the patients suffering form arthritis:

• Vegetable juices and soups
• Coconut water
• Coconut milk
• Carrot juice
• Beet root juice
• Cucumber juice
• Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini and pumpkin
• Spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, asafetida, garlic, fennel and turmeric Green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt
• Khichadi (recipe made by cooking rice and mung dal )
• Regular physical exercise and massage with oil should form an important part of the routine.

The patient of arthritis must avoid the following:

• Eating hot, spicy and fried foods, sweets, wind forming foods like cabbage, Cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra and potatoes.
• Too much tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yogurt, chocolate, cocoa.
• Antibiotics, painkillers, steroids and nicotine
• Sleeping during the day
• Staying up late at night
• Mental tensions like worry, anxiety, fear, stress and grief.