Ayurvedic management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Dr. Jayasree, from Hyderabad, has been suffering from arthritis since 2014. While studying for her MBBS, she experienced a lot of pain in almost all of her joints and felt pain in her ribs while sleeping. She describes the pain as excruciating and says it is accompanied by swelling.In the beginning, she used to feel feverish in the morning. She experienced difficulty getting up from bed, and her pain would decrease with a hot water bath. If she experienced stress, such as during exams, her pain would worsen and she would become bedridden. Previously she used to take a lot of paracetamol and steroids as a part of her treatment (prednisolone-wysilone 5 mg for 2 weeks). Her pain gradually increased and she kept on taking steroids and other medication. Eventually, she needed to take medication even to go to the toilet. She required regular medication for her daily activities. In 2017, she went to Dubai and ate a lot of fish and ice cream, and that’s when her RA factor rose to 500. Gradually, her elbow started to feel stuck. She was concerned about the side effects of continuous use of methotrexate. Because of this, every month she used to check her SGOT and SGPT levels to confirm that there were no problems with her liver. If she took the medicine on Sunday, she couldn’t eat on Monday. Because of the side effects of strong medication,heavy hair fall was there which led to almost complete baldness. She had a family history of arthritis. Then under the guidance of Dr Sanand’s care, the patient was admitted to month-long IP treatment at Sree Subramanyam Nursing Home. consequently, her symptoms were improved. Now, she is completely alright and free from all of her symptoms.

Internal medicine

Date	Internal Medicine
6/12/17	• Amritotharam kashayam • Vatarakshasa Bhasma • Kaishora guggulu
10/12/2017	• Vaiswanara choorna-1tsp with hot water
9/1/2018	• Kukkutanta twak Bhasma • Rakta vridhi sindooram • Amritotharam kashaya • Guggulu tiktaka kashaya • Kaishora guggulu
3/4/2018	• Guggulutiktaka kashaya+kaishora guggulu • Vata rakshasa Bhasma • Chandraprabha sindhoora • Devamrita rasam
5/04/2018	• Swarna pathra choornam
10/04/2018	•Sarasaparilla+gokshura guggula • Vasthyamayantaka kashaya
20/3/2019	• Amritotharam +kashaya • Kaseesa Bhasma • Devamrita rasa
27/10/2019	• Drakshadi kashaya

Causes of Rheumatoid arthritis

Dietary causes:

• Excessive intake of sour, salty, pungent, alkaline, hot, and unctuous foods.
• Consumption of beans, black gram, oil cake, horse gram, and radish.
• Consumption of animal flesh.
• Incompatible food combinations.
• Eating before the complete digestion of the previous meal.
• Irregular food habits.
• Excessive alcohol intake.

Activity causes:

• Sleeping during the daytime, especially after meals.
• Keeping late hours or lack of sleep during nights.
• Improper fasting or dieting methods.
• Excessive swimming.
• Excess coitus.
• Walking long distances.
• Suppression of natural urges.
• Lack of physical exercise.

According to body constitution:

• Obese individuals.
• Delicate individuals who indulge in irregular diets and sedentary habits.

Rheumatoid treatment in Ayurveda

The goal of any arthritis treatment is to preserve joint functionality. This involves halting further joint destruction, managing inflammation, and minimizing associated symptoms like pain and stiffness. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve maximum joint mobility, prevent the development of deformities, and minimize complications.

In Ayurveda,RA is managed in the line of Vata Rakta.In the treatment of Vatarakta, purificatory methods play a crucial role. The following management approach is recommended:

• Snehana Karma(oleation therapy): Prior to Shodhana and Shamana Chikitsa in Vatarakta, patients are treated with Snehana or oleation therapy. This therapy is also applied externally in the form of Abhyanga.
• Virechana Karma(purgation): Therapeutic purgation is advised as part of the treatment for Vatarakta.
• Vasti(Enema): Vasti Karma, which includes both Asthapana and Anuvasana vasti, is considered the best treatment for Vatarakta. It is recommended after Virechana and is regarded as the most effective for Vata Shamana.
• Raktamokshana Karma(Blood letting): Raktamokshana is considered the primary treatment for Vatarakta .Various methods such as Shringa, Jalouka, Suchi, Alabu, Prachhana, and Siramokshana are used for Raktamokshan.
• Pacifying therapies: These therapies aim to maintain homeostasis and balance Tridosha at equilibrium. Several formulations are available to achieve this equilibrium and alleviate the signs and symptoms of Vatarakta.

In treating Vatarakta, external therapies play a crucial role, especially as recommended in Charaka Samhita. Local applications in the form of Lepa, Parisheka, and Abhyanga are emphasized for Uttana Vatarakta.

• Lepa: This involves the warm application of medicated paste on the affected joints.
• Parisheka: Refers to the pouring of medicated liquids or oils.
• Abhyanga: Tailored according to the dominant Dosha involved, warm oil processed with Vatahara drugs is used for this.

Pathya and apathya

Diet plays a significant role in the treatment of Vatarakta.

• Pathya include old barley, wheat, and green leafy vegetables ,greengram,Bengal gram and Shatavari sizzled with Ghee and meat soup.
• patients should avoid Apathya foods like pungent, hot, acidic,salty foods and Abhisyandi foods.
• Should avoid daytime sleep, exposure to heat or sunlight, excessive exercise, and coitus.

At SSANH,best ayurvedic hospital for arthritis,committed to applying Ayurvedic treament in its correct method without causing adverse effects. Our treatment and therapies are prepared after individual consultation, where we incorporate different diagnostic methodologies to identify the root cause of pain and plan unique treatment strategies.Our core belief is in restoring the quality of life by alleviating the suffering and pain of those who are affected.