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Ayurvedic Remedy for Arthritis?--- Dr Gopika Ajith the author is Chief Physician at Healthway Ayurveda According to Ayurveda all types of arthritis involve a dosha called 'vatha' Arthritis is generally known as an old age affliction. Most of us have either seen somebody in the family suffering from arthritis or known someone who has it. Arthritis is a chronic disease and can be very painful. Arthritis literally means inflammation of joints. It refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. It can affect anyone at any age, including children. The incidence of arthritis increases with age, but nearly three of every five sufferers are under 65. The most common type of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease that occurs when the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium, the cell lining inside the joint. It is a chronic, potentially disabling disease which causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling or loss of join function. Overuse Osteoarthritis results from overuse, trauma, or the degeneration of the joint cartilage that takes place with age. Osteoarthritis is often more painful in joints that bear weight, such as the knee, hip, and spine, rather than in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints. However, joints that are used extensively in work or sports or joints that have been damaged from fractures or other injuries may show signs of osteoarthritis. Other disorders that injure or overload the articular cartilage may lead to osteoarthritis. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage covering the bone ends gradually wears away. The joint becomes inflamed, causing pain and swelling. Continued use of the joint is painful. While most us would think that arthritis only afflicts aged persons, it could affect even children. This is called 'Juvenile Arthritis'. Juvenile Arthritis is a general term for all types of arthritis that afflicts kids. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis in children. Signs and symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis vary from child to child. No single test can conclusively establish a diagnosis. Juvenile arthritis must be present consistently for six or more consecutive weeks before a correct diagnosis can be made. Yet another kind of arthritis is 'Psoriatic Arthritis'. Psoriatic arthritis is associated with the skin disease psoriasis and commonly affects joints of the hands and feet and the tendons where they attach to bone. Psoriatic arthritis is one of a group of rheumatic diseases known as spondyloarthropathies. According to Ayurveda all types of arthritis involve a dosha called ‘vatha’.Rheumatoid arthritis is known as ‘Vatha Sonitha’ and osteo arthritis is known as ‘Sandhi Gata Vatha’. So the line of treatment includes medicines and panchakarma treatments that reduces Vatha. Management of arthritis also includes diet, lifestyle changes, internal medicines and external treatment. Common treatment procedures include snehapana, abhyanga, sarvanga swedanam, virechana and vasti etc. Original Link at:
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