Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to managing rheumatoid arthritis that includes dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, herbal treatments, and Panchakarma. It focuses on reducing pain , swelling, inflammation, improving joint mobility, and promoting overall well-being.
Rheumatoid arthritis) is an auto-immune disease where there is an aggravation of Vata dosha and storage of Ama in different joints of the body with significant inflammation and symmetrical polyarthritis. Ama results due to mandha agni of a patient. It is an undigested product that gets accumulated in body tissues and joints which leads to pain, stiffness and swelling, etc. Therefore Amavata initially starts as a gut disorder with symptoms of indigestion and loss of appetite which later on is seen to encroach all the tissues especially bones, muscles, joints, and multiple organs. Ama when formed goes into circulation in unprocessed form and gets metabolized and causes blockage of all the channels, which provide nutrition to the body. Hence multiple tissues are damaged and the manifestation of disease occurs. It is persistent inflammation that persists in synovial fluids in joints which further damaged the cartilage and bone of the joint.
Signs and Symptoms of RA:
- Pain & morning stiffness in the smaller joints of the hands & feet.
- Warm, Swollen and tender joints are affected in a symmetrical pattern or both side of body is affected.
- Generalized fatigue and feeling of unwell.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Fever and headache.
- Restricted movement in the affected joints.
- Deformed joints in advanced stages.
- Nodules or firm lumps under the skin of pressure points such as fingers, knuckles, hands and elbows.
