Ayurvedic Approach To Arthritis

Are you suffering from arthritis?
It is a good idea to understand some of the grave issues that surround this common disease. It may begin as slight morning stiffness. For the lucky person with arthritis, that's as far as it goes. But for millions of others, arthritis can become a disabling, even crippling, disease.
Despite lot of research and effort, an effective cure has still eluded us. All that can be offered are the anti-inflammatory and pain killer drugs.

Read on to find the Ayurvedic explanation of this problem and how the use of herbs forms the mainstay of its therapy.

According to Ayurveda arthritis is primarily a Vata (air) disorder. Arthritis is mainly caused due to an excess of Ama and poor digestion. Poor digestion and a weakened colon allows toxins (Ama) to accumulate in the body , and problems with the colon allow the toxins to reach and accumulate in the joints. This inhibits joint function, mobility and comfort.

So, the way to treat arthritis is to stimulate the digestive fire (agni) and to treat the ama.

Ayurvedic approach to Arthritis includes:

• 1. Strengthening the metabolic pathways that prevent blockage of circulatory channels to joints, by impurities
• 2. Strengthening of digestion to create nutritional plasma that is pure and easy to assimilate
• 3. Improving the lubrication of joints
• 4. Anything that aggravates Vata, will increase the sensitivity and experience of pain in the body. Therefore an important component in treating arthritic pain is to balance and stabilize Vata.

USEFUL AYURVEDIC TIPS IN ARTHRITIS

• 1. Drink a large glass of water with one lemon juice with sugar or salt as necessary in hot water daily morning and night.
• 2. Use fenugreek (Menthya) and its leaves in every-day food in any form you like.
• 3. Grind Cinnamon (Dalchini) into a fine paste in water and apply on the paining joints.
• 4. Sleeping during day time, staying up late in the night and mental tensions like worry, anxiety, fear, stress and grief etc. aggrevates the condition
• 5. During winter, apply sesame oil (Til oil) to head and body and massage before taking bath.
• 6. Losing weight if you are obese will always make you more active and mobile and may even reduce joint pain: painful joints cannot carry too much load.
• 7. Keeping yourself warm in winter months will lessen the misery of pain. If you have shoulder pain, sleep with a pullover on lest.
• 8. If you have neck pain, shoulder pain or back pain, make sure that whenever you develop symptoms of Coughing or Sneezing, these must be attended immediately. Sneezing and coughing can worsen pain, or may even start your pain.
• 9. 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.
• 10. Mix one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water and add a small level teaspoon of Cinnamon (Dalchini) powder. Make a paste and massage slowly onto the itching area of the body. It has been found that the pain can recede within a minute or two. Arthritic patients can also benefit from the daily intake morning and evening, of one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder mixed together.

A word of Caution:
There are a number of over-the-counter Ayurvedic medicines being used for the treatment of arthritis. The indiscriminate use of these medicines through third-person recommendations or self-prescription may not always be the right thing to do. Your prakruti may not fit into the prescription your neighbor has got for arthritis.

Ayurvedic therapy and herbal combinations have to be personalized for each person to provide an arthritis patient what he or she is always looking for – a pain-free life full of mobility.

Read about Ayurvedic Management of Arthritis in our Best seller e-book -   'Arthritis Ayurveda and You'     To read more about Osteoarthritis Click here

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