Cure Monastery

Arthritis

Duration of Treatment – 3 to 4 Weeks
7   – 14 days Bundle Massage (accordingly)
7 days Pizhichil (Pouring warm medicated oil) - accordingly
In between – Medicinal Enema"
(Note: The duration and treatment schedule may be changed according to the chronicity of illness)

Ayurveda distinguishes three categories of arthritis, corresponding to vata, pitta and kapha. To treat this condition properly, carefully diagnose which type the patient have.

Types of Arthritis

  1. If arthritis is due to vata, the joints will crack and pop.  They may feel cold to the touch. The joints are painful mostly upon movement, and there is usually one particular tender spot.
  2. Pitta-type arthritis is characterized by inflammation; the joint becomes swollen and is painful even without movement.  It often looks red and feels hot to the touch.
  3. In kapha-type arthritis, the joints also become stiff and swollen, but it feels cold and clammy rather than hot. A little movement, rather than aggravating the pain, tends to relieve it.

Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis

In addition to the vata-pitta-kapha method of classifying arthritis this condition can also be classified as either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Treatment

  • Internal Medications: Herbal decoctions, Pills and Choornas
  • External Treatments: Fomentation, Oleation and Evacuation are the principle.
  • Treatment Methods: Bundle Massage, Apply Oil to the body, Medicinal Enema, Medicinal Paste application etc.

For all Types of Arthritis

Treatment for each type of arthritis is unique, as we shall see in a moment.  But for all cases, it is important to know that arthritis begins in the colon.
Depending on the person's life style diet, and emotional pattern, either vata, pitta or kapha goes out of balance.  Then that particular dosha slows down agni (digestive fire) resulting in the toxic, sticky by-product of inadequate digestion known as ama.

Vata, the main active dosha, brings to ama into the colon, and from there it travels through the system and lodges in the asthi dhatu (bone tissue) and in the joints, giving rise to the stiffness and pain characteristic of arthritis.
So our aim in treating arthritis is to remove the ama from the joint and bring it back to the colon, and then to eliminate it.

For Vata-Type Arthritis

  • Follow the vata-pacifying diet.  Favor warm, easy-to-digest foods, and avoid cold foods and drinks, including salads
  • Take yogaraj gulggulu. Apply mahanarayan oil on the affected joint, followed by application of local moist heat.
  • Helpful yoga postures

For Pitta-Type Arthritis

  • Follow the pitta-pacifying diet.  Particularly avoid hot, spicy foods, pickles, spinach, and tomatoes.
  • The Ayurvedic herbal formula kaishore guggulu will be helpful.
  • Externally apply cold castor oil or coconut oil to the painful area.
  • Make the paste by taking sandalwood powder and adding sufficient water to make a paste.  Rub it gently onto the joint.
  • Helpful yoga postures

For Kapha-Type Arthritis

  • Follow the kapha-reducing diet.  Especially, take no dairy products and no cold drinks.
  • A potent herbal formula to help with this type of arthritis is punarnava gugggulu tablets.
  • Externally apply a paste of vacha (calamus root) powder.  Add sufficient warm water and make a paste and apply to the joint.
  • Yoga postures that are helpful for kapha type arthritis

Arthritis :: Diabetes :: Obesity