Written By Arabiers Digital & Reviewed by Robeena Brown
22 November 2024 | 13 min read
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that affects the whole body stem and it mainly causes joint inflammation, pain, loss of function and eventually it leads to joint destruction and deformity. The severity of this disease can either be mild or symmetric.
Mild arthritis affects a few joints while symmetric arthritis affects most of the joints. The disease mainly affects feet and hands.
Arthritis affects millions of people across the world. The medical world offers some solutions such medication and surgery to this disease but some of the victims have opted to look for alternative approaches to manage this condition.
Ayurveda is one of the alternative approaches that has been widely adopted to manage Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Lately, most of the people have learnt about the gains of Ayurveda approach to managing the condition and have embraced Ayurvedic treatment for different health issues.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that is caused by the body misidentifying its own cells and attaching them as unwanted outsiders. There is a space between the bones and joints called synovium, which has a lubricating fluid to allow easy movement of the joints.
When the body identifies this space as foreign, it swells up causing painful and swollen joints. The joints may turn red and over time become stiff. If not treated the joint surface may progress to produce deformities and disability.
The exact cause of this disease is not known, considering it is an autoimmune disorder. Some predisposing factors however include stress, sedentary lifestyle and cold weather.
Some of the common symptoms of this disease include, fever, fatigue, joint pain and stiffness and in some instances there is weight loss.
It can get worse when left untreated and therefore it is important to respond by seeking help from professionals once you experience some of these symptoms.
Ayurvedic treatment is a holistic treatment approach that focuses on diet changes, exercise, yoga, herbal medication, massage and other lifestyle changes to manage the health. By using this approach, it helps in relieving inflammation and pain that is as a result of arthritis.
Ayurveda has been in existence in India for more than 5000 years, so it is a trusted treatment method for many diseases, especially those that arise as a result of accumulation of toxins in the body.
Ayurvedic treatment seeks to restore balance to the body, mind and soul by addressing the conditions that cause the problem.
According to Ayurveda, it is believed that Rheumatoid Arthritis is caused by imbalance of vata dosha which is referred as Amavat in Ayurveda. The treatment therefore seeks to balance the Vata dosha in the body. This will in turn reduce and treat inflammations that cause arthritis.
Panchakarma therapy is one of the procedures that are used to detoxify the body in the Ayurvedic treatment. This approach helps by relieving inflammation and discomfort as it enhances joint mobility to persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
This therapy helps clean all the body cells and opens the blocked channels. Detoxification will balance Vata which then reduces the pain and other discomforting symptoms that are associated with Rheumatoid arthritis.
Some of the therapies used during detoxification include:
• Therapeutically induced vomiting (Vamana)
• Laxative therapy (virechana)
• vasti which is the colon therapy
• Blood purification therapy known as Raktamokshana
It is advisable to always consult a licensed practitioner to guide you on the Panchakama approach. Do so before you can take any supplementary treatment.
Ayurvedic treatment also recommends patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis to use the herbal oils by massaging the affected joints. This will reduce pain and increase circulation of blood.
Warm Oil massage is one of the therapies to treat joint inflammations. The massage therapist will gently massage the oil into the skin so as to reduce the pain and enhance mobility.
A full body massage also known as Abhyanga also helps manage arthritis. Medicated oils are used to massage the patient. This helps to cleanse toxins from the deeper tissues and also harmonize the vata dosha.
A full body massage also improves your sleeping ability and the physical stability by eliminating stress from the body.
The diet in general is a major component and player in the Ayurvedic treatment. In this approach one can have a nutritious diet that is designed for the individual to suit the dosha which is very important for the specific ailment.
If you have vata imbalance, your diet should be tailored in a way that it minimizes the consumption of dairy products and raw vegetables. You should instead embrace a diet that is rich in anti-inflammatory food like fruits and cooked vegetables.
Ginger, turmeric, and omega 3 flatty acid are also anti-inflammatory and are known to restore balance of vata dosha.
Vata imbalance is what causes rheumatoid arthritis, so to treat the disease you should address the vata imbalance first. Include in your diet foods such rice, wheat, ragi, and vegetables such as carrots, beetroots, broccoli among others.
Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis should avoid consuming processed foods and refined sugars since these type of food can trigger inflammatory response.
Exercise, meditation and Yoga are important in the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis. For instance, exercise is very important to an individual suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis since it helps in reducing inflammation and improve the range of motion. Excessive weight is also another cause of strained joints and therefore exercise will help in managing weight.
Yoga helps in improving the joint mobility, strength and general quality of life. It also helps you get mental clarity which will then improve your wellbeing.
Meditation focuses on relaxing by taking long breaths. This helps in relieving stress from the body which can be of great help to a person with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Exercises should however not be taken excessively. Always ensure that you consult a professional before embarking on meditation, yoga or exercise so as to get the right recommendation that will work for your body.
Rheumatoid Arthritis can be also treated using herbs and supplements. Some of the common herbs used in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis include ginger, turmeric, castor oil, ashwagandha and boswellia. They help in managing the pain, stiffness and joint inflammation.
Ayurveda treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis can be performed alongside other type of medications. You however need to seek professional guidance from an Ayurvedic practitioner so that you can get the maximum benefit. The treatment will be based on sole assessment of your body.
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