Arthritis
Arthritis : Symptoms, Types, Causes, Treatment with Ayurveda
Arthritis means joint inflammation. Although joint inflammation is a symptom or sign rather than a specific diagnosis, the term arthritis is often used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee.
Arthritis causing swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. A joint is the area where 2 bones meet. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. The term is derived from arthe – meaning ‘joint’, and -itis meaning ‘inflammation’.
People of all ages, races and sexes live with arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability. It’s most common among women. In fact, we can see in men also.
Common arthritis symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and diminished range of motion in joints. Symptoms vary from mild to severe and may come and go. Some may stay about the same for years, but symptoms can also progress and get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, difficulty performing daily activities and make walking and climbing stairs painful. Fortunately, current treatments allow most people with arthritis to lead active and productive lives.
Arthritis causing swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. A joint is the area where 2 bones meet. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. The term is derived from arthe – meaning ‘joint’, and -itis meaning ‘inflammation’.
People of all ages, races and sexes live with arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability. It’s most common among women. In fact, we can see in men also.
Common arthritis symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and diminished range of motion in joints. Symptoms vary from mild to severe and may come and go. Some may stay about the same for years, but symptoms can also progress and get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, difficulty performing daily activities and make walking and climbing stairs painful. Fortunately, current treatments allow most people with arthritis to lead active and productive lives.
Arthritis Symptoms:
Different types of arthritis have different symptoms. They can be mild in some people and severe in others. Joint discomfort might come and go, or it could stay constant. Common symptoms include:
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling
- Breathing Problem
- Stiffness
- Muscle weakness around the Joint
- Bony Growths in the fingers
- Grating feeling in the knees
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- Morning Stiffness that can last 30 minutes or more
- More than one affected joint
- fatigue
- Low-grade fever
- Inflammation of the eyes and mouth
- Inflammation of the heart muscle and blood vessels
- Low red blood cell count
Types of Arthritis
Arthritis is a very comprehensive term and not a single disease. There are more than 100 types of diseases that fall under the term Arthritis. It is basically a way of referring to the joint pain or inflammation of a joint or joints. It can affect all the joints and the tissues around it. The place where your bones connect – like knees, wrists, hip or spine are the most affected. Some arthritis also affects the connective tissues and organs like skin.
- Osteo Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Childhood Arthritis
- Spondyloarthropathies
- Gout
- Infectious and reactive Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a very common condition which can affect any joint in the body. It’s most likely to affect the joints that bear most of our weight, such as the knee and feet. Joints that we use a lot in everyday life, such as the joints of the hand, are also commonly affected. In a healthy joint, a coating of tough but smooth and slippery tissue, called cartilage, covers the surface of the bones and helps the bones to move freely against each other. When a joint develops Osteoarthritis, part of the cartilage thins and the surface becomes rough. This means the joint doesn’t move as smoothly as it should move. When this cartilage breaks down, it causes inflammation, pain and difficulty in movement of the joint. Apart from the local cause of degenerating cartilage, Ayurveda believes that an imbalance of Vata also leads to Osteoarthritis. Consumption of dry and stale food, exposure to excessive dry and cold weather tends to create an imbalance in the Vata dosha. Hence the Ayurvedic approach to treat Osteoarthritis is to pacify the Vata dosha and also address the problem of degenerating cartilage.
Symptoms:
Symptoms:
- Acute pain in the joints.
- Depending on the joints affected, you may experience difficulty in bending, climbing stairs, squatting etc.
- Pain when walking.
- The affected joints may be warm and swollen and stiff to touch.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
The Rheumatoid Arthritis has been described as Amavata in Ayurveda, Vitiated Ama and Vayu by involves Kostha, (Stomach) Trika(L S spines) and Sandhi (joints) creates pain in the joints, loss of appetite, indigestion, stiffness of joints ,swelling in joints, weakness and heaviness in the chest (heart area) this condition is known as Amavata.
The clinical condition in which aggravated Vata is associated with metabolic toxins (ama) and mainly affects joints is termed as ‘amavata’. This condition closely resembles with rheumatoid arthritis. The main culprit behind this disease is the deranged digestion and metabolism (agni). Stiffness and swellings of joint are main clinical features. The treatment is focused to improve digestion and metabolism and maintain equilibrium of Vata Dosha. Detail description of amavata as a separate disease entity is observed in the text of Madhava Nidana.
A planned and healthy diet is recommended as unhealthy and irregular diet can trigger abnormal immune response. Garlic with buttermilk is a must in the diet. Turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory properties should be consumed along with milk. Fruits and vegetables like carrots, bitter gourd, drumsticks, papaya etc. help in reducing inflammation and control the hyperactive immune system. Meat and meat fat are to be avoided.
An oil massage is generally not advised for Rheumatoid arthritis. It is advised to practice simple exercises and yoga practices to strengthen and increase the flexibility of the joints.
Childhood arthritis
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