Ayurvedic Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Alternate Treatment Therapies Can Cure this Autoimmune Disease
Aug 19, 2009 Jitendra Rathod
Disfigurement of hand in RA –Medicineworld
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease which has no known cure, at least not in western medicine. Ayurveda claims to have its cure.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) affects around one percent of the world’s population with females more prone to it than males. It mostly affects people in the age group of 40 to 55. Immunologists believe that RA is an autoimmune disorder. In RA, there is chronic inflammation of the joints. The tissues and ligaments in the joints are subjected to autoimmune destruction. This leads to swelling, stiffness and pain in the joints. RA can be diagnosed by its symptoms. To confirm the presence of RA, certain tests like imaging techniques (MRI or ultrasound) and blood tests are performed. In the blood test, which is the most common, the presence of the Rheumatoid Factor (RF) is confirmed.
An RF is a specific antibody that the immune system produces against certain self components. These antibodies specifically bind to these components, thereby creating antigen-antibody complexes. These complexes accumulate in the joints. These complexes then activate a system called the complement system which causes destruction of tissue (inflammation). Apart from the joints, RA can also affect other tissues and organs like the lungs, skin, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.
Signs and Symptoms of RA
How and why RA is triggered is still unknown, although many scientists consider roles of bacteria, viruses, environmental factors etc. to play a pivotal role in the commencement of the disease. The signs and symptoms will depend upon the stage of the disease. They include fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, joint pain and stiffness. Muscle and joint stiffness is prominent in the morning. Progressively joints are deformed. Since it is a systemic disease, many symptoms are due to the involvement of other organs.
Current Treatment Therapies
Current treatment aims to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and decrease its progression. It endeavors to make life of the patient as normal as possible. Currently non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are used for treating RA symptomatically. Analgesic drugs are also used to ease pain. Surgical approaches like total joint arthroplasties can reduce pain and improve function.
The Ayurvedic Approach
According to Ayurveda, the physico-chemical and physiological activities inside a human body are governed by the three bio-humors the tridoshas. These are Vata (from ether and air), Kapha (from water and earth) and Pitta (from fire and water). The three bio-humors are in a state of dynamic equilibrium. If this equilibrium is imbalanced, the person becomes diseased. Thus, RA is caused by the formation of a toxin called ama which is produced by the imbalance of Vata and hence RA is called Amavata (or Sandhigata vata) in Sanskrit.
The ama is a sticky toxin which accumulates in the joints and blocks other vital channels. Ama spreads throughout the body and blocks arteries, intercellular spaces and decreases nutrient supply to the various parts of the body. This leads to the various symptoms of RA. It is hard to imagine how the ancient ascetics who practiced Ayurveda more than 5000 years ago could have known that ama is nothing but the antigen-antibody complexes that form during the autoimmune response and accumulate in the joints and also circulate throughout the body. It is interesting to note that Ayurveda has correctly defined RA along with its known symptoms, both local and systemic.
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Ayurveda aims at correcting the balance of the three bio-humors to achieve a disease-free state. Thus it asks patients to refrain from curds, fish, milk and constipating foods. The reason behind this could be that these foods are known allergens and since most of the symptoms of RA are allergic reactions, abstaining from these foods may reduce symptoms. Scientists have found that not consuming milk and other dairy products can actually bring about remission in symptoms of RA.
Ayurveda aims at curing RA by avoiding the formation of ama, expelling the already formed ama, reducing the inflammation of joints and rejuvenating the affected joints. It prescribes the use of herbal products from plants like Citraka (Plumbago zeylanica), Pippali (Piper longum), Sunthi (Zingiber officinale), Maricha (Piper nigrum), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Vibhitaki (Terminalia belerica), Amalaki (Embelica officinalis), Guggulu (Comiphora mukul), Aswagandha (Withania somnifera) and Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna).
If the concepts of Ayurveda are comprehended and appreciated and incorporated into Western Medicine System, it is sure to revolutionize the way in which diseases are treated. The world is sure to become a healthier place to live in.
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