Old age comes with a major problem, and that is joint pain, especially osteoarthritis (OA). Mostly osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that appears at the age of 50. Degeneration of cartilages causes OA. Cartilage is the firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. Healthy cartilage allows smooth movement of joints, enabling bones to glide over one another, acting like a shock absorber by absorbing energy from the shock of physical movements.
Facts:
It acts like a shock absorber. Cartilages break down in osteoarthritis that result in rubbing of the bones together causing excessive pain, swelling, and stiffness. Any joint can be affected by osteoarthritis, but the most commonly affected joints are the knee, hand, hip, and spine. Osteoarthritis is called ‘Sandhigatavata’ in Ayurveda.
It is one of the Vata Vyadhi where the aggravated vata lodges in the joints, causing swelling and pain. Due to its dry nature, Vata absorbs all the lubrication, leading to swelling, pain, and crepitating sound at the time of movement. The swollen joint, when touched, feels as if one is touching an air-filled bladder.
What causes Osteoarthritis or Sandhigatavata:
Old age and hereditary are the most common causes of osteoarthritis. Consumption of dry, cold, stale, astringent, bitter food, exposing oneself to dry, cold climates, excessive use of joints in the form of running, weight lifting, injury to joints, & obesity are few major causes of SandhigataVata/OA.
Too much consumption of potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and whole grains can also lead to an increase in vata dosha, leading to joint problems.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the joints; the intensity of pain may vary from mild to severe, and can vary with age.
- Stiffness of the joints may be observed, especially after prolonged rest of the affected joint.
- Crepitating or cracking sounds are heard from the joints at the time of movement associated with swelling of the affected joints.
- Restricted movement is observed, or the range of movement can decrease.
Treatment approach in Ayurveda:
Ayurveda physicians would recommend a vata-pacifying diet and medication to decrease the pain and discomfort in the joint. Ayurvedic treatment of Osteoarthritis not only prevents further degeneration in the joints but also helps in the rejuvenation of the damaged cartilage.
Treatment given in Ayurveda helps in the correction of the body's metabolism and thus helps reduce excessive vata dosha. Apart from internal medication, external therapies are done to balance the Vata that are lodged in the joints. A holistic diet to improve the metabolism and balance the weight of the body is also recommended.
The treatments help in the proper circulation of the blood and act like lubrication to the joints. Just as vehicles are oiled now and then to avoid wear and tear, joints in the human body must also be lubricated with herbal oils now and then to avoid wear and tear in the joints and to maintain the health of the joints. Treatments such as Janu Basti, Potli Sweda, Seka, Lepam, etc. can help in the reduction of pain in the knee joints.
A few recommendations that can be followed:
- Avoid dry, cold, and stale food.
- Avoid carbonated drinks and preserved and packaged foods.
- Avoid very oily, deep-fried, pungent, bitter food.
- Potatoes, peas, and grams like Kabul channa, green gram, etc. should be taken in lesser quantities, and frequent consumption of the same can be avoided. If consumed, then cook it along with ginger to reduce vata in them.
- Freshly cooked hot food should be consumed at regular intervals.
- Do not withhold natural urges (such as burping, urinating, releasing gas, etc.)
- Hot soups of lentils, pulses, and meat can be taken with powders of ginger, black pepper, and cumin powder.
- Excessive use and underuse of joints both cause problems, so use your joints moderately and exercise them regularly.
- Try exercises that are easy on the joints, such as walking, swimming, and slow yoga.
- Avoid jumping and fast exercises.
- Keep a check on your weight, as being overweight can cause excessive load on your joints.
Home Remedies for OA:
- Regular hot oil massages to your joints using gentle strokes and circular movements for massage can help improve blood circulation and reduce swelling and pain.
- Use a hot water bag for hot compression; this reduces pain to a great extent.
- Eat a well-balanced diet. Consume fresh fruits and vegetables. Nuts and dry fruits are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help in pain relief.
- Sleeping well is important, as this will help you combat pain. Fix a time and go to sleep simultaneously, and avoid day sleeping.
- Using ginger in the diet will benefit in reducing inflammation.
- A hot bundle made of heated Epsom salt can help in relieving pain. It can be used as a bundle massage.
- Heat aloe vera jelly (from the plant) along with ½ spoon of turmeric and apply the paste when it is warm to the affected joints. This will help in pain and swelling reduction.
- Exercise or practice yoga regularly. Sukshma vyayama with breathing exercises helps in the improvement of joint health.
Conclusion:
Adding ayurvedic treatments and procedures, a balanced and proper diet, and a moderate level of physical activity greatly help relieve joint pain in people with arthritis in the knee. These approaches as a natural remedy are not only symptomatic and help to remove pain but also can positively affect the joint for a long time, so osteoarthritis can be effectively treated using these methods.