The backbone is made up of multiple small bones which are connected together by a softer bone. The spine is what allows important body movements including bending and walking. The issue is, with age, the backbone also loses its elasticity and becomes rigid. Though this is a natural process with ageing, lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle makes it worse.

Lumbar spondylosis is the medical term for this chronic, degenerative condition of the lumbar and the sacral spines (the lower portion of the backbone). This leads to chronic stiffening of the spine, affecting movement. This joint is very crucial in all bending movements and spinal movements.

Causes of Lumbar Spondylosis:

Ageing: As the condition progresses, the nerves that run through the spines can get exposed and there could be pain and irritation
Genetic abnormalities that produce a weak bone
Spinal trauma like accident or falls
Sedentary lifestyle: Sitting in front of the computer for prolonged hours also causes lumbar spondylosis
Overuse: People who are weightlifters tend to put excessive pressure on the spine, causing lumbar spondylosis
Symptoms:

Stiffness and pain in the low back
Pain with continued sitting
Numbness and tingling if nerves are getting affected
Loss of balance, leading to frequent falls
Losing control over bowel and bladder movement
Pain radiating to the lower legs
Ayurvedic remedies: This includes a combination of external applications, yoga, and food preparations including kashayas and tailas.

This condition is caused by increased Vata and Kapha. Maharasnadi kashayam, Astavarga kashayam, and Dashamoola kashayam reduce these elements.
Pain and inflammation is relieved by the use of various Guggulu including Mahayogaraja Guggulu, Simhanada Guggulu, Trayodashang Guggulu, and Dhanvantara Vati  
The affected joints can be hydrated with the use of gandha taila and dhanwantharam.
Kukkutandatvak bhasma is known to strengthen the bone.
Ashwagandha is known to lubricate the vertebral disks and joints
External treatments like Abhyanga are useful in improving joint movement. They improve circulation and help in removal of toxins so that pure blood can flow and reduce inflammation.
Vasti: This helps in improving nutrition to the joints and bones, thereby helping them repair themselves and heal.
Yogas for lumbar spondylosis: The five most effective asanas are:

Ardhakati chakrasana
Pada hastasana
Matsyasana
Ardha chakrasana
Vakrasana (sitting in a chair)
Additional measures:

Sit in a comfortable position with adequate back support
Take short breaks to avoid continued sitting
Sleep comfortably, by resting the back adequately
Strengthen the back muscles by regular exercises.
Eat healthy, avoid junk, and drink plenty of water.

Lumbar Spondylosis & Ayurveda - What To Expect

Spondylitis includes swelling of the vertebra. It happens because of wear and tear of the ligament and bones found in your cervical spine, which is in your neck. While it is to a great extent because of age, it can be brought on by other reasons too. Side effects incorporate pain and stiffness starting from the neck to the lower back. The spine's bones (vertebrae) get fused, bringing about an unbending spine. These changes might be mellow or extreme, and may prompt a stooped-over posture. Some of the non-surgical methods to treat spondylitis are as follows-

Exercise based recovery/physiotherapy: Your specialist may send you to a physiotherapist for treatment. Non-intrusive treatment helps you extend your neck and shoulder muscles. This makes them more grounded and at last, relieves pain. You may neck traction, which includes using weights to build the space between the cervical joints and decreasing pressure on the cervical disc and nerve roots.
Medications: Your specialist may prescribe you certain medicines if over-the-counter medications do not work. These include:
Muscle relaxants, for example, cyclobenzaprine, to treat muscle fits
Opiates, for example, hydrocodone, for pain relief
Epileptic medications, for example, gabapentin, to ease pain created by nerve damage
Steroid infusions, for example, prednisone, to decrease tissue irritation and diminish pain
Home treatment: In case your condition is less severe, you can attempt a couple of things at home to treat it:
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, for example, acetaminophen or a calming medication, for example, Advil or Aleve.
Use a warming cushion or an ice pack on your neck to give pain alleviation to sore muscles.
Exercise routinely to help you recover quickly.
Wear a delicate neck prop or neckline to get transitory help. In any case, you shouldn't wear a neck brace for temporary pain relief.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a highly effective treatment used to mitigate back and neck pain. Little needles, about the extent of a human hair, are embedded into particular points on the back. Every needle might be whirled electrically or warmed to improve the impact of the treatment. Acupuncture works by prompting the body to deliver chemicals that decrease pain.
Bed Rest: Severe instances of spondylitis may require bed rest for close to 1-3 days. Long-term bed rest is avoided as it puts the patient at danger for profound vein thrombosis (DVT, blood clots in the legs).
Support/brace use: Temporary bracing (1 week) may help get rid of the symptoms, however, long-term use is not encouraged. Supports worn for a long time weaken the spinal muscles and can increase pain if not continually worn. Exercise based recovery is more beneficial as it reinforces the muscles.
Lifestyle: Losing weight and eating nutritious food with consistent workouts can help. Quitting smoking is essential healthy habits to help the spine function properly at any age.

Spondylitis - Can Non Surgical Methods Help You?

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. This chronic disease is caused due to inflammation of the joints in the spine and usually affects young men. It causes the vertebrae to grow or fuse together, causing a rigid spine. Actually, it affects the discs in between the vertebral column. These discs get swollen, causing a limitation of spine motility. It is an autoimmune disorder and its symptoms are lower back pain and stiffness, which usually moves to the legs.

The deformity due to AS can be mild or severe. In extreme cases, the patient gets a stooped spine. 
Early diagnosis can prevent significant deformity as well as help in controlling the pain and stiffness.
Allopathy doesn t really know the real reasons for this disease and here is where Ayurveda scores.
According to Ayurveda, AS is caused due to aggravated vata or wind, which causes an imbalance in vata dosha.
Ayurvedic treatment
Ayurvedic treatment starts with detoxification and elimination of toxins. It relies heavily on the right diet and lifestyle as well as Ayurvedic herbal preparations. The panchakarma techniques called kati vasti, sarvangadhara and patrapinda svedana are very beneficial too. The basic explanation for the disorder is that AS occurs due to an accumulation of ama or toxins in the body. Where ever ama deposits in the body, pain is caused. Ayurvedic treatments aim at digesting the ama by using herbs as medicine and balancing the aggravated vata.

Herbs used in the treatment of AS are dry ginger (saunth), guggul, turmeric, fenugreek, ashwagandha and giloy. Gugul, curcumin, amlaki, haritaki, and ashwagandha are all very effective in treating AS.
Avoid getting constipated and ensure proper evacuation of bowels.
Include ghee in your diet for lubrication and for lowering the vata dosha.
Apply heat on the affected areas to control the pain and stiffness.
Eat light foods and strictly avoid oily foods and curd which increase ama.
Avoid sleeping during the daytime.
Yoga asanas like pawana muktasana, bhujangasana, dhanurasana, paschimottanasana and vakrasana should be practised regularly.
The practice of pranayamas such as and shodhana, chandrabhedi sheethali and bhramari also helps.
Chewing 2 3 raw garlic buds on an empty stomach in the morning with water helps in alleviating lumbar pain in AS.
Use a powdered preparation of dried ginger root, celery seeds and cumin seeds in equal quantities with rock salt for taste, and have one teaspoon of this mixture with warm water at bedtime to reduce flatulence as well as lumbar stiffness.

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) - Ayurvedic Remedies That Help You Treat It!

Most of the arthritic conditions don t have any cures. Ankylosing Spondylitis is also a type of arthritis that does not have a cure. It is a kind of arthritis of the spine; it affects the vertebrae. It primarily affects the spine, but it may also affect other areas such as shoulders, hills, hips, ribs, small joints of the feet and hands etc. In very advanced stages, it may also affect eyes, lungs and heart. 

However, what really makes it scary is Ankylosis. When Ankylosis takes place, there is formation of new bony structures in the spine. These structures cause some sections of the spine to fuse and make the spine immobile. 

Symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

  Pain and Stiffness 

One may feel a constant pain coupled with stiffness in areas like buttocks, lower back, hips etc. These symptoms may go on for months. It often starts at the sacroiliac joint. 

  Bony Fusion 

The formation of bony structures in the spine in advanced stages may affect movement of the back, neck, hips etc., and may also impair the ability to perform daily activities. The formation of bony structures may go to the extent of fusing the ribs in the rib cage to the breastbone or spine. This may limit the ability to expand the chest while taking deep breaths. 

  Pain in Ligaments and Tendons 

Ankylosing Spondylitis may also affect the tendons and ligaments that attach the muscles to the bones. This may precipitate pain and stiffness beneath or behind the heels. 

Cause of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

The cause of this disorder is not yet known, yet a genetic link cannot be ruled out. It has been observed that most of the people affected with Ankylosing Spondylitis carry a specific gene in them. People carrying this gene are susceptible to spondylitis. However, there are about 10% people who carry this gene, but don t have any sign of Ankylosing Spondylitis. So, a sure determinant of cause of this disease is not completely known. 

Diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

To diagnosis Ankylosing Spondylitis, the physician has to look at several factors. 

These include: 

  Symptoms exhibited by the patient 

  Physical Findings 

  X-Rays of pelvis and back regions 

  Taking chest measurements while taking deep breaths 

  Laboratory tests Based upon the complete diagnosis, physician can positively determine if the condition is indeed Ankylosing Spondylitis. 

Treatment 

While a cure for Ankylosing Spondylitis is still not on the horizon, there are some treatments which can reduce pain and discomfort and thereby improve daily activities. Goals of treatment Since the disease can t be cured, the goal is to reduce pain and stiffness, prevent deformity, maintain a good posture, and help perform daily activities. In fact, if treatment is proper, the patient may lead to a semblance of a normal life. However, it calls for a team approach. The team must include a physical therapist and an occupational therapist, apart from a rheumatologist. If the patient is suffering from bony growth, the doctor may go for an osteotomy.

Ankylosing Spondylitis - How To Handle It?

As you age, many parts of the body start to wear down. Your spine is no different in this regard. When age affects the condition of the cervical section of the spine, it is known as cervical spondylosis. Other names for the disorder are neck arthritis or cervical osteoarthritis.

Even though age causes most cervical spondylosis, other factors may also be responsible for the onset of the disorder. Here is a look at some common causes for the same.

Causes for cervical spondylosis:

  Bone spurs - Your body may try to strengthen the joints by growing additional bone tissues. These are known as bone spurs. These spurs can pinch down on the nerves and the spinal cord, leading to pain and other symptoms.

  Dehydrated discs - The spine houses shock-absorbing pad-like structures between the vertebrae, called discs. These discs contain a gel-like substance that gives them its unique shock absorbing properties. Over time, the gel dries out, causing greater friction between bones during movement.

  Injury - A neck injury can lead to cervical spondylosis. The disorder may not appear as soon as you suffer from the injury but may take years to develop.

  Excessive physical strain - Some profession may require people to lift heavy weights or overexert themselves physically. These people may develop cervical spondylosis later on because of this work.

Symptoms of cervical spondylosis:

Here are some symptoms that are commonly associated with cervical spondylosis.

  Shoulder pain - Patients suffering from cervical spondylosis often complain about pain in the shoulder blade. This pain increases while the person is standing, sitting, coughing, sneezing and tilting their head backwards.

  Weakness - People with cervical spondylosis also suffer from muscle weakness. For instance, you may not be able to grab things tightly in your hands, if you suffer from the spinal disorder. Furthermore, lifting the arms may be difficult.

Other minor symptoms of cervical spondylosis include stiffness in the neck that grows worse with time and headache that affects the back part of the head.

Treatment for cervical spondylosis:

Treatment is not necessary in many cases due to the absence of any distinguishing symptoms. However, if the spondylosis interferes with normal life, medical intervention is required. Treatment for the disease includes-

  Physical therapy - Physical therapy sessions often help deal with the pain and stiffness resulting from the cervical spondylosis. Your doctor will prescribe weekly sessions, which will aid to reduce the symptoms of the condition after some time.

  Medications - Pain medications help manage the discomfort related to the condition. However, these drugs do not have any long-term effect on the body. They only provide temporary relief from the pain.

  Surgery - Surgery for cervical spondylosis is uncommon. However, if the condition does not respond to other forms of treatment, the operation may be required to remove bone spurs, herniated discs and rectify parts of the spinal column.

You can also ask your doctor about home remedies to follow to manage the symptoms of the disease.

Cervical Spondylosis - How Can It Be Treated?

Cervical spondylosis a special type of arthritis. The region of its occurrence is in the cervical vertebrae and the problem is more prevalent in men who belong to the middle age groups. In the language of Ayurveda, this problem is known as Greeva graham. The condition falls under the category of Vata condition.

What are the causes of cervical spondylosis?
The several factors that cause cervical spondylosis are as follows:

When the Vata Dosha increases in magnitude, the tissues start degenerating even in the neck joints.
Intake of food that leads to the formation of gas in the body is also one of the reasons of cervical spondylosis.
When people take too many gaps during two consecutive meals, then it leads to the formation of gas as well which causes cervical spondylosis.
Those who have night shifts frequently have a tendency to develop cervical spondylosis.
Overindulgence in activities of mental, physical and sexual nature can also cause cervical spondylosis.
What are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
The main symptoms of cervical spondylosis are listed below.

A persistent headache is one of the most common symptoms.
People often complain of feeling a stiffness in the neck region in case of cervical spondylosis.
A numbness or tingling feeling in arms is also one of the symptoms of this condition.
The posterior region of your back and shoulders will also pain in case you develop cervical spondylosis.
People also find it difficult to walk at times and face a lack of coordination as well.
What are the Ayurvedic treatment measures for cervical spondylosis?
The main treatment measures in Ayurveda for cervical spondylosis are:

Mridu Shodhana   This procedure is also known as mild purgation. In this procedure, a mixture is made with milk or the fruit pulp of Cassia fistula and castor oil.
Greeva Basti   A black gram paste is applied to the back of the neck and this will aid in retaining the medicaments in that region. Several medicated oils like Ksheerbala oil are heated and then the compound helps in retaining this oil within it for a time. The reason for this is that when the heated oil is applied to that area, it helps in giving relief from disc herniation. The disc cartilage nourishment is improved and thus, the degeneration process of the tissues is reversed.
Secondary Ayurvedic procedures are also effective against cervical spondylosis. Some of these procedures are Patrapinda Sweda, Shirodhara, Abhyanga, and Pizhichil.
Pacifying Herbs   Some of the Ayurvedic herbs act as a pacifier in cervical spondylosis. These are Bala or Sida cordifolia, castor root or Ricinus communis, Amalaki or Emblica officinalis, Shunthi or ginger and Gambhari or Gmelina arborea.
Medicines   Some of the effective Ayurvedic medicines include Rasnairandadi kashaya, Yogaraja Guggulu and Sahacharadi Kashaya.
Above ayurvedic treatments not only give you relief from cervical spondylosis but also stop further degeneration of the affected tissues.

Cervical Spondylosis And Ayurveda - What To Know

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