Ayurveda is a very old system of medicine, which originated in India. Using herbs found in nature to cure various illnesses, knee pain can also be permanently cured with this method indigenous to India. It reduces knee pain caused by various illnesses including arthritis, inflammation of the cartilage and wearing of the patella among others. Here are some common Ayurvedic remedies, which help reduce knee pain:

1. Alfalfa: Alfalfa is medically known as Medicago Sativa. Alfalfa is excellent for making sure that your joint pain reduces, when taken in liquid form four times a day.

2. Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is medically known as Withania Somnifera. In the West, Ashwagandha is popularly known as Winter Cherry. Also, it has a lot of therapeutic properties, which include reducing joint pains. 

3. Banyan: The Banyan tree's medical name is Ficus Benghalensis. It has a sap very similar to the form of rubber known as latex is derived from the Banyan tree. The Banyan tree's sap is externally applied over the joints and the pain usually disappears after a few regular applications. 

4. Bishop's weed: The medical name for Bishop's weed is Trachyspermum Ammi. The oil extracted from this herb is usually applied to the knees to reduce the intensity of such knee pains.

5. Celery: The medical name for celery is Apium Graveolens. Celery is not only an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and associated pains in the knees, but it is also helpful in treating gout. It is usually agreed upon that this particular treatment is usually long lasting because of its alkaline nature.

6. Dandelion: Dandelion's biological name is Taraxacum Officinale. It is rich in magnesium and is crucial for the correct mineralization of the bones. This mineralization allows the bones to become stronger and also prevents knee pain.

7.  Garlic: The medical name for garlic is allium sativum. Five to six cloves eaten everyday has proved to reduce knee pains.

8. Ginger: Ginger is biologically called Zingiber Officinale. These can be easily included in your diet and go a long way in curbing knee pain.

Ayurveda and Knee Pain

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes widespread body pain along with sleep deficits, memory loss, mood problems and fatigue. Symptoms may be triggered after a surgery, physical trauma, infection, or stress. Women are much more vulnerable to this disease than men. Many people affected with fibromyalgia may have suffered from headaches, backaches, depression, anxiety, tension, temporomandibular joint 
disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. Most of these patients have undergone multiple consultation with various doctors and undergone many tests, but no diagnosis could be made. These patients are often ignored by doctors and family members as always "complaining of pain".

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia:
1.Extensive Pain- Pain related to fibromyalgia is often depicted as a dull pain that lasts for at least three months. Pain can involve any body part like back,neck, chest, arms, legs. Patients have pain in multiple areas of body and painful areas change over time.

2.Fatigue- Patients afflicted with this disorder feel tired even after sleep. Such people are reported to sleep for longer hours than normal people, but their sleep often gets disrupted due to sleep apnoea and restless leg syndrome.

3.Cognitive Difficulties- These patients find it difficult to concentrate at work and also suffer from memory deficits in daily activities.

4.Other Symptoms: These patients may also have symptoms like burning urination, urgency of urination, numbness,loss of appetite, tingling sensation,diarrhoea, constipation, tinnitus, depression etc

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia:
There are no specific test to diagnose fibromyalgia. Diagnosis is made by a doctor specialised in Pain Medicine using clinical methods based on symptoms and examination. Blood tests like Haemogram, Thyroid function test, RA Factor, ESR are done to rule out other diseases which can cause similar symptoms. 

Treatment of Fibromyalgia
1.First step in treating these patients is to accept their problem and discuss with patient and family members regarding the presence of such disease entity.

2.Lifestyle changes like active involvement in cardiovascular exercises, swimming, yoga, meditation are important to control symptoms.

3.Conventional painkillers do not work in these patients. They requires special medications prescribed by a Pain Specialist for control of symptoms.

4. Counselling of patient is beneficial for associated depression.

Are You Suffering From Body Pains ? It Could Be Fibromyalgia!!

It is important for you to know about degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylosis. Spondylosis is an umbrella term for spine pain, which occurs because of degenerative conditions. Spondylosis refers to several conditions. They include spinal stenosis, which is the abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to leg pain, degeneration due to DDD and degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis involving the spine. It may also include cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis.


About spondylosis
Spondylosis is a common condition, which is age related. The joints and discs present in the neck are specifically affected as a result of this condition. It commonly develops on account of the wear and tear of the cartilage and bones present in the neck. This condition, in spite of being common, worsens with age. In many patients, symptoms are not observed externally, but pain and muscle spasms are experienced. 


Many people with spondylosis do not undertake treatment in spite of suffering from the symptoms and pain. In case the symptoms are prevalent over a long time and tend to worsen, you have several modes of treatment to choose from. They may include medicines, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy and even surgery in some extreme cases. 


How does DDD or spondylosis occur? 
DDD is a spinal condition. It is caused due to the breakdown of the intervertebral discs. With ageing, the spine starts to show signs of wearing and tearing. This happens on account of the discs drying out and shrinking. All these age-related changes are responsible for arthritis, spinal stenosis and disc herniation. Because of these factors, pressure is likely to fall on your nerves and spinal cords, which may further cause back pain. DDD or spondylosis also develops on account of these factors.


Treatment for DDD and spondylosis
There are various modes of treatment, which are available for you to choose from in order to get relief from the symptoms and pain associated with DDD or spondylosis. You may be prescribed typical painkiller medications, such as non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, muscle relaxants, epidural injections, ultrasound and massage, oral steroids, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and many more. Every mode of treatment has got its own benefits, but has its limitations as well.


If you experience any symptoms of DDD or spondylosis, you must consult a doctor immediately. Your pain management physician or doctor will be able to diagnose your condition properly and will determine the mode of treatment which will suit you best.

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and Spondylosis - How You Can Get it Treated?

Knee pain is something that can affect anyone - irrespective of their age. While sometimes it may be of minor importance - and can easily be handled by self-care, often, lingering pain is a manifestation of some other serious underlying problem, such as arthritis. In this case, it is imperative that you consult a doctor and take appropriate measures to combat it.

Causes :

Arthritis: The chief cause of lingering knee pain, arthritis itself can be of a number of types:
 Osteoarthritis, which is a result of deterioration of cartilages due to wear and tear
 Rheumatoid Arthritis, an inflammatory chronic disorder
 Septic Arthritis, causing pain, swelling and redness.
 Gout caused due to the development of uric acid crystals in the joints
Fractures: These are caused by the breaking up of the kneecap due to falls or collisions.
ACL Injuries: Caused due to the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (that connects the femur and the shinbone). Especially common in sportspersons such as footballers or basketball players.
Meniscus tears: The meniscus or the rubber-like cartilage (that acts as a shock absorber) can be torn by sudden jerks or excess pressure.

Symptoms:The major symptoms of knee pain include weakness, redness, instability, stiffness or the inability to properly straighten or move the leg. Often, a deformity is also visible, such as a bone sticking out of the leg - in which case it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.

Possible risks :Factors which include the odds of being inflicted by knee pain and cause serious complications include :
Being overweight: This exponentially increases the stress or pressure that is applied on the knee joints - even in doing mundane tasks like walking up and down stairs.
Excessive physical activity: Some activities, such as sports apply excess stress on the knees as compared to other tasks.
Loss of muscle flexibility: Tightness or weakness in muscles causes increasing number of problems in the knees.

All About Knee Pain

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common knee injuries. Athletes who play high strain sports like football, rugby and basketball are more at risk in developing this kind of injury.
The ACL is one of the four primary ligaments in your knee. The injury occurs when the ligament is overstretched.

Signs and Symptoms
ACL happens in steps:
a) First, you might hear or feel in your knee a 'pop' sound
b) Next, you might experience pain and an inability to move or continue with your activity
c) Then your knee will swell up
d) Lastly, hemarthrosis develops

Causes
The ACL injury can happen in various ways. Injury may occur if
1. You change directions quickly
2. You stop suddenly
3. You slow down while running
4. You jump and land incorrectly
5. You are tackled, like in football, through direct collision or contact

Diagnosis
The doctor will use the following tests to diagnose ACL injury:
1. Pivot-shift test: This test is done to check for instability
2. Anterior drawer test: This test is done to check for the suspected tear in the ACL
3. Lachman test: This test more or less resembles the anterior drawer test. It is considered far more superior in diagnosing ACL injury than the anterior drawer test.

Treatment
Treatment of ACL depends on the patient's age and lifestyle. A younger patient, who is involved in sports will need surgery to restore agility. An older patient can heal without surgery.
1. Conservative Management: This is recommended for people who are older and lead a quieter lifestyle. Also if the knee is overall stable, the doctor might opt for this treatment. Bracing and physical therapy is enough in this case. To protect the knee stability, braces are given. Crutches are also used to keep from exerting weight on the injured leg. When the swelling subsides, some exercises are performed. This is part of the rehabilitation program. Exercises will strengthen leg muscles that surround the knee.
2. Surgery: If the patient is young and has a very active lifestyle, surgery is very much needed. There are three surgical methods:
a. Primary repair- this method is not recommended barring bony avulsions, which are typically seen in adolescents
b. Extra-articular repair- generally includes a tenodesis of the iliotibial tract
c. Intra-articular reconstruction- this is the standard treatment for ACL injuries.

All About Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune chronic disorder that might cause abnormal swelling in the joints when the joint tissues are attacked by the human immune system. The more frequently used body joints, such as the knees, fingers, shoulders, wrists, elbows and hips commonly get affected by the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis can also occur in the ligaments or tendons and might affect areas such as the kidney, bone marrow, eyes, lungs, and heart.

If rheumatoid arthritis is not diagnosed on time, it might lead to future complications, such as blood cancer in the lymph regions, osteoporosis (a medical condition resulting in the weakness of the bones), infections, stiffening of the arteries and dry mouth.

What exactly causes the disease is not known, but a significant damage to the immune system might cause the inflammation of the joints, resulting in this condition. Obesity, a family history of this condition and other lifestyle habits such as smoking tobacco put one at higher risks of this disorder.

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis might vary among people. The most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are;
1. Severe pain in the morning
2. Episodes of mild fever with severe pain
3. Redness and inflammation of the joints which might cause intense pain
4. Stiffness in the joints
5. The pain might increase in low-temperature conditions
6. Acute lethargy and weight loss

Treatments
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis includes a prescribed dosage (depending on the intensity of the condition) of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, anti-rheumatoid drugs such as methotrexate and steroid drugs such as prednisone to reduce the swelling and the subsequent pain. Performing regular exercises in order to retain the flexibility of the joints with appropriate consultation from the physiotherapist might cure rheumatoid arthritis. 

Persistent Stiffness in Joints - Can it be a Sign of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Don't wait any longer, manage your Rheumatologist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Rheumatologist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES