Dr. Ankit Verma

Joint pains or muscles cramps are the usual suspects when it comes to leg pain. Joint pains are usually a symptom of arthritis, a common occurrence during old age. Leg muscles are mostly affected by muscle cramps. From an Ayurvedic point of view, all pains are caused by the vata dosha.

What are doshas?
The doshas define the natural inclination of the body and they comprise the three main energies that affect your health and well-being. The three doshas are Pitta, Vata and Kapha. Thus in Ayurveda, pain is caused when the doshas are vitiated. In Ayurveda, ama is the name given to the toxic materials in the body that are caused by improper indigestion. Therefore, pain occurs when there is too much ama build-up in your body.

Useful herbs for treating leg pain:

1. Clove: It provides instant relief from pain, especially if they are due to muscle cramps. Apply clove oil in a poultice over the affected area.
2. Ginger: Since ginger has great painkiller properties, it can be added to a regular diet to deal with chronic leg pain.
3. Liquorice: Muscle aches can be treated with liquorice roots infused in water overnight.
4. Madhuca: Applying madhuca oil over leg pains, especially if they are due to rheumatism, then it can give great results.
5. Pepper: Pepper aids in proper blood circulation by helping dilating the superficial blood vessels.

Dietary regulations for leg pain: To help with chronic leg pain, leafy vegetables, green vegetables, Vitamin C-rich foods, plantains that are rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium must be consumed. Coffee and chocolate must be avoided at all costs. The consumption of water cannot be stressed enough as one of the leading causes of leg pain is dehydration of insufficient fluids in the body. Water helps flush out the toxins in the body, thus getting rid of the vitiated doshas.

Ayurvedic treatment for leg pain: For external use, Mahanarayana Tailam is extremely effective. Warming the oil before application will give best results. For internal use, Simhanada Guggulu, a mild laxative, Laxmi Vilas rasa and Pratapa Lankeshwara Rasa are prescribed.

potassium magnesium

Over 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain during their lives. Most cases of lower back pain can be linked to a general cause - such as muscle strain, injury, or overuse - or can be attributed to a specific condition of the spine, most commonly:

- Herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal stenosis
- Osteoarthritis

A number of less common conditions can cause low back pain as well, such as sacroiliac joint dysfunction, spinal tumors, fibromyalgia, and piriformis syndrome.