Living with Joint Pains and Arthritis

Joint pains is one of the most common and painful health condition. Living with joint pains is not easy. Ayurvedic remedies therapies, treatments, herbs and home remedies have been providing relief since ages.

Ayurvedic view of Joint Pains and Arthritis

According to Ayurvedic understanding, joint pains develop mainly due to accumulated toxic matter which further results in imbalance of the three doshas. Due to weakness of the gastric fire or the agni, when the food remains undigested, then the undigested juice (Ama rasa) intermingles with the vitiated doshas viz.Vata, Pitta and Kapha. This results in causing pain and inflammation in the joints and thus production of the disease of joint pains and arthritis.

Joint Pains Symptoms

Joint pains may show symptoms like – Tenderness and enlargement of the joint with limitation of its movements. There generally is pain in the affected joints, which increases on movement and decreases with rest. Joint pains are generally accompanied by joint stiffness and wasting of the muscles. The pain might increase with change in the weather. Also, in joint pains there is loss of flexibility, grating sensation and bone spurs may emerge. The ailment of joint pains and arthritis may also include symptoms like anorexia, weakness, loss of weight and difficulty in movement of the joints as the disease progresses.

Knee Joint Pains

The knee joint pains are one of the most common and dreaded joint pains which are much weakening and distressing. These joint pains are mainly the form of osteo-arthritis which is a degenerative joint disease due to the lack of lubricating (Synovial) fluid in the joints, leading to the damage in cartilage, bone, joint capsule, ligaments and muscles. In Ayurveda, this medical condition is described as Sandhi Vata. It is a Vata Dosha disorder affecting joints, mainly Knees, where the vata dosha gets aggravated and dries up the Kapha (Synovial fluid-Shleshak Kapha) in the joints. This causes roughening of the smooth surfaces of the joints and later, bone rubs on bone and movements become painful. Although, the modern medicines rests on relieveing the pain with pain killers, but in Ayurvedic treatments for joint pains and osteo arthritis there are long lasting results with least side effects.

This must be understood that the disease of joint pains particularly the knee joint pains, the condition gradually worsens if not properly taken care of. Therefore timely relief with Ayurvedic treatments is the way out.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Joint Pains

Ayurveda medicine is rich natural source of herbs and herbo-mineral products that ensure sufficient relief from problems of joint pains and arthritis. A number of herbs like Garlic, Ginger, Guggulu, Turmeric, Bishop’s weed, Shilajit, Rasna, Nirgundi etc have been recommended time and again in Ayurveda text so as to attain relief from joint pains. Also, combinations of herbs like Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus ), Bala(Sida Cordifolia) , Eranda (Ricinus Communis) Medicated ghee , Sallaki ( Boswellia serrata) , Guggulu (Commiphora mukul) etc are generally given to the patient suffering from joint pains. Of these, Guggulu is one herb I would like to emphasize on that is highly popular Ayurveda drug of choice for joint pains.

Ayurvedic Cures for Joint Pains

Surprisingly, people in most part of the world have not recognized one of the most ancient and powerful systems, Ayurvedic approach to joint pains and arthritis gives excellent results when treated at regular intervals with the detox (Panchakarma) and Rejuvenation therapies combined with internal medications. At Indus Valley Ayurvedic centre, there are a number of Ayurvedic cures, Ayurvedic treatments and therapies for joint pains and related ailments. These are designed to help you recover from the joint pains as well as keep the ailment of arthritis away. The lifestyle modifications with Yoga and Ayurvedic diet will significantly increase the quality of life by reducing pain. We receive patients from over 50 countries and many come each year regularly. Undergoing Ayurveda therapies once a year provides excellent relief.

Yoga for Joint Pains

Yoga asanas and Yoga techniques like Pranayama (Deep Breathing techniques), Physiotherapy and Aqua Yoga are beneficial add-on therapies for joint pains. Therapeutic Yoga as is being practiced and taught at Indus Valley Ayurvedic centre comprises of a wide range of mind and body practices, from postural and breathing practice to deep relaxation and mediation. It acts as a conventional supportive medical treatment. This is particularly recommended for those suffering from joint pains as these yoga techniques aim at providing holistic treatment to the health ailments of joint pains and arthritis at the same time provides with much needed mental relaxation for stress management and positive mental attitude to help you in living with joint pains.

What is a strain?
A strain is a muscular injury caused due to poor posture or any physical activity that exerts a lot of pressure on the muscle. It is nothing, but a torn muscle or tissue connected to a bone. A strain can occur in any muscle of the body, but it most commonly occurs in the lower back, neck, shoulder, and hamstring, which is the muscle behind your thigh.

What is pain?
A pain is an extreme sensation of discomfort or distress that might be caused due to external stimulus. In a nutshell, it’s an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience.

One can differentiate between a pain and a strain through the following ways

1. Symptoms: One of the major symptoms of a strain is acute pain. Simultaneously, the torn muscle will be sore; it will be discoloured and swollen. Movement will be limited in that part of the body and the patient will get a ‘knotted-up’ feeling because muscular injury weakens or stiffens the muscle. Another major symptom of strain includes muscular spasm. Pain on the other hand is a state of physical and sensory discomfort caused due to an external stimulus. The affected area will not have the aforementioned symptoms and is not limited to muscular injury.
2. Length of time: One of the key ways to differentiate between a muscle strain and pain is the amount of time the symptoms persist. Normal pain lingers for about three days and is reduced with medication. In case of muscular strain, the pain lasts longer because the injury is internal. The muscles are sore and stiff and remain weak until treated.
3. Type of distress: The feeling of pain usually persists irrespective of the fact that the patient is at rest or is not moving; while in a muscular strain, the patient is not distressed at rest but experiences major discomfort when trying to use or move the affected part of the body.

The sensation of pain usually worsens with activity. On the other hand a muscular strain is treated with muscular exercises such as stretching. If the patient doesn’t use the affected muscle for a long period of time, it tends to worsen.