Ayurveda Treatment for Joint Pain

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Understanding Joint Pain

Joint Pain and pain while movement are among the most common problems for which a patient consults a doctor. There are several conditions that affect the normal functioning of the joints leading to the manifestations of different diseases. Injury due to trauma is one of the issues, leading to impaired joint function but the main issues that cause dysfunction in joints are inflammation and degeneration.

According to Ayurveda, there are two reasons for joint pain; vata-related or ama-related. Firstly, vata-related joint pain is by aggravating one’s vata or air-dominant dosha. This weakens circulation, metabolism, and the capability to effectively digest food. The bone tissue eventually weakens due to undernourishment. Subsequently, poor lubrication causes discomfort, cracks, and rigidity.

Secondly, ama-related joint pain is a result of toxin build-up in joints. This can cause heaviness and stiffness. Coldness and humidity can further aggravate your symptoms. Existing toxins increase in their irritation and reactivity levels. As a result, joints can become inflamed, swollen, and painful.

Other Diseases Affecting Specific Joints

Shoulder Joint

Adhesive capsulitis
Frozen Shoulder
Peri-Arthritis Shoulder

Elbow Joint

Tennis elbow
Golfer’s Elbow

Wrist Joint

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Ankle and foot

Plantar Fasciitis
Achilles Tendonitis
Calcaneal Bursitis

Hip Joint

Avascular Necrosis of Head of Femur

Knee Joint

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Osteo Arthritis

Symptoms of Joint Problems

Pain – Pain may be at the joint or in parts of the body associated with the joint.
Swelling – Swelling is often a sign of inflammation.
Stiffness – Stiffness is caused by the body to prevent excessive movement in order to protect the damaged part.
Limited range of movement – when a muscle or tendon is affected, it is not possible to move the joint through the full range that is normally possible.
Tenderness – Tenderness is pain on touching the part and is a sign of inflammation.
Weakness – Weakness of the part of the body associated with the joint is often seen.
Inability to move the part – When a tendon or muscle is affected, the person is not able to move the affected part. Movement may also be restricted by pain.
Fever – Joint problems can also be a part of a systemic issue and a disease that not only affects the joint but also other organs in the body Ex. Ankylosing Spondylitis.

COMPLICATIONS OF JOINTS PAIN •

Arthritis is the tenderness of joint. It occurs due to the decrease in the amount of cartilage tissues.
Osteoarthritis can occur which cause the degeneration of bones.
Rheumatoid arthritis also causes the joint problems like pain, stiffness and loss of proper function of joints.
Chronic fatigue syndrome can also occur.
Joint pains also occur due to the physical injury, playing and falling down. So, damage can occur to the muscles and tissues which may cause the severe joint pains.
Gout is also a serious complication which occurs when uric acid accumulated on the joint and forms crystal. There crystals cause the inflammation of joints which causes the excess pain in joints.

CAUSES FOR JOINT PAINS IN AYURVEDA

In Ayurveda it is believed that there are three energies – kapha, vata and pica which are responsible for all the diseases. When there is an imbalance in any of three energies, diseases occur in the body. So according to ayurveda main cause of joint pains is vata dosha. It occurs due to the accumulation of ama in the weaker parts of body and causes the joint pains. There are various herbs and natural compounds in the ayurveda like praval pisti, ashwagandha, sudh laksh, arjun, guggul, shallaki are present in ayurveda which are beneficial for the treatment of joint pains. So, the problem of joint pain can be cured by taking the healthy diet, herbal medicines and exercises.

Getting Started with Meditation

There is an enormous variety of meditation techniques available, and it’s important to find one that resonates with you. The Chopra Center offers instruction in an easy-to-learn practice called Primordial Sound Meditation. It is based on the ancient Vedic and yoga traditions and uses a mantra to help the mind experience deep levels of stillness and silence.

Many people have also benefitted from using guided meditations and visualizations. The Chopra Center’s 21-Day Meditation Challenge is a great way to add meditation into your daily life.

Yoga for Osteoarthritis

Yoga is a time-honored science for balanced living and self-realization. By integrating body, mind, and spirit with the practice of yoga, we experience physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. In addition, by bringing our attention to the present moment, we increase our body awareness, not only while practicing yoga, but also in our everyday movements.

From a physical perspective, the practice of yoga increases strength, flexibility, and balance, all of which are important for health in general and are particularly vital for those coping with osteoarthritis (OA).

When practiced regularly, gentle yoga movements not only strengthen the muscles that support the joints but also improve the flexibility of the muscles, which is more effective than just strengthening alone. Several studies have shown the benefit of stretching and increasing flexibility for people with OA in the knees.

While some exercise programs focus solely on strengthening the quadriceps muscle (an important part of most approaches to knee OA), including yoga stretches builds strength as well as increasing flexibility. One study that focused exclusively on quadriceps strengthening demonstrated that patients actually lost flexibility when they only focused on strength training. This did not occur in programs that included stretching.