drvasishths.blogspot.in : Management of

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

(आमवात चिकित्सा)

Approximately 1% people across the world suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (आमवात / आमदोषज / आमविषज रोग).

Out of these 40% people within 3 years, and 80% in 20 years, become disabled.

The real question is, to what extent we could contribute in managing this great problem on the basis of ayurveda.

Let's see.

Causes (हेतु):

The two fundamental factors resulting in RA are -

1. Genetic factors (बीजदुष्टि); and

2. Deliberate and/or forced unhealthy life-style (मिथ्या आहार-विहार).

Pathophysiology (सम्प्राप्ति):

Genetic factors (बीजदुष्टि) and unhealthy life-style (मिथ्या आहार विहार) give rise to two types of developments in the body -

(1) There result abnormalities in the cells, tissues, organs, and channels (धातुओं, उपधातुओं, व स्रोतसों में दुष्टि/विकृति);

(2) Trinergy (त्रिदोष) gets deranged -

The neuro-hormonal system gets abnormal (वात-दुष्टि);

The metabolic activities get abnormal (पित्त-दुष्टि); and

The immune system gets abnormal (कफ-दुष्टि).

Consequently, auto-antibodies (आमदोष) against one's own body tissues get generated that result in widespread inflammation and the resultant tissue destruction followed by various complications.

The auto-antibodies result in almost 80 diseases, out of which rheumatoid arthritis (आमवात / आमदोषज / आमविषज रोग) is the major one.

Manifestations (रूप / व्यक्ति):

1. Arthritis (सन्धि-शोथ):

Painful inflammation and stiffness of the small joints are the primary features of this disease. However, the bigger joints too could be involved.

2. General symptoms (सार्वदैहिक लक्षण):

Weakness (दौर्बल्य), weight loss (कार्श्य), fatigue (क्लम), anorexia (अरुचि/क्षुधा-अल्पता), anemia (रक्ताल्पता) are quite common.

Fever (ज्वर), muscle wasting (मांस-क्षय) and osteoporosis (अस्थि-क्षय) too could develop during the course of the disease.

In some patients there remains the possibility of the nodules in the ligaments and tendons (स्नायु-कण्डरा-गत ग्रन्थियाँ); scleritis, episcleritis, kerato-conjunctivitis (नेत्र-शोथ); and pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis (हृदय-शोथ).