Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease mainly affecting the articular cartilage, mostly associated with aging most likely it affects the joints continually stressed throughout the years, including the knee, hips fingers and lower spine region.
Osteoarthritis is of two types
Primary OA refers to cases where the disease is not related to any prior condition or event affecting that joint but occurs due to wear and tear of the joints and related to ageing
Secondary OA occurs due to causes such as congenital trauma, metabolic, endocrine, joint disease, neurological, and vascular bone disease.
The most common symptoms of OA are :
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Joint swelling
- Decreased range of movement
According to Ayurveda, the characteristics of osteoarthritis can be correlated with Sandhigata Vata clinical presentation of Sandhigata Varta includes:
- Swelling as of filled with air
- Swelling in the joints
- Pain during flexion and joint
- Loss of function
- Pain
- Crepitus
Causes ( Nidana)
- Excessive intake od dry, preserved , frozen, chilled food items .
- Inadequate diet or malnutrition
- Habit of untimely eating
- Old Age
- Inadequate sleep at night
- Excessive blood loss
- Rigorous physical activity
- Excessive walking
- Excessive weight lifting
- Improve Go – purification practices
- Mental stress and anxiety
- Chronic or debilitating diseases, trauma etc.
The diagnosis of OA is clinics-radiological and is made after a complete medical history and physical examination.
Complications:
Pain
Difficulty in ambulation
Joint mal-alignment
Decreased range of movement of the joint
Radiculopath
res
General line of treatment as mentioned in Ayurveda Classics .
Dipana – Pachanam
Rasa-asthi-majja vaha srota dusti chikista
Asthikshaya chikista
Sthoulya chiki
Suta hara and Sapha hara Oushadhas
Vatanulomana oushadhas
Ushna balya oushadhas
Treatment modalities
- Lepanam
- Upanaham
- Dhara
- P P S
- J P S
- Katikizhi
- Abhyangam
- Vasti
- Rasayana Prayoga