Osteoarthritis

WHAT IS OSTEOARTHRITIS?
This disorder is widely known as the disorder of joints and perhaps because it is commonly found in old age, there are so many misconceptions about it.    Many people believe that it can’t be cured.  The patients suffering from osteoarthritis suffer from the pains and stiffness in their knee joints or ankles, hips, elbows, shoulders, and even in their finger joints.    It causes swelling because of inflammation of soft tissue around the joint.  Almost every movement of the patient becomes difficult and painful, be it getting up from the sitting position or even while climbing down the stairs.  The joints make a popping or cracking sound.  There is a loss of flexibility due to a lack of greasing in the joints.  These symptoms develop slowly but in the course of aging, the problem worsens because the cartilage that works as a cushion in the joint bones, wears down.      
But it is important for the patient to decide whether he/she wants a temporary relief from the pains or to get rid of this disorder totally

WHY ME?
While dealing with this question, it is important to conduct the “Pachabhoutik chikitsa (study and clinical assessment of five basic elements in our body viz. Prithvi = matter,  Aap = Water, Tej = Fire,  Vayu = Air & Aakash = space), as elaborated in the Ayurveda.  This helps us to find out why a particular individual suffers from osteoarthritis.

If a patient, for example, is having a problem with his right knee joint,  the Panchabhoutik chikitsa goes further deep to find out the root cause.  We can get the answer as to why the patient is having a problem with his right knee, although the right and left knee are the same in age and they sustain equal amount of body weight.   
 
From the food that we eat, our body absorbs the calcium and it is supplied to our bones.  However, the cartilage doesn’t grow over time, the way our nails or hair do.    Modern medical science generally blames it on the old age, but the  Ayurveda has given deep thought to this phenomenon.  Therefore, Ayurveda suggests extensive clinical assessment through different examinations like Nadi-parkisha, abdominal examination  (udar-parkisha), and-pariksha, and prashna-pariksha.   In order to arrive at the root cause, we also take into consideration, the birth-month/date of birth of the patient, his temperament, profession, and so on.  And after a complete, extensive examination, we design an appropriate treatment plan to completely cure this disorder.

HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME IT?
The root cause may be different for every patient.  For some female patients it may be because of the problem in the uterus, while in some other case it may be due to stress and anxieties, which affects the extraction of calcium in the intestines and its ultimate supply to our bones and joints. 

In such cases, only medical treatment involving some medicines to subside the vata or some oil for massage, pain-killer tablets, coating or lep, specificexercises, yoga, pranayama, or physiotherapy won’t work.  May be, they could provide some temporary relief.  But in order to go to the root cause, we design and develop the treatment according to the patient’s birth month, which helps him get rid of osteoarthritis completely.