Medical conditions are cured using natural and holistic therapies and herbs in Ayurveda. Ayurveda is an ancient approach to healing and curing diseases. It is steeped in tradition in India and there are texts which are thousands of years old corroborating the same.

Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu meaning “Life” and Veda meaning “Knowledge”. These revolve around the balancing of “Doshas’ which are energy forces. Namely, “Kapha”, “Pitta” and “Vata”. 

Ayurvedic treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis, better known as “Amavata”, uses the basic principles to better the patient’s quality of life. Typically, ayurvedic practitioners set guidelines to diagnose what type of Rheumatoid Arthritis has set in, what all areas are affected and how far along it is before starting treatment.

Two schools of thought prevail inherently in the treatment procedure that the practitioners like to follow:

• Madhava Nidana: The work of Acharya Madhavakara, Madhava nidana is an important and renowned treatise in Ayurveda. It provides a basic understanding of the tools and techniques to be used for diseases. 

• Nidana: The cause of the disease.
• Purvarupa: The preliminary symptoms of the disease.
• Rupa: The current symptoms of the disease.
• Upashaya-anupashaya: Medicinal trial and error technique for accuracy in the diagnosis.
• Samprapti: The entire pathogenesis of how the doshas came to be imbalanced.

• Ashtanga Hridaya: Written by the great sage, Vagbhata, ashtanga hridaya is divided into eight segments which are essentially the eight branches of Ayurveda and are at the heart of it. 

• Kaya chikitsa: Medicinal care.
• Shalya tantra: Surgical procedure.
• Shalakya tantra: Ophthalmology and ENT.
• Kaumarbhritya: Obstetrics and paediatrics.
• Agad tantra: Toxicology analysis.
• Bhut vidya: Psychiatric care.
• Rasayan: Geriatrics and rejuvenation therapeutic care.
• Vajikaran: Sexual enhancement with aphrodisiacs and better breeding.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Progressive;y, RA (Amvata) is a chronic and disabling disease which is autoimmune. Autoimmune disease is a condition when your body’s instinctive defence system cannot decipher between your own internal cells and external cells, which then causes the body to strike the normal cells by mistake. 

Ayurvedic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis is the inflammation of joints which causes immense pain and immobility. It attacks the joints, and the tissue around the joints, causing joint deformity and other organs. 

Panchakarma for rheumatoid arthritis

The treatment for amavata as it is known in Ayurveda broadly determines a few points using ‘Shamana’ (conservative) and ‘shodhana’, (purifying the body biologically) modules. Every treatment in Ayurveda and panchakarma which is the subsequent treatment type is based on the stages of the disease, chronic getting a different treatment from acute. Also, the doshas and their imbalances are considered. 

After this diagnosis, different measures are recommended and practised. Some of them are:

• Langhana: This particular upakarma is supported in ailments which arise due to atibrumhana or santarpana. This therapy relieves the feeling of heaviness, making the body lightweight. Usually, vata is the reason for lightness and Kapha for heaviness.
• Deepana: This is where attempts are made to increase the digestive tract fire, to increase the appetite, metabolic rate and digestion which are all an important part of good health. The fundamental cause of all diseases is the quantity and quality of the fire and its deterioration in the body.
• Pachana: This is the digestion process through various methods which includes the enhancement of the capacity of food digestion. That is mainly for ama, the accumulation of undigested food that causes deadly long-term illnesses.
• Snehapana: This process is a precursor to purification therapy.  It is the oleation therapy that involves mainly ghee to be ingested with increasing dosages, this helps the intestines to detoxify and the digestive tract to be in perfect condition.
• Swedana: This process is a steam bath with various herbal decoctions to purify and detoxify the body. Amongst the many effects of this, the ones that can help with amavata are that it helps activate blood circulation as well as increase joint mobility. 
• Virechana: One of the simpler procedures, virechana is a process that is controlled by the ayurvedic practitioner by administering different herbs for different outcomes. Some are laxatives and some decongestants; hence a thorough cleanse of the colon, stomach, intestines, liver, sweat glands and spleen is achieved. This is typically done to bring the pitta dosha back into balance and is beneficial, overall. 
• Basti: A rejuvenating treatment that is highly beneficial that cleanses the colon area and increases the muscle tone. All the while eliminating the doshas from the body. It is an administration of herbal decoctions and oils through the anal route and is very effective in treating all major disorders. 

Ayurvedic Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

If used correctly, ayurvedic remedies can improve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis although they cannot be a replacement for medical interventions. Restorative remedial efforts for the balance of the three doshas that are considered life-forces in Ayurveda, and of the mind, body and spirit are made up of changes in lifestyle and home remedies such as:

• Diet, preferable sattvic.
• Exercise regimentally.
• Meditate daily.
• Periodical massages.
• Incorporation of yoga asanas.
• Intake of herbal medicines. 

Conclusion

Ayurveda maintains that too much vata causes rheumatoid arthritis. Hence the diet changes are made keeping in mind what type of food causes what doshas to affect the amavata. As well as a movement which is low-impact such as yoga is recommended as well as walking and swimming depending on the requirement as per the stage of the disease. Complementary therapies such as sauna, meditation, massages, acupuncture, aromatherapy and music therapy etc. are advised. Carefully designed herbal medicine is also propagated. A rheumatoid arthritis treatment centre in Dapoli, Shrishail Ayurveda is one of the leading panchakarma centres in India offering all this and more amidst the beautiful nature at the scenic locale. Shrishail is a specialist in RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis).

The first wealth is health.

• Ralph Waldo Emerson.