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| Knee Joints OA |
OA Knee joint is mainly the form of Osteo-Arthritis which is a degenerative joint disease due to the lack of lubricating (Synovial) fluid in the joints, leading to the damage in cartilage, bone, joint capsule, ligaments and muscles.
What is Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a condition when the cartilage cushioning the ends of bones in a synovial joint gradually deteriorates resulting in pain, tenderness and stiffness of the joints. Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide and eventually ends up in loss of movement of the effected joints. The condition is more common in weight bearing joints like knees, hip etc. affecting the normal routine lifestyle. The risk factors identified by modern medicine include old age (wear and tear), Obesity or extra body weight, injuries, bone deformities. OA is seen more commonly in women compared to men. The treatment targets to control the pain and inflammation at the effected joint. Surgical methods like joint replacement or lubricator injections are also used in modern medicine to treat the condition.
Ayurvedic Treatment for Knee Joint Osteoarthritis
In Ayurveda, this condition is referred as Sandhivata. Among the three doshas, Vata dosha is considered to be the one responsible for all movements. Imbalance in Vata causes the ama (toxins) to move into the colon from where it reaches the circulatory system and gets deposited in the weak joints resulting in stiffness and pain characteristic of arthritis. Thus, the main objective in Ayurveda to treat Osteoarthritis is to remove ama by Ayurvedic treatments of Panchakarma and also improving the digestion and at the same time reducing the vata by relieving the pain and inflammation. Along with elimination of the ama from body, it is also important to follow fasting or controlled diet so that body reduces release harmful toxins and the immune system is able to eliminate the harmful toxins from the body. Certain Ayurvedic herbs are beneficial as they act as free radical scavenger and help to fight against the toxins. Massage with certain herbal oils also is useful to reduce vata and get rid of pain and inflammation. A regular routine of yoga and mild exercise further helps to achieve the right balance of physical and mental stress.
What Ayurveda Offers
Ayurveda specializes in detoxification. Some of the detoxification treatments involve a mild sweating action to help open the physical channels of the body and help to push out the toxins. Also, Ayurveda offers special knee joint massage and external treatment for relieving the knee pains. In this particular Ayurvedic procedure, the warm medicated oil or herbal decoction is used to bathe the knee. This may be followed by hot fomentation of the knee joint. Ayurvedic centres provide with the Authentic Ayurveda procedure to relieve you from knee pain called as Janu Basti. Generally at the Ayurvedic Centre, two trained therapists will lightly massage your knee with warm and medicated oil which is Vata balancing. And then warm medicated oil is filled over the knees, by making a doughnut shape area encircling the knees. This entire procedure takes about 30 minutes. This is one of the best known Ayurveda treatments for knee pain.
Case Studies on Knee Joint Osteo Arthritis
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In a clinical study conducted at on a total 49 patients (aged between 30 – 70 years) suffering from Osteoarthritis were randomly divided into 2 groups, were selected from O.P.D. and I.P.D. of I.P.G.T. & R.A. (Rhuematoid Arthiritis), Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar. In Group A, patients were treated with Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu Vati along with Abhyanga and Nadi Swedana and in group B patients were treated with only Abhyanga and Nadi Swedana. The data shows that Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu along with local Abhyanga and Nadi Swedana i.e. group A has provided better relief in the disease Sandhigata Vata (15.38% patients achieved complete remission, while 61.54% patients found in maximum improvement and 23.07% were having moderately improvement). In group B, 07.14% patients obtained complete remission, while 64.28% patients were having moderate improvement, whereas 14.28% patients each were having maximum improvement and mild improvement.
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Sandhigatavata (OA) is one of the consequences, which is common in the elderly people. In a clinical trial study, 50 registered patients (aged 30-75 years) of Sandhigatavata have been given Snehana, Svedana, Mriduvirechana, Matrabasti, and Jalaukavacharana, along with oral medications like Yogaraja Guggulu and Ashwagandha Churna. This multimodal therapy is being used in P.D. Patel Ayurved Hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat since years, providing good relief to patients with Sandhigatavata. Patients with affection of knee joint, presenting with Sandhishotha (swelling over joints), Sandhishula (pain in joints), Sandhigraha (stiffness in joints), Sprarshasahatva (tenderness), and Sandhisphutna (crepitus) were selected. The results have been analyzed statistically by using the Student paired ‘t’ test. The therapy showed highly significant (P < 0.001) beneficial effect on the clinical features of Sandhigatavata. On overall effect of therapy, 4% of the patients were relieved completely, while 24% have shown marked improvement, 50% moderate improvement, and 22% mild improvement. Results of follow-up showed that marked improvement decreased, but moderate improvement was steady. It can be concluded from the present study that Sandhigatavata is commonly found mostly in menopausal females. The present study reveals that multimodal Ayurveda treatment provided highly significant relief in Sandhigatavata of the knee joint.
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In a clinical study, 33 patients of Sandhigatavata completed the treatment. Patients were between the age group of 40 – 70 years having the symptoms Sandhishula (pain in joints), Sandhishotha (swelling in joints), Sandhigraha (Stambha)(stiffness in joints), Akunchana Prasaranayoh Vedana(pain during flexion and extension of joints), Sparsha Asahyata (tenderness), Sandhisphutana (Crepitus) were randomly selected from O.P.D. and I.P.D. of Kayachikitsa department, I.P.G.T. and R.A., G.A.U., Jamnagar, Gujarat. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. 16 patients in Group-A (sarvanga Abhyanga-swedana + matravasti) and 17 patients in Group-B (sarvanga Abhyanga -swedana+ matravasti + indigenous compound drug). The results of the study indicate that the patients of both the groups obtained highly significant relief in almost all the signs and symptoms of Sandhigatavata. Complete remission was found in 43.75% patients in Group-A and 23.52% patients in Group-B.
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In a clinical study at The Department of Panchakarma, KLE University’s Shri B.M.K. Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Belgaum, Karnataka, 30 patients of Sandhigata Vata were given Anuvasana Basti with KsheerabalaTaila with OA knees were recruited among which 25 subjects (16 female and 9 male) completed the whole course and 5 dropped out. Subjective assessment of pain by visual analogy scale and swelling, tenderness, crepitus and walking velocity were graded according to their severity. Significant results (P < 0.05) were found in all the cardinal symptoms – Pain (Sandhiruja), Swelling (Shotha), tenderness, crepitus and walking velocity. Anuvasana Basti with Ksheerabala Taila was significant in the subjective symptoms of Sandhigata Vata. In the overall effect of the therapy, 56% (14) had mild improvement, 48% (08) had moderate improvement and 12% (03) had no improvement.
About the Author:
Dr Sonica Krishan is Author and Speaker in the areas of Healthy and Joyous Living through Ayurveda, Meditation, Yoga and other Contemplative practices. She is a leading Ayurveda Professional in India. She is also Health Writer, Columnist, Editor, Ayurveda Consultant and Holistic Healing Coach. Dr Sonica is open for National as well as International Collaborations with interested people / institutions in fields of Ayurveda, Meditation and Yoga.
Dr Sonica Krishan’s Books are available at Amazon
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