Ayurveda describes three types of musculoskeletal disorders namely amavata (rheumatoid arthritis), sandhivata (osteoarthritis) and vatarakta (gouty arthritis). These disorders bring about swelling and painful inflammation in the joints. Ayurveda views arthritis as caused by excess vata (air) or ama (toxic substance because of bad digestion). Ama and vata circulate in the body and deposit at the joints thus leading to arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

In Ayurveda, amavata or Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the formation of metabolic toxic waste or ama. Ama is formed in the intestine when a person does not have proper digestive capacity. Ama gets deposited in the joints thus causing arthritic inflammation and pains. Amavata is caused by bad diet, poor digestive power maybe due to other underlying health conditions like diabetes and sedentary habits. Ayurveda takes a whole-body view of arthritis and believes body constitution, lifestyle and diet contribute greatly to arthritis.

Ayurvedic physicians mainly diagnose arthritis clinically with a physical examination. They look for swelling, redness and warmth in the regions around the knee, hip, ankles, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Ayurvedic physicians correlate these with other symptoms like low fever, indigestion, low appetite, constipation, gas, bloating, fatigue and sleeplessness. In some cases, the doctors may ask for certain lab tests like ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) which is a blood test to correlate presence of arthritic inflammations.

Ayurveda recommends prevention of amavata in the first place by following a proper diet, lifestyle and physical activity. For people who already have RA, Ayurveda advises fasting at regular intervals to give the digestive system a rest and prevent ama formation. A sattvic diet is recommended with low spice and oil.

Some of the herbs used to treat this type of arthritis include Guggulu, Chitraka, Madhuka, Rasna and others which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is easier to treat as compared to RA because of the absence of ama. OA is caused by vata in the body. OA is characterized by acute pain and limited functionality in the joints. This type of arthritis can be debilitating and often leads to disability. OA diagnosis and testing is similar to RA based on physical examination and if necessary ESR blood test.

Ayurveda advises a range of exercises and yogasanas for OA which focus on full-range joint movement and flexibility. Guggul (C. mukul) is very useful in treating both types of arthritis. A study reported by Singh, Mishra, Aquilina and Kohlbeck in 2001 tracked and analyzed the condition of 30 OA patients who were given Guggul extract (500 mg, three times a day/2 months). These patients had significant improvement with pain relief and greater flexibility and movement in the joints.

Special herbs in Ayurveda

While herbs such as Guggul and Ashwagandha have been studied in animal models for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, we need further studies on the mechanism of action on arthritic joints. These further studies are required to indicate other herbal combinations which could be very useful in inhibiting arthritic activity in the human body.

Herbs used in Ayurveda for arthritis treatment are safe, non-toxic and do not irritate the digestive system. Ayurveda focuses on holistic treatment of arthritis without resorting to invasive procedures and unnecessary chemical medications. Remedies in Ayurveda are natural, safe and effective while providing immense relief from painful arthritis.