Ayurveda and Knee Pain
Life becomes miserable to move when there is a chronic knee pain. All basic activities like walking, sitting, bending, standing and folding the legs are performed with the knee joints. Knee joint pain often happen due to following reasons
- Obesity
- Weak muscle strength
- Vigorous physical activities
- Degeneration – wear and tear due to old age.
- Inflammation
- Injury
The symptoms of joint problems include severe pain, swelling, tenderness, weakness, stiffness, inability to move the part sometimes accompanied with fever. Stress, over exertion, improper way of handling joints, diet and irregular lifestyle contribute to increase the pain and problems as we age.
Ayurvedic approach :
Ayurveda divides the joint problems into two –
- Degenerative (Vata aggravation)
- Inflammatory (Ama accumulation)
The first type is related to the under-nourished bones, low bone density etc. The joints begin to degenerate since it lacks the nourishment it needs. It starts with mild discomfort, cracking and results in immobilization of joints. The second type of joint problems is caused by the accumulation of toxic substances in body. Ama – is the accumulated fat or waste product that is caused through incomplete digestion. This toxic sticky substance accumulates in joint and causes stiffness which in turn becomes painful and swollen.
Ayurvedic treatment for joint pains
Ayurvedic treatment for degenerative bones takes a holistic approach. A regular diet, lifestyle and herbal remedies are suggested to strengthen the bones from within. Ability to absorb the nutrition, circulation and is weakened when Vyana Vata is aggravated. This imbalance creates the drying of Shleshaka Kapha which is responsible for lubrication in joints. To settle and balance vata it is necessary to
— eat vata pacifying foods – more of sweet, salty and sour foods, less of astringent, bitter and pungent foods.
— early to bed, early to rise routine.
— avoiding stimulating activity at night
— mild exercise
— main meal at noon
— meditation to relieve from stress.
All the above would integrally contribute to pacified Vata and help to correct vata based joint problems.
The treatment for inflammatory joints in Ayurveda begins with detoxification. Because letting the ama to be in the joints causes the ama to mix with the lubricating fluids in the joints and restricts the natural function of the joints. To reduce Ama –
— A warm, light ama reducing diet is suggested
— Include spices to aid and increase digestion
— Avoid day sleep
— Regular exercise
— Herbal decoctions are suggested to aid digestion and metabolism
— Detoxification therapies
— Panchakarma..
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