Spinal Disorders

Spinal degeneration largely occurs with ageing and Vata is the dominant Dosha during old age. An element of ether with its spacey quality and air that has movement, Vata goes out of balance easily. Nearly all of degenerative disorders are due to vitiated Vatadosha owing to wear and tear, and in Ayurveda, these are called an abhighata(injury), vitiation of which lead to a disease condition.

The pressure on spinal cord associated with spinal degeneration may cause disc displacement or herniation, spinal stenosis, narrowing of spinal canal, osteoarthritis, cartilage break up and many other complications. A major reason for spinal injuries is that the disc between the bones of the spine is made up of cartilage, fibrous tissue, and water, and these discs can weaken and may flatten, bulge, break down, or herniate.

Spinal disc herniation is a condition in which the annulus fibrosus (outer portion) of the vertebral disc is torn, enabling the nucleus (inner portion) to herniate or extrude through the fibers – meaning a tear in in the outer fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc which allows the soft central portion to bulge.

At AyurVAID Kalmatia, the treatment focuses on reducing the dryness and bringing back the sneha guna – elasticity – and rehydrates the disc through Snehana – Oleation Therapy, removing the osteophytes.

Lumbar Spondylosis

Spondylosis of the spine or Spinal Osteoarthritis can affect any of the joints in the lumbar region of the vertebrae which provide support for the spine. The vertebra consists of individual bones joined together by discs to absorb shock, allow movement and provide cushioning. The major weight bearing area of the body is the lumbar region. Degenerative disease like Spondylosis (spinal Osteoarthritis) compromise the structural balance and functioning of the spine affecting multiple joints. This is accompanied by overgrowth of bone and the formation of bone spurs.

The treatment at AyurVAID Kalmatia is done in two stages of medicinal management (Oushadam) and local measures (Sthanika Chikitsa), focuses on reducing the dryness and bringing back the sneha guna – elasticity – and rehydrates the disc through Snehana – Oleation Therapy, removing the osteophytes.

Cervical Spondylosis

Neck pain, the most common condition associated with modern life, thanks to the busy and hectic physical grind of day to day life. You experience a reduction in functional ability and movements of your arms and hands, or it could be that you have intense, recurring pain (typically in the neck, arms or hands) – or both.

Cervical Spondylosis (CS) is a ‘wear and tear’ of the vertebrae and discs in the neck. CS may be caused by degenerative osteoarthiritis of the joints or Neural foraminal stenosis, compression of a spinal nerve as it leaves the spinal canal and travels to the others parts of the body. CS is a combination of conditions which requires restoring bone density, as well as removing compression over the nerve, if any.

At AyurVAID Kalmatia, our management is both through internal medication and external therapies. The treatment is mainly oriented to ensure regained strength and movements of the arms and hands, as well as pain reduction. In addition to this, we also focuses on discovering the underlying cause of each patient’s condition and providing appropriate corrective measures.

AyurVAID Kalmatia has achieved particularly strong results with patients who have developed the condition through improper posture and habits. For those who have developed the disease due to degeneration, health can be restored and maintained, while the progress of degeneration is simultaneously arrested through Ayurveda.

Low Back Pain

In Ayurveda, low back ache is termed as kaṭigraha (kaṭi refers to the lower back area and graha refers to stiffness due to pain). The cause of low back ache is assigned to both internal/habit and extraneous factors. Improper food habits and extraneous like strains, degeneration, improper posture etc cause low back ache. From a treatment perspective, the condition is divided into two aspects: pure limitation of the movement associated with pain and limitation of movement with associated complaints like swelling, etc.

Low back ache is a challenging clinical condition which necessitates exploring the appropriate underlying cause and the treatment has to be planned accordingly. The main aspect of the treatment is the internal medication paralleled by the therapies judiciously applied at the appropriate clinical condition. Here of course the nature of the therapies whether intensive or mild absolutely relies on the specific case presented.

AyurVAID Kalmatia offers assured cure for low back aches caused by strain, degeneration, improper posture, and those generated by improper food habits. The treatment for low back ache is wide-ranging: from simple internal medications to intense therapies. The treatment program most appropriate for you will be selected based on the depth of the disease. Among other things, this may include Upanaha (medicinal poultice), pouring of fermented medicated liquid (dhānyāmla), Vasti (medicinal enema) and pouring of medicated oil (dhārā) over the affected part.

Ostearthritis

Ayurveda views Osteoarthritis as a clinical condition which requires replenishment of lubrication around the affected joints, achievable through the process of bṛṁhaṇa (satiation).The Ayurveda treatment of Osteoarthritis involves internal medications and external therapies, which are patient-specific and guided by the stage of the disease. The patient’s response to treatment is determined by the duration and degree of the manifested disease, as well as their age and the cause of the condition. At all stages, the progression of the degeneration can be arrested using Ayurveda.

As a disease of progressive nature, often requiring regular follow-ups, AyurVAID Kalmatia typically recommends our Osteoarthritis Disease Management Program for maximum results. However, the treatment for Osteoarthritis does not necessarily require extensive therapies or medications. In many cases, a few key internal medications, along with some localized therapies, will suffice to relieve the disease.

Contact us at kalmatia@ayurvaid.com to learn more about the treatment program best for you.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disorder, which principally attacks the peripheral joints and surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. It may also affect many tissues and organs. It primarily affects the joints inflaming their lining (synovium), resulting in pain and swelling that eventually leads to deformity. It is characterized by spontaneous remissions and unpredictable exacerbation.

The main aim of treating a Rheumatoid Arthritis patient is to arrest the progress of the disease and prevent onset of any abnormality. With persons in whom the deformity has already set in, the aim is to reduce pain and deformity.

AyurVAID Kalmatia’s treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis includes both internal medications and therapies, judiciously administered after assessing the patient’s individual clinical condition. Therapies like Lepa (anoints), Vasti (medicinal enema) and Dhāra (pouring of medicinal liquid in a particular fashion) are often employed. Significant pain reduction and improvement in a patient’s range of movements can be brought about by appropriate Ayurveda treatment. Even in conditions of deformity, extended treatment can assist the patient meaningfully.

The nature of the disease necessitates long run treatment protocol with continuous internal medications regular therapies. The patient needs to be on naimittika rasayana (rejuvenation therapy specific to the disease) during the convalescence also.

Gout

Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected (~50% of cases). Other joints, such as the heels, knees, wrists and fingers, may also be affected. It may also present as tophi (collections of uric acid crystals), kidney stones, or urate nephropathy.

It is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood which crystallize and are deposited in joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. Gout was historically known as “the disease of kings” or “rich man’s disease”.

Hyperuricemia is the underlying cause of gout. This can occur for a number of reasons, including diet, genetic predisposition, or under excretion of urate (the salts of uric acid).
Dietary causes account for about 12% of gout, and include a strong association with the consumption of alcohol, fructose-sweetened drinks, meat, and seafood. Other triggers include physical trauma and surgery.

Signs & Symptoms of GOUT

It is more common in males, postmenopausal women, and people who drink alcohol.

Symptoms of acute gouty attacks:

Symptoms develop suddenly and usually involve only one or a few joints. The big toe, knee, or ankle joints are most often affected. The pain frequently starts during the night and is often described as throbbing, crushing, or excruciating. The joint appears warm and red. It is usually very tender (it hurts to lay a sheet or blanket over it).

There may be a fever. The attack may go away in several days, but may return from time to time. Additional attacks usually last longer.

After a first gouty attack, people will have no symptoms. Some people will go months or even years between gouty attacks. Some people may develop chronic gouty arthritis, but others may have no further attacks. Those with chronic arthritis develop joint deformities and loss of motion in the joints. They will have joint pain and other symptoms most of the time. Tophi are lumps below the skin around joints or in other places. They may drain chalky material. Tophi usually develop only after a patient has had the disease for many years. After one gouty attack, more than half of people will have another attack.

Ayurveda Approach for Gout

Nidhana & Samprapthi

Excessive intake of food items that are salty, spicy, bitter, oily and hot in potency, incompatible food, anger, day sleep, night arousal causes the vitiation of both vata and raktha; then lodges in small joints causing vataraktha. If affecting skin & muscle layer, it is called as uttanavataraktha and if affecting the joints, it is gambhiravataraktha.

AyurVAID Kalmatia Management

Treatment Principle includes NidhanaParivarchana, internal & external treatment – Snehana, Swedhana, Mrduvirechana, Vasti karma, Rakthamokshana (in balavanrogi)

The outcomes noticed include: Reduced uric acid levels in blood & urine; marked reduction in pain – tracked in pain scale; visible reduction in swelling, redness; and increase in range of movements.

Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, also known as Frozen Shoulder, a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint, is very common with more than 10 million cases registered per year in India.

The Condition: Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made up of three bones: your upper arm bone (humerus), your shoulder blade (scapula), and your collarbone (clavicle). The head of the upper arm bone fits into a shallow socket in your shoulder blade. Strong connective tissue, called the shoulder capsule, surrounds the joint. To help your shoulder move more easily, synovial fluid lubricates the shoulder capsule and the joint.In Frozen Shoulder, the shoulder capsule thickens and becomes tight. Stiff bands of tissue — called adhesions — develop. In many cases, there is less synovial fluid in the joint.

The hallmark sign of this condition is being unable to move your shoulder – either on your own or with the help of someone else. It is a painful and disabling disorder of unclear cause in which the shoulder capsule, the connective tissue surrounding the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder, becomes inflamed and stiff, greatly restricting motion and causing chronic pain. Pain is usually constant, worse at night, and with cold weather. Certain movements or bumps can provoke episodes of tremendous pain and cramping. The condition is thought to be caused by injury or trauma to the area and may have an autoimmune component.

The condition occurs more commonly in people with diabetes and in people who’ve kept their arm immobilized for a long period of time.Risk factors for frozen shoulder also include tonic seizures, diabetes mellitus, stroke, accidents, lung disease, connective tissue diseases, thyroid disease, and heart disease.

People experience pain in the shoulder, decreased range of motion of shoulder or muscle spasms and joint stiffness. People also suffer from sleep deprivation for prolonged periods due to pain that gets worse when lying still and restricted movement/positions. The condition can lead to depression, problems in the neck and back, and severe weight loss due to long-term lack of deep sleep, and may have extreme difficulty concentrating,

Frozen shoulder occurs in about 2% of the general population. The worst affected are those in the age group of 41 to 60 years and those above 60, .and occurs in women more often than men.

At AyurVAID Kalmatia, the condition is treated with a combination of internal medicines (Oushadam) and external local measures (Sthanika Chikitsa). The internal medicines strengthen the Nervous System and muscles along with anti – inflammatory and analgesic actions with no side effects. The Sthanika Chiktsa relieves myo-facial spasm; strengthens muscles; arrests progression and helps rejuvenation by increasing circulation; and restore back mobility.

Muscular Dystrophy

The muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of more than 30 genetic diseases characterized by progressive skeletal weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissues. MD hamper locomotion, walking or moving. Some forms of MD are seen in infancy or childhood, while others may not appear until middle age or later. The disorders differ in terms of the distribution and extent of muscle weakness (some forms of MD also affect cardiac muscle).

The dictionary meaning of Dystrophy is “A degenerative disorder caused by inadequate or defective nutrition” so muscular dystrophy is a health problem which involves progressive degeneration of the muscular tissue.

Duchenne MD is a form of MD and primarily affects boys. It is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein involved in maintaining the integrity of muscle. The condition sets in between 3 and 5 years and the progression of the disorder is rapid. By the age of 12, most boys are unable to walk, and later take recourse to a respirator to breathe. Girls in such families have a 50 percent chance of inheriting and passing the defective gene to their children. Boys with Becker MD (very similar to but less severe than Duchenne MD) have faulty or not enough dystrophin.

Facioscapulohumeral MD sets in during the teenage years, causing progressive weakness in muscles of the face, arms, legs, and around the shoulders and chest. It progresses slowly and the symptoms vary from mild to disabling.Myotonic MD is the disorder’s most common adult form and causes prolonged muscle spasms, cataracts, cardiac abnormalities, and endocrine disturbances.There is no specific treatment to stop or reverse any form of MD (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, USA) in modern medicine.

As of 2016, there is no specific treatment or cure for muscular dystrophy. However, physiotherapy, aerobic exercise, low intensity catabolic steroids such as prednisone, and deflazacort (for which the U.S. FDA has designated fast track status in January 2016 to conduct clinical trials) can help to maintain muscle tone.(Wikipedia).

MD & Ayurveda

Ayurveda concept about human body involve concept of Dosha- Dhatu and Mala. When we talk about Muscular Dystrophy; the involved Dosha is the aggravation of the Vata Dosha which is resulting in loss of Mansa Dhatu (Muscular tissue). So Ayurvedic management of Muscular Dystrophy will involve ensuring proper nutrition to the muscle tissue and to correct the fire component related with the Muscular tissue of the body.

Ayurveda describes MD as Mamsa-Vata-Kshaya related to Beejadosha and impairments of Mamsagni (muscle enzyme). It involves deranged Vata, causing degeneration of muscles and structures related to it.

At AyurVAID Kalmatia, our Ayurvedic drugs coupled with specific Panchakarma rejuvenation therapies are well known for their effect to delay / slow or reverse the progressive muscular degeneration and boost mamsagni at muscle tissue level. It balances the Vata derangement due to ama and thus retards the muscular degeneration due to ama (fat deposition).

For Customized Packages, email us at: kalmatia@ayurvaid.com