Like winter come, the elders in our house always fear about their mutual relationship pain and stiffness worsens with old age and cold temperatures aggravate joint pain. Pain and stiffness go hand in hand where stiffness is the difficulty in movement of a particular joint.
When a person has pain and stiffness without any obvious trauma, it could be due to a variety of medical conditions. Some common causes are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis and joint bursitis etc and these causes can be differentiated with the help of blood test, X-ray imaging, the nature of the pain, and observation of aggravating factors while the treatment for each varies accordingly. disease condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can be identified by the presence of Rh factor in the blood and symptoms of joint pain, swelling, inflammation, morning stiffness, etc. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder It is most common in the elderly with degenerative bone conditions and stiffness between joints.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Lakshmi Varma K, Consultant and Advisor at LYEF Wellness, explains: “A buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints due to improper excretion or increased production lead to gouty arthritis, symptoms include redness. , severe pain, swelling and stiffness. The synovial sac is a fluid-filled sac in between the bones that acts as a shock absorber and lubricant. This inflammation in turn causes pain and stiffness. Therefore, for proper treatment, it is necessary to identify the right cause of pain.”
Speaking of joint pain and stiffness in light of Ayurveda, she says, “All functions of the body are controlled by three functional entities known as doshas. Among them, the Vata dosha is responsible for the movements of the body and disrupts everything among other functions. So, with this dosha impaired, it causes movement difficulties, pain, degeneration and other musculoskeletal diseases. Diseases involving the musculoskeletal system with prominent pain and stiffness are grouped under the heading Vata vyadhi.
Since the properties of Vata include cold and dryness, Dr Lakshmi Varma K said: “As these properties increase during winter, the problems of Vata also increase. This is why the condition of such sufferers gets worse during the winter. Their joints may be stiff in the morning when they first wake up, at night when it’s colder, or even after doing some physical activity. This stiffness is often relieved with heat, especially in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.”
For osteoarthritis, she suggests: “Applying warm oil helps relieve symptoms. On the other hand, in the application of rheumatoid arthritis oil is not indicated. Here, a paste of hot drugs can be applied to the joint to relieve pain, swelling and stiffness. In the case of gouty arthritis and bursitis etc., medicines will be given inside to reduce inflammation and purify the blood.”
She emphasizes, “There are many Ayurvedic medicines used internally and externally that provide good results in joint disorders. During winter, also wear socks or gloves to keep your limbs warm and take a hot shower. Some common drugs used to treat vatavyadhis include Rasna, Bala, Kokilaksha, Eranda, Shunti, Nirgundi, Arka etc.
