Abstract

EFFECT OF VALUKA SWEDANA AND VAITARANA BASTI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AMAVATA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A CASE REPORT

*Vd. Samin A. R. Shaikh and Vd. Sunil A. Bhaskare (M.D., Ph.D.)

Abstract

Amavata is one of the common and most crippling disorder of joints. It is a chronic, degenerative disease of the connective tissue mainly involving the joints. Ama associated with aggravated Vata plays dominant role in the pathogenesis of Amavata. The clinical features of Amavata such a as pain, swelling, stiffness of joints, fever and general debility closely resembles the rheumatological disorder called as Rheumatoid Arthritis. Prevalence of RA is approximately 1% worldwide and seen more in developing countries. Modern medicine advises NSAID'S, anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs for the management of RA, which has limitations for long term uses and sometimes having severe side effects. A 53 year old male patient was diagnosed with Amavata / RA and was treated with the classical treatment advised by AcharyaYogaratnakar i.e Langhana, Valuka Swedana, Deepana, Amapachana, Shodhana, Shamana and Basti Chikitsa for 15 days. Acharya Chakradatta has indicated Vaitarana basti in Amavata as it brings Doshas from shakha to koshtha and removes them out of the body via Gudamarg (Anus) and gives relief. The clinical assessment was made on the basis of relief in the symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness of joints. Thus this study emphasizes that Amavata / RA can be controlled effectively using the guidelines mentioned by Ayurveda.

Keywords: Amavata, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Valuka Swedana, Vaitarana basti.