Ayurvedic Treatment of Post Chikungunya arthritis
-Dr.Yogesh Chavan M.D.(Ayu. Kerala)
Chikungunya is a viral infection that is transmitted by infected aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito lies & lays eggs in stagnated water. Small bite from such a mosquito is sufficient for infection of chikungunya. Chikungunya mainly causes due to Virus CHIKV & CHIKF. Symptoms of chikungunya appears after 3 to 4days of infection. This fever is very similar to dengue fever & diagnosed on serological tests like ELISA for detection of antibodies.
Common signs & Symptoms of Chikungunya -
-fever, nausea,
-vomiting, rashes,
-headache, fatigue, muscle pain
- Joint pain etc.
Common joints affected are-
Joints of hands, Wrist and elbow,
Ankle joints and to some extent hip joints are also affected.
There are many medicines in ayurveda which are highly effective in controlling chikungunya. Ayurvedic treatment for chikungunya primarily aims at controlling the viral infection and reducing the symptoms.
Why joint pain in Chikungunya?
CHIKV RNA has strong love and affection for synovial membrane (Covering membrane over our joints, which produces fluid to nurture and protect the joint and also facilitates the smooth movement) so a large number of viruses are accumulated on joints. They damages synovial membrane of joints & cause inflammatory reaction to the structure of joints & causes multiple tendinitis and tenosynovitis, plantar fasciitis, mechanical disbalance in susceptible joints, tunnel syndromes, edematous poly arthralgia, rheumatoid arthritis. So joint becomes red, swollen & there is inability to move joints. Fever etc. symptoms get controlled in 5 to 7 days but arthritis after chikungunya can last for 3 to 6 months.
What is Ayurveda Treatment for Chikungunya?
Ayurveda already mentioned Sannipatik jwar which is almost similar to chikun gunya symptoms & treatment guidelines mentioned for this are very effective in controlling chikungunya arthritis. Ayurvedic medicines like shallaki, Guduchi, Rasna, Guggulu medicines are very much effective in controlling this arthritis.
1. For instant relief from joint pain, do hot sand fomentation. Take sand on a pan & heat on stove. Then cover hot sand in thick cloth and apply on affected joints, keep it moving to avoid over heat. This sand pottali swedana (fomentation) will decrease pain & stiffness of joint instantly. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes daily. Then you can apply ayurvedic oil to reduce inflammation & pain.
2. 1teaspoonon turmeric + 1 cup cow milk boil them & then drink every evening. Turmeric is proven drug which reduces IL6, IL17 and TNF-alpha, and other inflammatory particles, thereby efficiently reduces pain and swelling.
3. Guduchi ( tinospora cordifolia) powder Tea-
Take 1 tea spoon of Guduchi powder in vessel, then add 2 cup of water in it, allow it to boil on gas stove. Turn off gas when half cup of water remains. Filter this herbal tea by cloth & drink two times daily on empty stomach. Guduchi is best immune modulator & gives strength to the joint structures, also reduces pain & swelling.
4. There are other several effective and clinically tried herbs are available, like Shallaki, Rasna, Tinospora- guduchi, Chirayata, Andrographis panniculata, Neem, guggulu medicines etc. but they must be taken only after being evaluated by an expert Ayurveda Physician.
-Dr.Yogesh Chavan M.D.(Ayu. Kerala)