What Is the Treatment for Osteoarthritis?

There are approximately 2.2 million Australians that suffer from osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the hands, spine, and joints. It is also the most common condition leading to hip and knee replacement surgery in Australia.

But what is the treatment for osteoarthritis? And is surgery the only option?

While surgery can alleviate the pain associated with osteoarthritis, it is only done in severe cases and can be costly, especially for those who don’t have private health insurance.

The good news is that there are plenty of natural options for treating osteoarthritis.

Learn all you need to know here.

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as “wear and tear arthritis,” is the most common form of arthritis that affects joints. While it can affect any joint, the knees, hips, fingers, and big toe are the most common.

Over time, the bones in the joint rub together and cause inflammation, stiffness, and reduced movement.

It’s important to remember that osteoarthritis is not an inevitable ageing disease; some people may never develop it. Factors that may contribute to the onset of osteoarthritis include:

• Age
• Previous joint injury
• Overuse
• Obesity
• Musculoskeletal abnormalities
• Weak muscles
• Genetics
• Gender
• Environmental factors

As a chronic condition, there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis. However, several treatments help relieve the symptoms – many of them natural.

Osteoarthritis vs. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is most often confused with osteoarthritis because some people can have both. However, they are not always mutually exclusive. There is a clear distinction that differentiates the two conditions.

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become weak. The decrease in bone strength increases the risk of fractures. Meanwhile, osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that results in the inflammation and deterioration of joints.

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis symptoms tend to build over time rather than appear suddenly. They can usually be managed, although the damage cannot be reversed.

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• Joint pain and stiffness
• Clicking noises
• Loss of flexibility
• Grating sensation
• Tenderness

For most people with osteoarthritis, pain and stiffness are worse in the mornings and after periods of inactivity. As a progressive condition, osteoarthritis will get worse over time. However, the rate of its progression is often unpredictable.

What Is the Treatment for Osteoarthritis?

Treatments vary from lifestyle changes to traditional medicines and may work alone or in conjunction with one another. The following natural treatments are designed to be simple practices that can be incorporated into your daily routine.

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Given the moderate effectiveness of medication and the side effects of traditional medicine, many patients are turning to alternative therapies, including Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and is based on ancient writings that rely on a natural and holistic approach to healing. Osteoarthritis is considered a Vata disorder involving the pitta and Kapha doshas.

The Ayurveda goal of osteoarthritis treatment is to control the symptoms, prevent disease progression, and improve quality of life.

Ayurveda has many therapies to offer in the treatment of osteoarthritis, depending on the severity of the disease. These include Panchakarma (“five actions”), yoga, massage, and herbal medicine.

Your Ayurvedic practitioner may also recommend some additional lifestyle changes to increase the chances of recovery.

Abhyanga (Ayurvedic Massage)

Abhyanga is a type of Ayurvedic massage therapy done with dosha-specific warm oils. It involves massaging the entire body from head to toe. The warm oil is designed to promote overall health and well-being.

Benefits of Abhyanga:

• Calms the nerves
• Lubricates the joints
• Increases circulation
• Stimulates internal organs
• Promotes better flexibility
• Eliminates impurities from the body
• Promotes self-healing

Abhyanga is a form of self-massage and should be performed two to five times per week, depending on your dominant dosha.

Hot Herbal Pouch

Hot herbal pouch (or Kizhi) therapy is designed to heal with heat. Warm pouches are prepared from herbs to stimulate the blood flood in the body. The mixture of herbs depends on your imbalance and level of pain.

Benefits of hot herbal pouches:

• Increase energy flow
• Improve circulation
• Relax muscles
• Stimulate nerves
• Relieve muscular pain, tension, and aches
• Address chronic problems
• Reduce inflammation

You may have hot herbal pouch therapy as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with massage therapy.

Swedana

Swedana is a form of therapy that involves inducing sweat to enable detoxification. It involves sitting inside a closed steam chamber with a small opening for your head. As the herbal steam releases into the chamber, so do your toxins.

Benefits of Swedana:

• Improves metabolism
• Eliminates toxins
• Increases joint mobility
• Softens the skin
• Reduces stress and fatigue
• Improves varicose veins
• Reduces numb and stiff joints

Swedana is often used as a pre-procedure for Panchakarma.

Panchakarma

Panchakarma is one of five Ayurvedic treatments effective as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with massage therapy.

The three stages involved in Panchakarma are:

1. Poorvakarma (pre-treatment)
2. Pradhanakarma (main treatment)
3. Paschatkarma (post-treatment)

Benefits of Panchakarma:

• Purifies the body
• Rids toxins
• Speeds up metabolism
• Reduces weight
• Enhances the digestive system
• It opens up blocked channels
• Relaxes the mind and body
• Rejuvenates tissue
• Rebuilds muscles and strength

Panchakarma aims to correct an imbalance of the doshas and restore equilibrium.

Diet for Osteoarthritis

Many people with osteoarthritis find that making dietary changes can help with reducing pain, stiffness and swelling. While certain foods won’t cure the condition, they can improve your symptoms.

Try to include the following foods in your diet to fight inflammation:

• Oily fish
• Oils
• Dairy
• Dark leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Green tea
• Garlic
• Nuts

While foods with anti-inflammatory properties may reduce symptoms, others can worsen them. The types of food to avoid include:

• Sugar
• Saturated fat
• Refined carbohydrates

Eating a diet rich in plants, fibre, and anti-inflammatory fats can help people with osteoarthritis reduce pain and maintain a healthy weight.

Ayurvedic Osteoarthritis Treatment 

In this article, we answered, “what is the treatment for osteoarthritis?”

If you have been recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis or are looking for natural treatments, Ayurveda is a great place to start.

At Ayurherbs, we can help discover your body type, determine the imbalance, and curate a custom treatment plan. We can prescribe Ayurveda herbs, advise lifestyle changes, suggest changes to diet, and recommend home remedies.

To learn more, schedule an Ayurveda consultation session today.

• September 9, 2024
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