Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints.This disease may also affect other parts of the body including skin ,eyes, lungs, heart, nerves and blood. This may result in a low red blood cell count, inflammation around the lungs, and inflammation around the heart.

Causes:

Cause of RA is not clear. It is believed to be combination of genetic and environmental factors. The underlying mechanisms involves the body’s immune system attacking the joint capsule. It also affects the underlying bone and cartilage.

Symptoms:

Sign and symptoms of RA may include;

• Tender, warm,swollen joints
• Joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings and after inactivity.
• Fatigue, fever and loss of appetite.
• Early RA tends to affects smaller joint first, particularly smaller joints of finger and toes.

  As the diseaseprogresses symptoms often spread to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders. In most cases, symptoms occur in the same joints on the both sides of the body.

Risk Factors:

• Sex- women are more likely than men to develop RA
• Age- may occur at any age, but commonly begins in middle age
• Smoking
• Environmental exposure: Such as asbestos or silica,etc.
• Obesity

Complications:

• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid nodules
• Dry eyes and mouth
• Infections
• Abnormal body composition
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Cardiac disease
• Lung disease
• Lymphoma

In Ayurveda:

RA and Amavata has an etiological and clinical relationship. Amavata is a disease complex of which RA is a part. Vitiated amadosha andVata by involving Koshta(GIT), trik(LS spine), Sandhi(joint) create pain in the joints, loss of appetite, indigestion, stiffness of joints, swelling in joints, weakness and heaviness in the chest(heart area)etc.This condition is known as Amavata.

Management:

4 to 6 weeks of admission in the hospital. Line of treatment is as follows:

• Educating the patient and patient’s family
• Strict diet
• Healthy life style
• Regular exercise
• Relaxation and meditation
• Life style modification
• Ayurveda Panchakarma therapy
• Internal Ayurveda medicines
• Physiotherapy and Yoga

What to expect after treatments:

1. Reduction in pain, swelling, stiffness and tenderness.
2. Improved flexibility of the joints.
3. Improved quality of life.
4. Reduction in dependence on modern allopathic medications.

Follow-up:

Usually, follow-up treatment is advised after a gap of 6 to 9 months, depending upon the condition of the individual patient.

Three consecutive In-patient treatment programs are advised.