Rheumatic fever - Ayurvedic concept

Introduction :
Term Rheumatic refers to pain in muscles, bones or joints. In Rheumatic Fever, fever will be accompanied with swelling, pain in the joints especially small joints.

One saying is there that “Rheumatic fever licks the joints, Bites the heart and kicks the Brain”.

Ayurvedic View :
In Ayurveda Rheumatic Fever is considered to be Amavatha. It is a dreadful disease which will make patient completely Bed ridden if not treated properly.

 
Clinical Features:
Clinical features of Amavatha are pain all over the body (Joints) loss of taste, thirst, lack of enthusiasm, heaviness, fever, indigestion and swelling of the body parts (joints).

Pathogenesis:

Ama (indigested food) associated with Vatha moves quickly to the different seats of Kapha in the Body, filling them and the dhamanies (Blood vessels) with waste materials. There the bad end product of digestion associated with vatha, pitha and Kapha assuming different colours, blocks the tissue parts and the passage with thick waxy materials. It produces weakness and heaviness of the heart which becomes the seat of the disease.

Treatment:

Since the origin of disease is in stomach first line of treatment should be to strengthened the digestive system, so as to remove amadosha (indigested food). For that purpose patient has to take drugs which are appetizers and laxatives, externally patient has to undergo Choornakizhi (Procedure in which patient is made to lie on a wooden table and strokes are given with medicated bolus by 2 trained masseurs for certain period).

Once the patient gets proper digestion and motion patient should undergo Elakizhi, pizhichil etc for the recuperation and complete recovery.

From my personal experience treatment procedure mentioned above has been very effective for Rheumatic fever patients and recurrence is very less.

Do's and Don't for Rheumatic Fever patients :-

• Patient has to take complete bed rest
• Should not take heavy foods which are hard to digest
• Take only hot water
• Avoid exercise
• Avoid taking bath
• Take gruel and light food