Arthritis is easily among the most common of the geriatric problems faced by people over the world today. It is characterized by mild to severe pains in the various joints of the bones, especially in the joints of the hands, legs and the back. Arthritic pains are felt more acutely in the fingers. It makes the joints swollen, and if not treated in time, the joints may become permanently deformed.

Ayurveda does not treat arthritic pains as superficial joint pains. The root cause of arthritis is the buildup of poisonous substances in the body due to faulty digestive processes. These substances that build up in the body are known collectively as ama. In order to treat the arthritis, the first step should be to remove the ama. Only then can other treatment approaches be applied.

Instead of living with arthritic pains and making life worse, you should make use of the several simple herbal remedies that Ayurveda has developed for the treatment of this condition.

Treatment with Simple Home Remedies

Remedy # 1

Take two to four tablespoonfuls of castor oil per day. This will help to flush out the toxins collected in the areas of the joints. Also have a cup of strong ginger tea each morning. This keeps the digestive system quite efficient and brings about a drastic reduction in the severity of joint pains.

Remedy # 2

Crush two to three cloves of garlic and add it to a glass of diluted milk. Boil this to one fourth of its original amount. Cool it down and drink it just before bedtime each night.

Remedy # 3

If you simply fast for one complete day, or stick to a liquid diet (not milk or its products), then it will also help in removing the toxins from the body. This will bring an immense relief to the arthritic pains. You can also go on a total banana diet. Eat about eight to ten bananas each day and nothing else; keep up this diet for three to four days. Bananas have all the important minerals bones need, including calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

Remedy # 4

In a cup of warm water, put two teaspoons of lemon juice and one teaspoon of honey. Have this twice a day. It will reduce the severity of arthritic pains.

Remedy # 5

Every morning when you wake up, have two cloves of garlic before even brushing your teeth. If you cannot tolerate the pungent taste of the clove, then you can roast them in castor oil till they are golden in color. Apart from reducing the arthritic pains, this is also a very effective remedy in treating cardiovascular problems, and it can actually keep heart attacks at bay.

Remedy # 6

Mix some turmeric powder in a cup of warm water. Dissolve it and then drink it when still a bit warm. This will reduce the severity of the arthritic pains.

Remedy # 7

Extract the juice of one raw potato. Drink this juice every morning on an empty stomach. This is believed to reduce the acute pains of arthritis.

Remedy # 8

Prepare a soup using one green leafy vegetable, carrots, celery and beetroots. Mix all these individual soups in equal proportions to make one bowl. Have this soup once daily. You will get all the necessary minerals required for the bones.

Remedy # 9

Warm some coconut oil and put a few pieces of camphor in it. Use this oil to massage on the aching joints. You will find tremendous and quick relief in the arthritic pains.

Remedy # 10

Prepare some alfalfa tea and drink it regularly. Twice a day is the best bet. Your arthritic pains will show reduction from day one.

Remedy # 11

Sandalwood is a good cooling herb to allay arthritic pains. Prepare a paste of sandalwood with minimum amount of water. Apply this paste thoroughly on the affected joints. You will find good relief in the acuteness of the pains.

Treatment with Special Ayurvedic Methods

Several herbs are made use of in the Ayurvedic treatment of arthritis. But the most important of them is certainly the guggul (Commiphora wightii, Mukul Myrrh Tree). Guggul is taken in the form of its combinations such as Yogaraja Guggulu and Mahayogaraja Guggulu. These preparations contain guggul with several other herbs and minerals in order to be effective in the treatment of arthritic pains. Triphala Guggulu is also very commonly prescribed. Triphala Guggulu is a very beneficial preparation which contains both the Triphala and the Guggulu components. In case the arthritic pains reach a peak limit, Simhanada Guggulu is prescribed.

If the arthritis is beginning to spread to the spinal column then guggul is no longer that effective. Hence another herb is introduced, with is the Brihadvata Chintamani. This is taken in the quantities of one-fourth gram thrice or four times a day, depending on how severe the pains are.