Ayurvedic Treatment For Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Abstract
Childhood is one of the second main phases for human development mainly starting from the age of one till you hit adolescence (12 to 13 years). It is the phase where they can have all the fun and it’s the age where they learn to grow both physically as well as mentally. But nowadays there are chances that they might develop arthritis and this makes their life miserable. This type of joint pain in children is known as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and can be seen in children below the age of 16. Almost 0.07 to4.1percent of the children are commonly suffering from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis from all over the world. In this article we are going to discuss this in detail along with its Ayurvedic remedy.
What is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?
Just like adults there are chances that children might also develop arthritis. They are mostly seen in girls as compared to boys and this causes inflammation, pain as well as stiffness of the joints. It might also show some symptoms like rashes as well as fever. The main cause of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis is not known yet but it mainly occurs when the immune system starts attack its own cells. There are different types of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis including:-
1. Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Rheumatoid Factor Negative
It is one of the common types to be seen in children and can be seen in more than one joint. In this type the children are very commonly seen with symptoms like chronicuveitis. It is important to note that tests for rheumatoid factor are negative in these patients.
2. Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Rheumatoid Factor Positive
Children with this type of juvenile arthritis are affecting more than five joints. The rheumatoid factors in these cases are ruled out as positive and mainly occur in teenage girls.
3. Oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
It is a common but mild form which only affects a few joints and is considered chronic if it lasts for more than 6 months. It is mostly seen in knees as well as ankles along with that inflammation of eyes can also be seen.
4. Psoriatic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
In this type the children have a skin condition called Psoriasis where swelling of joints is very commonly seen. The symptoms of skin are seen first but sometimes the stiffness of joints can be seen earlier and psoriasis occurs years later. Other common signs that can be seen are swollen toes or fingers.
5. Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
This is a condition which affects the whole body and initially starts with a rash or fever. It could last for more than 2 weeks and are seen with symptoms like inflammation of the joint. If the disease becomes severe then inflammation can be seen around the organs like liver, lymph nodes, spleen etc.
6. Enthesitis-Related Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
This includes both enthesitis as well as arthritis basically enthesitis is swelling of the tendon connecting the joints. The most commonly seen sites of enthesitis are heels, bottoms of feet or knees whereas arthritis is seen in the knees, ankles or hips. There could also be few episodes of acute uveitis.
What are the signs or symptoms of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?
The symptoms of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis differ from patient to patient depending on the type. But commonly seen clinical features are pain in joints, inflammation, stiffness and warmth. The clinical features are worse especially during the day and making the movement of joints restricted. One of the common signs seen during the early stages could be limping of one or both the legs.
The symptoms might also flare up and other inflammation related to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis could be:-
Uveitis:- It is an inflammation of the eyes especially seen in the middle part and is very common in JIA. It is usually seen after a few years of diagnosis. The types of Uveitis may differ in patients depending on the type of JIA:-
- Oligoarticular JIA: It could be seen during the early ages of the disease where chronic uveitis can show mild or no symptoms.
- Enthesitis-related JIA:- Children with the type of psoriatic JIA could be seen with the episodes of acute uveitis causing sudden pain in eyes along with redness or sensitivity.
If it is not treated properly then this might further lead to cataracts or glaucoma and in some cases even vision.
Changes in Skin:- Some patients of JIA might also develop changes in skin and this includes:-
- Psoriatic JIA which causes red scaly patches along with swollen toes or fingers.
- Systemic JIA might lead to fever along with red or pink light colored patches which might come or go.
- Polyarticular JIA with rheumatoid factor can cause formation of nodules or bumps on the body.
Complications in Growth:- It is important to note that children with any type of JIA causes problems while growing up. The severity depends on the type of joint involved in the disease but the bones present near the inflamed joint might swell slowly or quickly. This might cause the involved arm or leg to grow much longer than the other.
Fever:- Patients who have JIA commonly have fevers which might flare up at the beginning of the disease. The fever is commonly seen during the evening along with rashes which might move from one part to the other part of the body.
What are the Causes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis is caused when the immune system instead of protecting starts to attack the healthy tissues as well as cells. This then results in inflammation, swelling, stiffness, pain and many more. Inflammation caused by the JIA results in damage to the eyes, joints and also affects other organs.
Scientists are still figuring out the reason behind the immune system attacking the healthy tissue. It is believed that it includes the involvement of genes as well as environmental factors. This overreaction of the JIA is not known but scientists have identified the molecules that are involved in causing inflammation. Some of the main molecules are TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1 which are involved in causing swelling of the joints.
How Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Can be Diagnosed?
Here are some of the Blood tests that can help in diagnosing the disease including:-
- C-Reactive protein:- This test basically helps in measuring the levels of general inflammation all over the body.
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate:- It is the rate at which the red blood cells start to settle at the bottom of the tube. If the ESR levels are high then they might indicate involvement of inflammation in the body.
- Articular antibody:- These antibodies are basically proteins which are produced by our immune system when there is involvement of certain types of autoimmune disease.
- Rheumatoid factor:- It is the antibody which is commonly found in children suffering from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. The levels of Rheumatoid factor indicate if the patient is suffering from arthritis or not.
Imaging Test
MRI or X-Rays which will help in ruling out if the pain is caused due to the factor, infections or tumor or not.
Herbal Remedies For Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Provided By Planet Ayurveda
Planet Ayurveda provides a combination of herbal medicines not only in India but also other parts of the world. Each and every remedy is made from natural herbs that are free from chemicals, preservatives as well as additives. All of the medicines are made under the supervision of an MD Ayurvedic Doctor making it safe to use and free from side-effects. Here are the list of Herbal Medicine which will naturally help in treating JIA including:-
- Arvindasava
- Energo Plan Syrup
- Boswellia Curcumin
- Coral Calcium Complex
- Aamvatantak Churna
Product Description
1. Arvindasava
It is made from the combination of herbs like Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Amalaki (Emblica offincinalis), Pit papara (Fumaria parviflora) etc. It is packed with anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antioxidant, antispasmodic properties making it perfect for Children with Juvenile Arthritis. Along with that it helps in increasing immunity and making people more active.
Dosage: Two teaspoonfuls twice daily with water after meals.
2. Energo Plan Syrup
As the name indicates it is helpful in increasing energy and improving the movement of the body. It is made from all the herbs like Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Pippali (Piper longum), Guggul (Commiphora mukul) etc. It helps in relaxing the joints and naturally reducing the pain as well as inflammation in the affected part.
Dosage: Two teaspoonfuls after meals with water twice daily.
3. Aamvatantak Churna
This includes the herbs like Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Suranjaan (Colchicum autumnale), Methi (Trigonella foenum graecum), Sonth (Zingiber officinale) ertc. It is effective in providing strength to muscles as it is packed with muscle relaxing properties. It is one of the best nerve tonics which helps in increasing stamina naturally and improving the symptoms.
Dosage: Half teaspoonful after meals twice daily.
4. Boswellia Curcumin
This herbal medicine is made from two herbs known as Shallaki (Boswellia serrata) and Curcumin (Curcuma longa). Both being packed with anti-inflammatory properties helps in reducing any kind of swelling from joints. This makes it perfect for patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis as it also helps in treating symptoms like stiffness and pain as well.
Dosage: One capsule after meals with water twice daily.
5. Coral Calcium Complex
It is best known for improving bone density and increasing strength as well. It is very effective in all kinds of bone disorders and is made from herbal minerals like Praval Pishti, Akik Pishti, Mukta Pishti, Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) etc.The minerals involved in it help in increasing metabolism and naturally making the bones stronger.
Dosage: One capsule with water twice daily after meals.
Home Remedies for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Here are some of the remedies or lifestyle changes that can help in reducing the effect of JIA and this includes:-
- Eating Healthy:- There are children who have poor eating habits which may lead to excessive weight making the movement difficult. It is important to maintain a proper healthy diet in order to maintain good body weight. It is important for them to include foods with an adequate amount of calcium in the diet which will reduce the risk of making the bones weak.
- Exercising Regularly:- It is important to exercise in order to promote good muscle as well joint health and increase flexibility. One of the great exercises that can be done is swimming which will also reduce the stress on joints.
- Applying Heat or Cold:- Stiffness is very commonly seen in patients, especially in the morning. In that case you can apply ice or hot pad on the affected joint depending on their suitability. In most cases the children prefer to be applied with a hot pack.
Conclusion
Childhood is the time where you develop both mentally as well as physically and it’s the time to have all the fun. But it’s unfortunate to have Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at such a young age which will disturb them from growing happily. So, the above mentioned herbal medicine will not only help in treating the symptoms but also the root cause of disease and making the children happy as well as healthy again.
