Ayurvedic treatment for chikungunya
Chikungunya is a viral infection that is transmitted by infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito lies & lays eggs in stagnated water. A small bite from such a mosquito is sufficient for infection of chikungunya. Chikungunya mainly causes due to Virus CHIKV & CHIKF. Symptoms of chikungunya appear after 3 to 4days of infection. This fever is very similar to dengue fever & diagnosed on serological tests like ELISA for the detection of antibodies.
Common signs & Symptoms include-
- fever, nausea,
- vomiting, rashes,
- headache, fatigue, muscle pain
- Joint pain etc.
Common joints affected are
- Joints of hands, Wrist, and elbow,
- Ankle joints and to some extent hip joints are also affected.
There are many medicines in Ayurveda which are highly effective in controlling chikungunya. Ayurvedic treatment for chikungunya primarily aims at controlling the viral infection and reducing the symptoms.
Why joint pain is Chikungunya?
CHIKV RNA has strong love and affection for the synovial membrane (Covering membrane over our joints, which produces fluid to nurture and protect the joint and also facilitates the smooth movement) so a large number of viruses are accumulated on joints. They damage the synovial membrane of joints & cause the inflammatory reaction to the structure of joints & causes multiple tendinitis and tenosynovitis, plantar fasciitis, mechanical disbalance in susceptible joints, tunnel syndromes, edematous polyarthralgia, rheumatoid arthritis. So the joint becomes red, swollen & there is an inability to move joints. Fever etc. symptoms get controlled in 5 to 7 days but arthritis after chikungunya can last for 3 to 6 months.
What is Ayurveda management for Chikungunya?
Ayurveda already mentioned the Sannipatik war which is almost similar to chikungunya symptoms & treatment guidelines mentioned for this are very effective in controlling chikungunya arthritis. Ayurvedic medicines like shallaki, Guduchi, Rasna, Guggulu medicines are very much effective in controlling this arthritis.
- For instant relief from joint pain, do hot sand fomentation. Take sand on a pan & heat on the stove. Then cover hot sand in thick cloth and apply on affected joints, keep it moving to avoid overheat. This sand pottali svedana (fomentation) will decrease pain & stiffness of joint instantly. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes daily. Then you can apply ayurvedic oil to reduce inflammation & pain.
- 1teaspoonon turmeric + 1 cup cow milk boil them & then drink every evening. Turmeric is a proven drug that reduces IL6, IL17, and TNF-alpha, and other inflammatory particles, thereby efficiently reduce pain and swelling.
Read Also: Health Benefits Of Raw Garlic Eating On Empty Stomach
- Guduchi ( Tinospora cordifolia) powder Tea- Take 1 teaspoon of Guduchi powder in the vessel, then add 2 cups of water in it, allow it to boil on the gas stove. Turn off gas when the half cup of water remains. Filter this herbal tea by cloth & drink two times daily on empty stomach. Guduchi is the best immune modulator & gives strength to the joint structures, also reduces pain & swelling.
- There are other several effective and clinically tried herbs are available, like Shallaki, Rasna, Tinospora- Guduchi, Chirayata, Andrographis paniculate, Neem, Guggulu medicines, etc but they must be taken only after being evaluated by an expert Ayurveda Physician. Read more: Six Essential Nutrients Which Are Important For Your Body
