BONE PAIN
Ayurvedic treatment for Bone Pain is safe and effective. Bone pain is included under musculoskeletal diseases. In musculoskeletal diseases, pain is associated with bone, muscle, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. Bone pain is more intense than other aches.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of Bone Pain
- Pain varies from a dull constant ache to a sudden sharp feeling.
- Bone pain also manifested in and around the joints.
- Pain may radiate towards the muscles.
- Pain aggravated during body movement.
CAUSES of Bone Pain
- Mechanical
- Inflammatory
- Injuries
- Cancer and metastasis
- Osteoporosis
- Osteomyelitis
- Fractures
- Degenerative diseases
- Mineral deficiency
- Leukaemia
- Deficiency of vitamin D
- Infections
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY of Bone Pain
- Stimulation of specialized pain-sensitive nerve fibres (nociceptors) that innervate bone tissue leads to the sensation of bone pain.
- Bone pain originates from both the periosteum and the bone marrow which relay nociceptivesignals to the brain creating the sensation of pain. Bone tissue is innervated by both myelinated (A beta and A delta fiber) and unmyelinated (C fibre) sensory neurons.
- In combination, they can provide an initial burst of pain, initiated by the faster-myelinated fibres, followed by a slower and longer-lasting dull pain initiated by unmyelinated fibres.
- Nociceptors responsible for bone pain can be activated via several mechanisms including deterioration of surrounding tissue, bone destruction and physical stress which shears the bone, vascular, muscle, and nervous tissue.
DIAGNOSIS of Bone Pain
- EXAMINATIONS of Bone Pain
- Inspection
- Palpation
- Movements – Flexion, Extension, forward bending, Lateral bending (in the case of joints)
- INVESTIGATIONS of Bone Pain
- X – rays
- MRI
- CT Scan
- Laboratory tests – to find out the underlying pathology
TREATMENTS of Bone Pain
- Physiotherapy and pain relievers can help. A few cases may require surgery.
- Medications – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Analgesic and Narcotic.
- In the case of nutrient deficiency, calcium and vitamin D supply.
- Radiotherapy
PROGNOSIS of Bone Pain
- Prognosis is based on the cause of the bone pain, duration and condition of the patient
COMPLICATIONS of Bone Pain
- Permanent damage of bone tissue
- Unable to do any movement
- Metastasis may spread to other areas
BONE PAIN AND AYURVEDA
- In Ayurveda, bone pain falls under Vatavyadhi or a Vata dosha imbalance disorder.
- Vata dosha and asthi dhatu are involved.
- Vata vyadhi can be correlated to neurological or neuromuscular disorders. The causes and pathogenesis of diseases caused by vitiation of Vata dosha, in general, are the exclusive cause and pathogenesis ofbone pain.
- Bone diseases in Ayurveda coming under the heading asthi roga.
NIDANA- Ayurvedic CAUSES of Bone Pain
- Excess consumption of unctuous, cold food
- Excessive physical exercise.
- Suppression of natural urges.
- Trauma
- Injuries
- Bhagna – bone fracture
- Asthi vidradhi – abscesses of bone and bone marrow
- Asthi dhatu kashaya
PURVAROOPAM- Ayurvedic PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS of Bone Pain
- Dull intermittent pain in the bones and joints on movement.
SAMPRAPTHI – MATURATION of Bone Pain
- Vata, pitta and kapha dosha move through all channels of circulation. Due to the subtle nature of vata it impels the remaining two doshas.
- The aggravated vata having provoked these two doshas, exacerbated and fills up the empty channels and moves greatly inside them or by getting enveloped by the other doshas.
- The aggravated vata resides in the bones and joints and produces different kinds of aches and pains.
LAKSHANA Ayurvedic SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS of Bone Pain
- Asthi toda – Dull ache to sharp pricking pain
- Stiffness of joints
- Unable to bend forward when it associated with the spine.
- Pain aggravates on movement
Ayurvedic PROGNOSIS of Bone Pain
- Bone pain associated with traumatic injuries is difficult to cure – krichra sadhya
CHIKITSA- Ayurvedic TREATMENT for Bone Pain
LOCAL Ayurvedic Treatment for Bone Pain
- Svedam – local fomentation
- Pain-relieving lepa application
SAMANA Ayurvedic Treatment for Bone Pain
- Dasamoola kasaya
- Gandha tailam along with milk
- Asthi samhara churna ( chakradatta)
- Laksha guggulu
- Rasnaerandadi kashaya
- Rasnasapthakam Kashaya
- Dhanwantharam Kashayam
- Mahayogaraja guggulu
- Balarishtam
- Dhanwantharishtam
- Kaisore Guggulu
- Vatagajankush Ras
- Mahavatvidhwamas Ras
- Yogendra Ras
SHODHANA
- VASTHI- Erandamooladi yapana vasthi
- SNEHAVIRECHANAM-Eranda tailam
- NASYA-Ksheerabala
COMMONLY USED MEDICINES
Internal administration
- Dasamoola kasaya
- Gandha tailam
- rasnaerandadi kasaya
- rasnasapthakam kasaya
- laksha guggulu
- Dhanwantharam Kashayam
- Mahayogaraja guggulu
- Balarishtam
- Dhanwantharishtam
- Kaisore Guggulu
- Vatagajankush Ras
- Mahavatvidhwamas Ras
- Yogendra Ras
External application
- murivenna – Bone pain associated with injuries
- kottamchukkadi tailam – degenerative joint pain
- Karpasasthyadi Tailam- Chronic degenerative pain
- Gandha Tail- Severe traumatic pain
HOME REMEDIES
- Heat application on the affected area by a towel dipped with hot water
- Massage the painful area for 15 minutes ( NOT too much pressure )
- Fomentation with water boiled with herbs like Moringa, Nirgundi, Sahachara, etc.
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR
- Avoid food items which produce vata dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because vata imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
- Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
- Avoid heavy exercises which further aggravate the conditions.
- Oil massage on body advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
- Take proper rest in the case of fracture.
YOGA
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – calms the mind and gets relief from aches and pains
The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.
RESEARCH PAPERS
- Ayurveda in Treatment of Bone Disorders in Human: A Review
- Avascular necrosis of Femoral head post corticosteroid therapy: A Case Study
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/266975243.pdf
Keywords: Bone pain, asthi roga, Ayurveda