Pains in the legs could be due to joint pains or due to muscle cramps. Joint pains are generally observed in arthritis, a condition which sets in as the person’s advances in age. In arthritis, the articulation of the bones gradually wears out over time, leading to pains whenever they function. This is called as Aama Vata in Ayurvedic language.

Muscle cramps usually affect the muscles of the leg. It is known as Khalli Vata in Ayurveda. There is a special term for the muscle cramps that affect only the calf muscles, and that is Pindikoveshtana. From an Ayurvedic point of view, almost all pains are caused due to vitiation of the vata dosha. Specifically in leg pains due to muscle cramps, the Vyana vata is vitiated. This is a sub-dosha of the vata which controls the involuntary muscles of the body.

Pains occur when there is an ama buildup in the body. Ama is the name given to the toxic materials caused due to improper digestion that cannot be expelled from the body. Such ama causes several problems, including leg pains. Ama is built up due to high agni, i.e. digestive fire, which is governed by the pitta dosha. Hence there is also a pitta relation with the leg pains.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Leg Pains

1. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

Clove oil is applied on the affected leg muscle as a poultice. It provides immediate relief from pains, especially if they are due to muscle cramps.

2. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger has wonderful painkilling properties. It must be included in the daily diet if muscular pains in the legs are a chronic problem.

3. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Licorice is very effective in relieving muscle aches. An infusion of its roots must be prepared in water and kept overnight. This helps in almost all kinds of muscle problems.

4. Madhuca (Madhuca indica)

Madhuca has positive effects on leg pains, especially if they are due to rheumatism. Its oil is applied locally over the affected regions.

5. Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Pepper helps in dilating the superficial blood vessels, thus helping in proper blood circulation. It also has analgesic properties and can be used as a liniment in muscular problems.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Leg Pains

Since improper digestion can cause leg pains, care must be taken not to eat anything that can cause digestive problems. Do not consume constipating foods; keep your diet simple. Consume plenty of green vegetables and leafy vegetables that contain fiber. Vitamin C obtained from amalaki, oranges and tomatoes is also good for digestion. After each meal, make it a habit to eat a plantain instead of some calorie-rich dessert like ice-cream. A plantain is a food that is extremely rich in minerals of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Hence it is extremely beneficial for proper metabolism within the leg region. Avoid coffee and chocolate if you have persistent leg pain problems.

The importance of adequate amount of fluids cannot be stressed enough. Dehydration is a leading cause of leg pains. Keep drinking one glass of water every waking hour to prevent dehydratiom.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Leg Pains

There are good oils in Ayurveda that are used for external application over the affected legs. If the muscle pains have occurred suddenly, then most likely they are cramps. In such cases, Mahanarayana tailam or Praharini tailam are applied to get relief. Warming the oils a bit and then applying has better effects.

For internal administration, Sinhanaada Guggulu is prescribed. This drug is also a mild laxative. So it will also correct whatever digestive problems may be there with the system. Other commonly prescribed medicines are Laxmivilasa rasa and Pratapa Lankeshwara rasa.

(4) Home Remedies for Leg Pains

1 If you have regular complains of pains in the legs, then there are some simple exercises you can do in order to get relief from them. Some of them are described:-

a) Lie on your back on a firm bed. Wear some loose clothing over the legs, such as shorts or pajamas. Raise your legs gradually in the air, as far as they can go. The heels should point skywards. Hold the legs in this stretched position for about ten seconds and then bring them down again. Do this five times per session, and repeat the exercise thrice a day.

b) Alternatively you can stand facing a wall at an arm’s length distance from it. Stretch out your arms and touch the wall with your open palms. Then slowly pull yourself forward (towards the wall). Feel the stretching pressure building up in your legs. Hold yourself in this stretched position for about ten seconds and then let go. Do this five times per session, and repeat the exercise thrice a day.

c) Even Yoga has several leg stretching exercises that can be used with great positive effects. These exercises are Uttanpadasana, Janusandhi and Gomukhasana.

2 If the cramps occur when performing an exercise workout or some physical activity, then have a glass of lemon water with a pinch of salt in it.

3 If you have leg pains in the joints due to arthritis, then crush two to three cloves of garlic and add them to a glass of diluted milk. Boil it to quarter its amount and drink it just before bedtime.

4 Applying a hot pack or fomenting the leg with steam helps to improve circulation in the leg and eases the pain. Even applying cold packs helps. This will reduce the blood flow into the leg region and help the muscle to relax.

5 Put one part of camphor in twenty parts of mustard oil. Keep this in the sun till the time the camphor properly dissolves in the oil. Use this oil to massage the leg on a daily basis.

6 If you get a sudden sprain in the leg, then prepare a paste of turmeric with lime and salt and apply it on the affected part.

By: Tom alter

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According to Ayurveda, the mother of natural medicine, Rheumatic fever occurs when the body is filled with rheuma, a form of ama( toxin), which is accompanied by pain in the joints and fever. It is classified under Rheumatic diseases.

When agni or jathar-agni (digestive fire) is disturbed due to various reasons, it results in toxins called ama which subsequently leads to indigestion, constipation etc., which are the root cause of all the body disorders including Rheumatic fever.

Ayurvedic concept of Rheumatic fever can be explained as below.

Ama or toxins are the unmetabolised wastes that have a heavy and sticky quality and Vata is the functional principle of movement in the body. Ama (toxins) are being carried by vata into rasadhatu ( lymph). And the imbalanced agni (digestive fire) and pitta dosha irritates the blood thereby leading to a systematic inflammation and Rheumatic fever.

Ayurveda attributes the following factors to the disturbance of digestive fire/doshic imbalance which indirectly leads to Rheumatic fever.

1. Leading an improper lifestyle or consuming stale foods/cold foods/processed foods/fermented foods etc, which does not suit one’s body constituition.

2. Taking a lot of spicy/ fatty foods/incompatible foods like milk and fruits, fish and milk.

3. Either doing over exercises or not doing any exercises at all.

4. Obesity/genetics/hormonal disorders/irregular eating and sleeping patterns.

5. Malnutrition that occurs due to nutrient deficiency.

6. Mental worries that prolongs for a long time.

Rheumatic fever is named as Amavata in Ayurvedic classicals and main symptoms are fever and joint swelling. Intermittent fever with joint pains manifests throughout the episode. Intially ama will be sedimented in big joints which will affects all joints in due course.

Panchakarma means five therapeutic measures which are undergone for the purification of the body. The simple logic on which Ayurveda operates is that the body has to be purified before preparing it for treating it for the complex health problems.

The pre-purification measures of panchakarma are :

1.Snehana (abhyangam) – oil massage is done which helps the ama to move towards the gastro intestinal tract.

2. Swedana (sweating) – a process which liquefies the toxins and increases the movement of ama towards the gastro intestinal tract.

Next comes the main purification measures :

1. Vamana – It is a therapeutic vomiting which eliminates the kapha casuing the excess mucus.

2. Virechana – It is a purgation therapy. To treat the fever which is the result of the excess Pitta being secreted in the gall bladder, liver or small intestine.

3. Nasya – It is believed that nose is the doorway to our brain which in turn is the doorway to consiousness. In Nasya, the excess of bodily humors especially the ones that are found in throat area, are eliminated through administration of medication through the nose.

4. Basti – It is an enema therapy where the herbal concoctions of sesame iols and other herbal preparations in the form of liquid medium are introduced in to the rectum. Janubasti is also very effective in treating vata disorders which results in RA disorders.

Hence panchakarma treatment is found very effective in treating the rheumatic disorders and after undergoing it the person is then advised to lead a modified lifestyle, take proper diet and do yogic exercises that helps him in keeping himself at bay from RF disorders in future too.

Ayurveda advises light anti rheumatic diets, mild yogic exercises and medicines to improve the digestive fire. Ayurvedic panchkarma treatment to cleanse the body is also advised. Slow and steady progress will acheived by good ayurvedic treatment and a complete cure will be obtained in three years. A special type of Ayurvedic panchkarma treatment is practised in the state of Kerala in India which is very effective for Ama vata.

By: Rajesh Nair

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