AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH FOR MANAGEMENT OF ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS – A CASE STUDY

Dr. Fulzele S.*, Dr. Kanani V., Dr. Upadhyay S. and Dr. Patond P.

ABSTRACT

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease with various skeletal and extra skeletal manifestations which belongs to a group of rheumatic diseases known as the spondylo arthropathies (SpA), which show a strong association with the genetic marker HLA-B27. usually begins in the second or third decade of life with a male to female ratio of 3:1. The prevalence rate of AS in India is 0.03%. The people suffering with AS carry the Ankylosing Spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that primarily involves the sacroiliac joints and the axial skeleton. There is also a variable involvement of peripheral joints and articular structures musculoskeletal pain, stiffness and immobility of spine due to AS is a major burden. From the Ayurvedic perspective, the disease can fall under Asthi majjagatavata, which may be effectively managed when intervention is started in its early stages. No satisfactory treatment is available in modern medicine for this disorder. Various Panchakarma procedures and Ayurvedic drugs have been proved useful for these manifestations. We present a case of AS, which was treated for 3month with a combination of Panchakarma procedures and Ayurvedic drugs. Ayurvedic treatments, in this case, were directed toward alleviating symptoms and to reduce severe disability. The patient was considered suffering from Asthimajjagata vata.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Asthimajjagat vata, Ankylosing Spondylitis, HLA B27.