Sandhivata (Osteo arthritis) in women Written by Dr. Jayashree Nataraj, BAMS, MD (Ayur)

Sandhivata (Osteo arthritis) in women, An Ayurvedic perspective

Many women will celebrate their 80th birthday. This means women will spend at least one third of their life time after menopause. Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is thus defined as the time following one year of complete cessation of menstrual bleeding. The average age for menopause is 51.4 years.1

Knee problems occur in mid thirties and the risk increases with age and more commonly develops in women over 40 who are five times more likely to have this problem than men. OA is the most common and characteristic arthritis of the elderly. It is also the most common cause of disability amongst them. The prevalence of OA which is less than 1% below the age of 30 years, increases to 10-20% between 65-74 years of age and to 30% and above in those above 75 years of age.

Females are more commonly affected. In the Indian context, OA of knee and cervical and lumbar spine is most common. Dr Ashok Rajgopal, a well known knee replacement surgeon of India observed that most of the osteo-arthritis patients in India who seek knee replacement are in the advanced stage of the disease, with a high degree of deformity but treating such cases has its own research related advantage and the effect of the treatment is dramatic, which changes the complete lifestyle of the patient.

Here a question may be raised whether the numbers of cases requiring joint replacement can be reduced are not... certainly the incidences as well as the deformity may be minimised through the Ayurvedic line of treatment.

The aetiology and origin of osteoarthritis is not known to modern science but Ayurveda can infer the constitution of the individuals who are prone to this disease. And also the life style which can become a caused for the disease. In my practice more than 3 decades the study has shown that the women belonging to Vata prakrti are more prone to this Sandhivata. Secondly those who have totally sedentary life (Ayoga) and over doing (athiyoga).

Being too overly conscious about the weight and avoiding ghee or such beneficial fats in the diet, and consuming too much of katu spicy foods which are dry. Those who do house hold work with over exposure to cold water. And stand continuously for many hours, are the common victims for this sandhivata.

Women have an additional phase proudhavastha which starts with the slow changes in Arthavavaha srotas and ends up with Rajonivruththi ( Menopause). Normally active lady may have silent menopause without any suffering. But the awareness about the changes itself has become cause for many women to suffer during this phase of life.

As an young girl passes through the phase of puberty and adjusts to the change occurring in the body and various systems. The body also tries to adapt itself to the changing internal environment. Women slowly enters in to a phase predominated by Vata dosha. As per the interrelation ship of the doshas and dhatus Asthi dhatu (bone tissue) is the ashraya (abode) for Vata dosha.

As per the general rule whenever there is increase of the doshas the corresponding dhatus should also increase. But this rule is not applicable to the combination of Asthi and Vayu. Thus the aggravation of Vata always plays a major role in diminution of Asthi dhatu. Arthava (the menstrual blood and also the factor responsible for conception) is the by-product of the first Dhatu i.e. rasadhatu.

Vata increase or aggravation also caused depletion in rasa dhatu, the function of which is to nourish every cell in the body. These are important internal environmental changes, which become the cause for increased incidence of sandhivata (osteoarthritis) in women. If these contributing factors are taken care of both the prevention and remission of Sandhivata in women can be achieved.

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