Some Ayurvedic practitioners use Ayurveda to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which they call “amavata.” Ayurvedic treatment can include supplements, dietary changes, and exercise.

This article will review Ayurvedic treatment for RA, including the basic principles and whether research supports its use.

The term “Ayurveda” is a combination of two Sanskrit terms “ayu” (life) and “veda” (knowledge). Practitioners work to balance the three energy forces, or “doshas,” of life: “vata,” “pitta,” and “kapha.”

Ayurvedic treatments for RA depend on which diagnostic guidelines the practitioner uses.

For example, those who practice from the guidelines “Madhava Nidana” believe that imbalances in the gut and inflammatory compounds cause RA.

On the other hand, practitioners from the “Ashtanga Hridaya” school of thought believe that RA is the result of poor dietary and lifestyle habits that cause inflammation in the body.

Both approaches use herbs, supplements, dietary changes, and exercise to help relieve RA symptoms.

Some of the herbs that Ayurvedic practitioners often use to treat RA include:

• ● Boswellia serrata (Indian frankincense)
• ● garlic
• ● ginger
• ● Ricinus communis (castor oil)
• ● ashwagandha