Panchakarma Therapy in Asthimajjagata Vata w.s.r. Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case Study

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is one of the well-known rheumatic diseases of spondyloarthropathies (SpA), generally associated with a genetic marker known as HLA-B27. AS presents with inflammatory back pain, pain, stiffness and reduced axial mobility or deformity. In the present case study, a female patient of 34 years age came with complaints like prushtha vinama (forward bending or kyphosis), difficulty in movement of hip joints, difficulty in walking and decreased walking velocity, pain on movement, morning stiffness from the past 14 years. The patient was diagnosed as asthimajjagata vata and was treated with vaitarana basti for one month with anuvasana (enema with tila taila and erand taila),  which was followed by  panchatikta kshira basti (PKB) for 14 days along with pizinchil (medicated hot oil pouring with sahachara taila). The assessment was done by ‘Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI)’ score before and after treatment. The patient has shown good improvement on BASDAI (80% relief).  Improvements were observed in signs and symptoms like pain in the hip, lumbar and neck region, and the intensity,  tenderness and the duration of morning stiffness. Panchakarma chikitsa like vaitarana basti, PKB, pizinchil showed significant results in the treatment of AS.