Ayurvedic Ways to Heal Ulcerative Colitis Naturally

WHAT IS ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

• It is the type of bowel inflammatory disease which affects only the colon and rectum. Ulcerative colitis is a disease which causes inflammation and sores in the lining of the large intestine. It usually affects the lower section and the rectum, but it can affect the entire colon. The disease can affect the people of any age, but more diagnose before age of 30.

4 different Types of Ulcerative Colitis.

• Ulcerative proctitis
• Proctosigmoiditis
• Left sided colitis
• Pan ulcerative colitis.

ULCERATIVE PROCTITIS

• In this form of disease, bowel inflammation is limited to the rectum. It affects the small area (usually less than the six inches of the rectum).
• It tends to be a milder form of ulcerative colitis.
• It is associated with fewer complications.

PROCTOSIGMOIDITIS-

• Colitis affected the rectum and the sigmoid colon, to the lower segment of the colon located right to the rectum.
• Symptoms may associate with this are bloody diarrhea, cramps and a constant feeling of this need to pass stool, known as tenesmus.
• Moderate pain in the left side of the abdomen may occur as the symptoms of proctosigmoiditis.

LEFT-SIDED COLITIS-

• Continuous inflammation that begins in the rectum and extent so far as a bend in the colon found near the spleen which is called as splenic flexure.

PAN ULCERATIVE COLITIS

• It affects the entire colon. The symptoms may associate with this are diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, cramps and extensive weight loss. Serious complications may associated includes massive bleeding and acute dilation of the colon, which may lead to an opening in the bowel wall.
• More serious complications associated with this may require surgery.

AYURVEDIC VIEW OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS

• It is known as pittajgrahani in Ayurveda.
• It is the primarily a disease of pitta dosha, with varying degrees of vata involvement in some cases.
• The excessive consumption of pitta aggravating foods and lifestyle initially damages both mamsa dhatu (muscle tissue) and raka dhatu (blood tissue), leading to formation of ama that gets deposited between the villi in the intestine, forming a smooth coating that impairs the normal function and the immunity of intestines Vata dosha in the lower colon is also aggravated and in the early stages blocks the pitta and kapha channels which can cause inflammation, mucous accumulation and edema.
• In Ayurveda treatment of Ulcerative Colitis involves gently eliminating the ama, restoring healthy digestion and creating a bacterial friendly environment in the body.
• After the basic strength and immunity of the body is restored, the treatment focus on natural healing of the ulcers.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

• Abdominal pain
• Increased abdominal sounds
• Bloody stools
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Rectal pain
• Weight loss
• Malnutrition
• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Nausea and decreased appetite
• Skin problems
• Mouth sores
• Eye inflammation
• Mucous in stool.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

• The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown causes may include
• Immune system malfunctioning-when the immune system tries to fight off on the virus or micro-organism an abnormal immune response cause the immune system to attack the digestive tract too.
• Hereditary-People with a family history of ulcerative colitis may have high risk.
• Stress and improper diet-
• They don’t cause ulcerative colitis exactly, but they may aggravates the disease.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

• Age can be the risk factor of ulcerative colitis. It can occur before the age of 30 years.
• Race-If you are white, then the risk of ulcerative colitis is very high.
• That’s why it is more occurs in people of U.S, England and northern Europe is rarely seen in Asia and South America.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE COMPLICATION OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

• The chances of colon cancer may occur after eight or ten years of the ulcerative colitis
• Inflammation of joints (Arthritis)
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Anemia
• Erythema nodosum (painful red skin nodules)
• Sclerosing cholangitis
• Liver disorder (Liver cirrhosis)
• Jaundice (yellowing of skin)
• Inflammation of eyes (Uveitis).

Diagnosis of ulcerative colitis?

• Blood tests-The doctor may suggest blood tests for anemia, a condition in which there are not enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to tissue or check for signs of infections.
• Stool sample-White blood cells in stool can indicate ulcerative colitis.
• Colonoscopy-This exam allows to view the entire colon using a thin, flexible, lighted tube with an attached camera.
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy-The doctor uses slender, flexible, lighted tube to examine the rectum and sigmoid, the last portion of the colon.
• X-Ray-If the patients have severe symptoms, the doctor may use standard X-Ray of abdominal area to rule out the serious complications, such as perforated colon.
• CT scan-A CT scan of abdominal area shows the how much the colon in inflamed.

HERBAL TREATMENT FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS

ARJUNA CAPSULES

• Arjuna tree bark used for preparing capsules.
• It contains concentrated form of Arjun powder.
• It is rich in calcium, zinc, copper and magnesium also.
• It has anti-oxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It is useful to manage the symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, ulcers, bloody stools etc.
• A standardized extract of this herb is used to make Arjuna capsules.
• This is an effective remedy to heal the ulcerative colitis in a natural way

Dosage-2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

Vatsakadi Churna

• It consist of kutaj, bilva, saunf, dhania, nagarmotha, anar, choti elachi and jaiphal.
• All these herbs work in a synergistic manner and treat the ulcerative colitis.
• These herbs balance the imbalanced vatta and pitta doshas.
• These herbs useful in managing the symptoms like rectal bleeding, ulceration. Inflammation in the lining of the colon and abdominal cramps associated with ulcerative colitis.

Dosage-one teaspoonful twice daily with plain water after meals.

PITTA BALANCE

• It balances the vitiated pitta balance.
• It is useful in the treatment of ulcerative colitis in a natural way.
• It pacifies the pitta dosha which is the main cause of ulcerative colitis.
• Dosage-one capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

KUTAZGHANVATI

• It is prepared by using the extract of herb Kutaja (Holarrhena antidysenterica).
• It helps to treat chronic diarrhea in ulcerative colitis.
• It also burns the ama (toxins).
• Dosage-2 tablets twice daily with plain water after meals.