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DETAILS & CAUSE-

The condition known as sandhi jwara in Sanskrit has the similar symptoms to chikungunya. Sandhi jwara literally means ‘pain in joints’ and this is one of the primary aspects of chikungunya. For this reason, chikungunya can be equated with sandhi jwara

Definition of Chikungunya (Sandhi Jwara)-

Chikungunya is a viral disease that is very similar in symptoms and etiology to the more popular disease, dengue fever. The virus responsible for chikungunya is alphavirus, which belongs to the togoviridae family. This virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. Only a specific type of mosquito is a vector, i.e. carrier for chikungunya. This is the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is active only in the daytime. The aedes aegypti mosquito is the same mosquito that is responsible for the transmission of dengue fever among humans. The condition of chikungunya is generally not fatal, and it can be remedied within five to seven days with proper treatment. The basic characteristic of the disease is a fever along with an arthritic-type of pain in the joints (which has given it its Sanskrit name).

Causes of Chikungunya (Sandhi Jwara)-

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted through the agency of mosquitoes. The responsible chikungunya virus is the alphavirus, which is carried by the aedes aegypti breed of mosquito. Hence, after malaria, filaria and dengue, chikungunya has become one more reason to exterminate mosquitoes.

The prime method of spread of chikungunya is through stagnated water. The aedes aegypti mosquito lays its eggs only in stagnated water. This explains why there is a widespread outbreak of chikungunya in India currently, which has just recovered from heavy floods in July-August.

Ayurveda treats chikungunya as a vata dosha disorder. Vata is the air element of our body, which is represented by the air that we breathe; the dissolved gases in our blood, etc. A healthy person has a proper balance of the vata dosha with the other two doshas, viz. pitta dosha and kapha dosha. But when the vata dosha is vitiated, then disease conditions may set in. Chikungunya is one of such diseases, which are caused due to an alleviation of the vata dosha 

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SYMPTOMS-

Symptoms of Chikungunya (Sandhi Jwara)-

Chikungunya symptoms begin almost immediately after the viral infection. Some of the symptoms are:-

Fever with very high temperature

Acute pain all over the body

Sharp pain in the joints accompanied by swelling

Severe headache

Profuse rashes

Conjunctivitis

Loss of taste in the tongue

Mouth ulcers

The fever of chikungunya normally comes back to normal within two to three days, but the other symptoms persist for over a week or more. The fever is quite different from normal fever since it is accompanied by chills and feelings of nausea and vomiting. 

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TREATMENT-

Ayurvedic Treatment for Chikungunya (Sandhi Jwara)-

The following Ayurvedic preparations have been found to be effective against the symptoms of chikungunya:-

Sudarshan choorna – Two tablespoons of this choornamust be taken per day.

Yogiraj guggulu – Two tablets per day are to be taken.

Here it is important to mention that there is currently a debate going on about the effectiveness of Ayurvedicmedicines in the treatment of chikungunya, for which no other form of treatment has been found yet. Almost all Ayurveda exponents are of the opinion that chikungunya may not be treated by Ayurveda alone, but the herbs are effective in allaying some of the severe symptoms of the condition. 

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CHIKUNGUNYA 

Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes. Chikungunya symptoms include severe and persistent joint pain, body rash, headache and fever. Initial symptoms are similar to dengue fever. It is usually NOT life threatening. But the joint pains can last for a long time and full recovery may take months. Usually patient gets life long immunity from infection and hence re-infection is very rare.

CAUSES-

Chikungunya disease is a viral disease transmitted in humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti mosquito (also called yellow fever mosquito) is the primary transmission agent of Chikungunya Virus. This is usually found in tropics and hence Chikungunya is predominantly seen in asian countries. In recent cases, another mosquito species named Aedes albopictus is found to be a carrier. Aedes aegypti bites during day time and hence day time mosquito bite is the main reason for transmission.

Presence of stagnated water in and around human inhabitation is one of the main causes of increased aedes mosquito population. This in turn causes a large number of mosquito bites leading to the rapid spread of Chikungunya virus.

INCUBATION PERIOD- 3-7 DAYS

Chikungunya Symptoms

Chikungunya typically starts with one or more of the following symptoms - chills, fever, vomiting, nausea, head ache and joint pain. The attack is sudden and sometimes it is accompanied with rashes. Severe joint pain is the main and the most problematic symptom of Chikungunya.

Other less commonly seen symptoms include mouth ulcers, loss of taste and conjunctivitis. The fever usually subsides in a couple of days, but other symptoms may last for a longer duration. In some cases joint pain persisted for years.

Treatment of Chikungunya

There is no antiviral drug or medicine specifically for Chikungunya. But since chikungunya is cured by immune system in almost all cases there is no need to worry. Treatment usually is for the symptoms and include taking sufficient rest, taking more fluid food and medicines to relieve pain (paracetamol for example). Aspirin should be avoided. 

PATHYA-

- Purana Sali, Mudga, Masoor, Parval, Karela, Sahijan, Choulai, Gaduchi, Jeevanti, Makoya, Manukka, Anar, Laghu Ahar, Yavagu, Peya, Vilepi, Yava, Lajamanda, Daliya

APATHYA-

- Guru, vidahi, vistambhi, dushita jala sevana, ankurita anna, tilkuta, sweet, chole, lassi, chana dal

- Vegadharana, vyayama, divasvapna, sanana, adhyasana

NISHEDHJA-

- Nava jvar me divasvapna, snana, abhyanga, maithuna, krodha, dhimi hava   

RASODHI/BHASMA/PISTI-(120-250MG WITH MADHU/USHNODAKA)

- Tribhuvan kirti rasa-(hingula,vatsanabh,trikatu,tankan)

- Hinguleshver rasa-(vatsanabh,pippali,hungula)

- Swarnbasant malti rasa-(swarna,muktapisti,hingula,maricha)

- Kasturi bhairav rasa-(javitri,jayphala,marich,pippali,kasturi)

- Mritunjaya rasa-(vatsanabh,hingula,gandhak,tankan,pippali,marich)

- Jwar keshri rasa-(parad,gandhak,triphala,trikatu,vatsanabh,jayphaala)

- Jwar sanhar rasa-(rasasindura,trikatu,kuth,mustak,tankan,katuki)

- Godanti bhasma-(godanti)

- Shringa bhasma-(mrigshringa)

- Jaharmora pisti-(jaharmohra)

- Laxmivilas rasa-(swarn,rajat,abhrak,tamra,nagabhasma)

- Praval pisti

- Kaphaketu rasa-(vatsanabh,tankan,sankh,pippali)

VATI-(250-500MG WITH USHNA JALA)

- Sanjeevani vati-(vidang,nagar,pippali,abhaya,vibhitaki,vacha,guduchi,bhallataka,visha)

- Shoubhagya vati-(rasasindura,dvikshar,trilavan,loha,trikatu,triphala)

- Sansamani vati-(guduchi)

- Vishatindukadi vati-(kuchala,mustak,parpat,triphala)

- Jayavati-(suddha visha,trikatu,motha,haridra,nimbapatra,bidanga)

- Amrita satva-(guduchi)

- Karanjadi vati-(karanj beej,parpat,atish,guduchi,patol,kutki)

CURNA-(3-6GM WITH MADHU/USHNODAKA)

- Sudarshan curna-(triphala,trimada,atish,chirayata)

- Panchkol curna-(pippali,pippalimula,chavya,chitrak,sunthi)

- Sitophaladi curna-(dalchini,ela,pippali,vanshlochan,mishri)

- Talisadi curna-(talisa,marich,sunthi,pippali,vanshlochan,mishri)

- Lavangadi curna-(lavanga,sheetal chini,khas,sveta chandana,tagar,bhringraja,motha)

- Drakshadi curna-(draksha,harad,mustak,kutki,amaltas,parpat)

KAVATH/ASAV/ARISHTA-(20-40ML WITH SAMABHAG WATER)

- Duralbhadi kwatha-(dhamasa,parpat,priyangu,mustak,kutki)

- Parpatadi kwatha-(parpat,netrabala,raktachandana,sunthi)

- Guduchyadi kwatha-(nimbchal,guduchi,dhaniya,padmakh)

- Patoladi kwatha-(parval,triphala,nimbchal,guduchi)