A Comparative Clinical Study of Ruksha Sweda and Snigdha Sweda in the Management of Amavata

Amavata is a painful and often disabling joint disorder in which Ama and vitiated Vata together lodge in the joints, producing pain, swelling, stiffness and heaviness of the body. Its clinical picture closely resembles rheumatoid arthritis. Swedana is one of the first measures advised for Amavata, but the classics are specific about the kind of Sweda to be used: Ruksha Sweda is preferred while Ama is present, and Snigdha Sweda is generally kept for the Nirama stage. In everyday practice, however, oil-based fomentation is often given to all joint patients alike. The present study was planned to compare the effect of Ruksha Sweda (Valuka Pottali Sweda) and Snigdha Sweda (Patra Pinda Sweda after Abhyanga) on the cardinal features of Amavata. Forty patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria were randomly divided into two groups of twenty each and assessed before and after treatment on subjective and objective parameters. Both groups showed statistically significant improvement (p<0.001) in all subjective parameters and in ESR, CRP, DAS28 and HAQ-DI. Group B gave slightly higher relief throughout, for example in Sandhishula (61.22% against 56.00%), Stabdhata (62.50% against 51.06%) and DAS28 (34.23% against 30.36%), but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant for any parameter (p>0.05). Both forms of Sweda were thus found effective and broadly comparable in relieving the symptoms of Amavata.