Chorea- Ayurveda Treatment, Ayurvedic Medicines, Diet, Exercises, Massage Oils

CHOREA

Chorea is a movement problem that occurs in different diseases. The greek word chorea means dance. Abnormal involuntary movements of muscles are the major symptoms.

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA
• CAUSES OF CHOREA
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CHOREA
• DIAGNOSIS OF CHOREA
• TREATMENTS FOR CHOREA
• PROGNOSIS OF CHOREA
• COMPLICATIONS OF CHOREA
• CHOREA AND AYURVEDA
• NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF CHOREA
• PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA
• SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF CHOREA
• LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA
• AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF CHOREA
• CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR CHOREA
• AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR CHOREA
• AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR CHOREA
• AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR CHOREA
• COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR CHOREA
• HOME REMEDIES FOR CHOREA
• DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR CHOREA
• YOGA FOR CHOREA
• RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF CHOREA

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA

• Irregular movements which are unpredictable
• Non-stereotyped movements. 
• Hemichorea refers to chorea of one side of the body
• Walking may become difficult
• Severe chorea is referred to as ballismus.

CAUSES OF CHOREA

• Cerebrovascular diseases
• Thyrotoxicosis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease and the most common inherited cause of chorea
• Infection-related conditions, such as Sydenham’s chorea
• Medications, including levodopa and neuroleptics
• Metabolic or endocrine disorders, including hypoglycemia
• Rheumatic fever

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CHOREA

In diseases with well-defined neuropathology, chorea has been associated with abnormalities in the striatum (caudate and putamen) and the subthalamic nucleus (STN). However, the fundamental pathophysiology of chorea is not known. This is due in part to the lack of non-primate models and in part to the difficulty of measuring involuntary movements in the primate models that do exist. 

DIAGNOSIS OF CHOREA

• Chorea diagnosed by proper history taking
• Blood tests are done to find out the metabolic or endocrine-related chorea.
• For Huntington’s disease, imaging studies, such as MRI scans, can show brain activity that’s an indicator of the disease.

TREATMENTS FOR CHOREA

• Treatment of underlying pathology
• Atypical neuroleptics include risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine, and quetiapine.
• Dopamine-depleting agents (eg, reserpine, tetrabenazine, deutetrabenazine), represent another option in the treatment of chorea.
• GABAergic drugs, such as clonazepam, gabapentin, and valproate, can be used as adjunctive therapy.

PROGNOSIS OF CHOREA

• Prognosis is based on the cause of the disease, duration and condition of the patient.
• Sydenham’s chorea is treatable and curable.
• Huntington’s disease is a progressive, and ultimately, fatal disease.

COMPLICATIONS OF CHOREA    

• The abnormal involuntary movements may cause local trauma in some patients.
• The swallowing difficulties
• Tongue dystonia
• Patients may cause aspiration pneumonia

CHOREA AND AYURVEDA

• In Ayurveda,CHOREA falls under Vata vyadhi or a Vata dosha imbalance disorder.

• Vata vyadhi can be correlated to neurological or neuromuscular disorders. The causes and pathogenesis of diseases caused by vitiation of Vata dosha, in general, are the exclusive cause and pathogenesis ofkampa (shivering, involuntary movements).

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF CHOREA

• Excess consumption of ununctous, cold food
• Excessive physical exercise.
• Suppression of natural urges.
• Trauma
• Injuries

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA

Mild involuntary movements on the body are manifested particularly on hands.

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF CHOREA

• Beejadushti and madhuraharavihara lead to delayed developments of sensory and motor property. Shareerikaand manasikanidana does further vataprakopa lead to karshya, mamsashosha, shakrutgraha, indriyabramsha, arthavakshaya.
• These vikaras further aggravating vata lead to udavartha.
• On other side aggravation vata vitiated Snayu ,sira, kandara lead to shoola, aakshepaka, kampa.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CHOREA

• Kampa – involuntary movements
• Sada – weakness
• Sosha – atrophy of muscles
• Tingling sensation
• Numbness

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF CHOREA

• Chorea  associated with traumatic injuries is difficult to cure – krichra sadhya

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR CHOREA

Ayurvedic local treatment for CHOREA

• Shirothalam with Brami thaila+amlaki churna+jatamamsi churna
• Talam with Nimbamruthadi Castor Oil + Kachooradi Churna
• Pichu with Dhanwantharam tailam.
• sarvanga alepa chikitsa with teekshana lepa

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR CHOREA

• Dhanwantharam Kashayam
• Dhanadanayanadi Kashayam
• Brahmidrakshadi Kashayam
• Maha Rasnadi kashayam
• Rasnerandadi Kashayam
• Balarishtam
• Punarnavasavam
• Dasamoolarishtam
• Saraswatharishta
• Kaisore Guggulu
• Yogaraja Guggulu
• Rasasindooram
• Mahapaishachikaghruta
• Brimhana chikilsa
• Medhyam

AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR CHOREA

Sadhyavirechana with gandarvahastyadithailam+ milk

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR CHOREA

Internal administration

• Dhanwantharam Kashayam
• Dhanadanayanadi Kashayam
• Brahmidrakshadi Kashayam
• Maha Rasnadi kashayam
• Rasnerandadi Kashayam
• Balarishtam
• Punarnavasavam
• Dasamoolarishtam
• Saraswatharishta
• Kaisore Guggulu
• Yogaraja Guggulu
• Rasasindooram
• Mahapaishachikaghruta

External application

• Snehadhara – with balaswagandha tailam and ksheerabala tailam
• Dhanyamla Dhara
• Patrapodala Swedam
• Pizhichil
• Shashtika Sali panda sweda

HOME REMEDIES FOR CHOREA

• Take proper rest to avoid injuries
• Warm water bathing
• Intake of decoction made with Sida

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR CHOREA

• Avoid food items which produce vata dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because vata imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
• Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
• Avoid heavy exercises which further aggravate the conditions.
• Oil massage on affected area advised. Which alleviates vata dosha
• Take proper rest.

YOGA FOR CHOREA

• Nadi Shuddi Pranayam    – calms the mind and gets control over involuntary movements

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.

·       Tadasana

·       virabhadrasana

• Anjali mudra

RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF CHOREA

1. An ayurvedic approach to a case of movement disorder

2.     Huntington’s disease – a case study

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282314305_HUNTINGTON’S_DISEASE_-_A_CASE_STUDY

source https://ayurvedapc.blog/2020/10/18/chorea-ayurveda-treatment-ayurvedic-medicines-diet-exercises-massage-oils/