A Comparative Clinical Study of Agnikarma (Therapeutic Heat Burn) with Suvarna Shalaka (Rod of Gold) and Panchadhatu Shalaka (Rod Made Up of Five Metals) in Janusandhigata Vata W.S.R to Osteoarthritis of Knee Joint

Janu Sandhigata Vata is the commonest form of Vata Vyadhi confronted by the Ayurvedic physicians. The classical description of Sandhigata Vata looks identical to the Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint. Providing relief from the joints pain and stiffness, limiting functional impairment and increasing mobility are the main principles of its management. In Ayurveda, Agnikarma (therapeutic heat burn) is prescribed as one of the therapeutic measures for the effective management of Janu Sandhigata Vata. The objective is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of Agnikarma with Suvarna Shalaka and Panchadhatu Shalaka in management of Janu Sandhigata Vata w.s.r to Osteoarthritis of knee joint. The trial was carried out by randomly including the patients into two groups, of thirty each. Group A patients were treated by Agnikarma with Suvarna Shalaka and Group B with Panchadhatu Shalaka. Agnikarma was done in four sittings with a weekly interval. The patients were assessed in each sitting immediately after the treatment and a follow up was done after 15 and 30 days. The test significantly showed that Agnikarma using Suvarna Shalaka was statistically significant in reducing pain, tenderness, crepitus, swelling, angle of extension and angle of flexion. On comparison the Suvarna Shalaka is statistically more significant in pain, tenderness, crepitus, swelling, angle of extension and angle of flexion than that of Agnikarma done using Panchadhatu Shalaka. The Agnikarma using Suvarna Shalaka is found to be more beneficial than the Agnikarma using Panchadhatu Shalaka in the prime symptoms of the Janu Sandhigata Vata (Osteoarthritis).