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Pain is one of the body's most important signals. Whether it appears as occasional muscle soreness after exercise, stiffness in the joints, tension from long hours at a desk, or discomfort associated with ageing, pain can affect movement, sleep, mood and everyday quality of life.
Ayurveda approaches pain from a broader perspective. Rather than looking only at where pain occurs, traditional Ayurvedic philosophy considers the qualities of the discomfort, the individual's constitution, lifestyle, digestion, activity levels and the balance of the three doshas — Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It also takes into account psycho somatic pain connections and what the broader current and historic picture of a person's life looks like.
This means that an Ayurvedic approach to managing everyday aches and stiffness is often centred on a combination of appropriate movement, nourishing food, lifestyle adjustments, rest, massage, warmth and carefully selected herbs and oils.
In traditional Ayurveda, Vata dosha is considered to be the King of the Doshas, and is particularly associated with movement. It is characterised by qualities such as coldness, dryness, lightness and irregularity. When Vata is aggravated this can show up as stiffness, tightness, aching joints and discomfort that can feel worse in cold or dry conditions.
Here the remedy is nourishment, oiling and warmth. Like a dried out piece of wood can be softened with oil and heat, so can the body.
We have three great oils that help here
1. Relief Oil
Relief oil contains classic Ayurvedic pain relieving herbs such as Rasna, Nirgundi and Castor Oil as well as brilliant herbs to alleviate swelling such as Punarnava and Gokshura. This oil is aimed at relieving the symptomatic effects of aggravated Vata.
Mahanarayan Oil is traditionally used to support healthy joints and muscles and to pacify excess Vata. We combine 37 Ayurvedic herbs with organic sesame oil to produce a highly effective oil to pacify Vata and nourish joints and muscles. Some of the herbs have specific analgesic properties and through their application pain in reduced. It contains amongst may other herbs, highly prized Saffron from Kashmir which enhances its Sattvic properties and psychosomatic mind balancing effects.
3. Vata Oil
Vata Oil contains Organic Sesame Oil cooked with many Vata pacifying herbs such as Castor, Ashwagandha and Bala. 250g of fresh herbs going in to making 1 Litre of oil. This produces a luxurious authentic Vata reducing oil. This oil soothes the nervous and muscular systems and thereby reduces pain. Whereby Mahanarayan is luxuriously thick and coloured through the high amounts of Kashmiri Saffron contained, Vata Oil is penetrating, more warming and lighter coloured.
To further advance the effect of our oils, especially the Mahanarayan and Vata oils you can apply heat to the areas after application. This could be in the form of lying on a heated mat, a hot water bottle or hot wheat bag, waiting for 20 minutes and having a steam, hot bath or hot shower. If your aim is to keep dryness at bay then we find that applying the oil before sleeping allows the oils to nourish the skin overnight.
Not every type of pain should automatically be regarded as a Vata imbalance. Pain accompanied by heat, redness or swelling, for example, may be understood differently within Ayurveda and may require a different approach.
One of the best-known Ayurvedic practices for supporting the body is Abhyanga, or self-massage with oil.
The practice involves applying warm oil to the body using long, gentle strokes. Traditionally, this is viewed as a way of nourishing the tissues, supporting circulation and calming the nervous system while balancing Vata.
For people experiencing everyday muscle and joint stiffness, a warm herbal oil can also turn self-care into a relaxing ritual.
Ayurveda also makes use of herbs internally to promote healthy joints and sustain comfortable movement.
Boswellia, sometimes known as Indian frankincense and Turmeric powder and Turmeric extract can both really help reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the need for pain signalling. We have two formulas here that help Boswellia Flex and MSM Flex. MSM Flex really helps to quickly reduce pain caused by inflammation because of the C3 Curcumin extract contained within. Boswellia Flex works more classically on pain by removing toxins, swelling and includes the pain relieving herb Rasna.
Ashwagandha is another important Ayurvedic herb. Traditionally regarded as a restorative herb, it is used in Ayurveda in connection with Vata reducing strength, resilience and overall wellbeing. Pain often has a psychological component and in dealing with pain we can use adaptogens to help. We particularly like Brahmi and Ashwagandha Formulaand Bright Mood here. Both can help pacify Vata from a Manas / Mind route and thereby help with pain.
It is worth remembering that taking herbal products is not necessarily appropriate for everyone. Herbs can interact with medicines and may not be suitable during pregnancy, breastfeeding or certain medical conditions. Professional advice is sensible when using concentrated herbal supplements.
Oil massage is only one part of an Ayurvedic approach.
Long periods of inactivity can contribute to stiffness, while excessive or poorly managed exercise can leave muscles feeling sore and fatigued. Ayurveda traditionally emphasises finding an appropriate balance between activity and rest.
Gentle yoga, walking, mobility exercises and stretching can all help maintain normal movement. The aim isn't necessarily to exercise harder, we are looking to develop a sustainable relationship with movement.
For someone experiencing persistent pain, however, exercise should be appropriate to the underlying condition. New or severe pain should not simply be pushed through.
Simple lifestyle habits can complement an Ayurvedic approach.
Keeping the body warm, maintaining regular sleep, eating nourishing meals and allowing sufficient recovery between periods of physical activity are all consistent with traditional approaches to balancing Vata.
Taking care of the digestive system and ensuring proper downward movement (i.e. bowel and menstrual) is very important from an Ayurvedic perspective in addressing pain. This keeps Vata flowing in the proper direction. Approaching pain holistically often gives the best overall results.
A regular evening ritual might involve a warm bath or shower followed by gentle application of Mahanarayan Oil, Vata Oil or Relief Oil to areas of everyday muscular or joint discomfort. The ritual itself can encourage us to slow down and pay attention to the body.
Long standing pain often needs proper assessment. We recommend making an appointment for a consultation with one of our Ayurvedic Practitioners. This can be done online or in person depending on where you live. There is no need to suffer and we our practitioners offer a specialist Marma treatment to help with pain.
Ayurvedic self-care can be a useful complement to a healthy lifestyle, but persistent or unexplained pain deserves proper assessment.
Seek medical advice for severe or worsening pain, pain following a significant injury, unexplained swelling, weakness or numbness, fever, chest pain, or pain that is interfering significantly with everyday activities. A qualified healthcare professional can help identify the underlying cause and determine appropriate treatment.
