out of her problem through yoga therapy she became confident to express her stress problems. She analysed herself and said that the cause of her RA was her sensitive nature, and suppression of her emotions. Coming from a rural background, and being married to a joint family (5 members) in the city, she had too many things to adapt in her new life. The emotional adjustment to accept the ways of the new house, husband, and the neighborhood, was quite demanding. Her biggest problem which caused the major emotional suppression was her interaction with the mother-inlaw. Mother-in-law being a meticulous obstinate personality would go on pointing out the mistakes several times in the day. This left her in a state of constant fear throughout the day. This unexpressed fears ended up with joint pains, with active symmetrical arthritis (RA). The pains were suppressed by long term suppressant medication and she was managing to do her routine duties. But because of repeated flare ups, increasing doses of medication and the mounting fears of long term crippling, her illness only went on persisting for about 3 years before she came for Yoga therapy. This is how the problem that starts in the mind brings about the stress induced autoimmune problems.

What are the other stress related rheumatic problems?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a (Bamboo spine disease) is a form of auto-immune arthritis with a strong genetic back ground, that occurs more commonly in males affecting mainly the spine, pelvis and hip. The healing stage is characterised by bony fusion of the joint and hence the joints become fixed.

Fibromyalgia is a type of rheumatic disease without active arthritis. This condition is characterized by complaints of generalised muscular pains, shifting from one place to another, with several tender spots in the painful muscles, that comes and goes episodically. This is also a life style related disease with inflammation in fibrous tissue and a general internal imbalance of psycho-neuro-muscular pathways.