Sciatica

Sciatica (or sciatic neuritis) is a set of symptoms including pain that caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots that give rise to each sciatic nerve or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves. The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, and/or various parts of the leg and foot. It can be acute, sub acute or chronic in duration. In addition to pain, which is sometimes severe, there may be numbness, muscular weakness, pins and needles or tingling and difficulty in moving or controlling the leg. Typically, the symptoms are only felt on one side of the body. Pain can be severe in prolong exposure to cold weather. And our clinic is a pioneer in Ayurvedic Sciatica treatment in Bangalore (Karnataka), Kochi (Ernakulam, Kerala) and Kalmatia in Himalayas (Almora, Uttarakhand) in India, offering therapeutic natural remedies for Sciatica.

Sciatica is generally caused by the compression of lumbar nerves L4 or L5 or sacral nerves S1, S2 or S3, or by compression of the sciatic nerve itself. Spinal disc herniation, Spinal Stenosis, Piriformis syndrome, Trigger points, Pregnancy, Habits are causative factors of sciatica.

(Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciatica)

Signs and Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica pain can vary widely. It may feel like a mild tingling, dull ache, or a burning sensation. In some cases, the pain is severe enough to make a person unable to move. The pain most often occurs on one side. Some people have sharp pain in one part of the leg or hip and numbness in other parts. The sensations may also be felt on the back of the calf or on the sole of the foot. The affected leg may feel weak. The pain often starts slowly. Sciatica pain may get worse:

• After standing or sitting
• At night
• When sneezing, coughing, or laughing
• When bending backwards or walking more than a few yards, especially if caused by Spinal Stenosis

(Ref: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001706/)

Risk Factors of Sciatica

• Partial or complete loss of leg movement
• Partial or complete loss of sensation in the leg
• Recurrent or unnoticed injury to the leg

Diagnosis & Tests for Sciatica

MRI Scan may be prescribed to assess the precise physiological status of the spine in the affected region.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Sciatica

Nidhana – Etiology

Due to improper diet;

• Food that cause burning sensation during digestion
• Incompatible food
• Over eating or eating before digestion
• Irregular diet habits
• Ingestion of foods – sour, salty & pungent predominant
• Excessive usage of oily foods, new grains, curd, sesame
• Excessive usage of fish, flesh of aquatic birds & animals
• Inadequacy of purifactory therapy

Due to improper activities;

• Exposure to hot & cool climates – alternately
• Exposing to cool items when body is hot
• Suppressing the natural urges
• Heavy work after meals
• Day sleep, late night sleep or avoiding it
• Excessive sex indulgence before digestion

Samprapthi – Pathogenesis

• Grdhrasi - Tendons of the feet getting vitiated by vata cause pain moving towards the ankles or the toes and make the lifting of the thigh up very difficult.

Management

• Ama Pachanam - Reduce inflammation and pain in the joints
• Shodhanam - Detoxification & elimination of toxins from the body
• Brmhanam - Prevention of further deterioration in the joints and rejuvenates the damaged cartilages.

Shodhana is the most powerful detoxification strategy for expelling deep-seated tissue toxins and for complete cleansing of the body. It removes the root cause, giving relief in pain.