Homeopathy for Sciatica
Sciatica simply means problem with the sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body starting from pelvis passing through buttocks, thighs and backside of the leg and ending near the sole of the feet. Typically sciatica affects only one side of the body or only one leg.
Homeopathy helps in controlling the pain during the acute attack of sciatica as well as helps in preventing the recurrence of such episodes. It helps in reducing stiffness and improves the mobility of the joints. Homeopathy medicines for sciatica help first by stopping the progression of the illness, reducing the pain and then permanent cure for sciatica. One big advantage that homeopathy treatment for sciatica offers is that once treated the chances of relapse are very less. Other lifestyle changes and better nutritional diet can help much better for a permanent cure for sciatica.
CAUSES OF SCIATICA:
• Compression of the sciatic nerve: When there is bulging (herniation) of disc or extra growth of the bone or bone spur of the vertebra it causes compression of sciatic nerve and this produces symptoms of sciatica.
• Spinal stenosis: The narrowing of spinal canal puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and causes sciatica.
• Trauma: When there is severe trauma to the body resulting in pelvic fracture it causes sciatica.
• In rare circumstances the sciatic nerve can be compressed by a tumor or damaged by disease such as long-term diabetes
SYMPTOMS OF SCIATICA
• Pain originating from lower back portion radiate down wards behind the thigh to lower leg along the nerve pathway.
• The pain is burning or tingling that traverse downwards
• Sometimes shooting pain makes difficult to stand or walk
• Numbness feeling of the whole leg
• Pain is more when standing
• The pain is more while lifting weights, bending forward, coughing, sneezing, and straining at stool.
RISK FACTORS
• Age. Age-related changes in the spine, such as herniated disks and bone spurs, are the most common causes of sciatica.
• Obesity. By increasing the stress on your spine, excess body weight can contribute to the spinal changes that trigger sciatica.
• Occupation. A job that requires you to twist your back, carry heavy loads or drive a motor vehicle for long periods might play a role in sciatica, but there's no conclusive evidence of this link.
• Prolonged sitting. People who sit for prolonged periods or have a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica than active people are.
• Diabetes. This condition, which affects the way your body uses blood sugar, increases your risk of nerve damage.
COMPLICATIONS
Although most people recover fully from sciatica, often without treatment, sciatica can potentially cause permanent nerve damage. Seek immediate medical attention if you have:
• Loss of feeling in the affected leg
• Weakness in the affected leg
• Loss of bowel or bladder function
DIAGNOSIS
• X-ray of the spine
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): MRI helps in producing detailed images of bone and soft tissues and thus helps in diagnosing the case.
• Computerized tomography scan (CT scan): In this particular test a contrast dye is injected in the spinal canal and X-rays are taken then after.
PREVENTION
It's not always possible to prevent sciatica, and the condition may recur. The following can play a key role in protecting your back:
• Exercise regularly. To keep your back strong, pay special attention to your core muscles — the muscles in your abdomen and lower back that are essential for proper posture and alignment. Ask your doctor to recommend specific activities.
• Maintain proper posture when you sit. Choose a seat with good lower back support, armrests and a swivel base. Consider placing a pillow or rolled towel in the small of your back to maintain its normal curve. Keep your knees and hips level.
• Use good body mechanics. If you stand for long periods, rest one foot on a stool or small box from time to time. When you lift something heavy, let your lower extremities do the work. Move straight up and down. Keep your back straight and bend only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body. Avoid lifting and twisting simultaneously. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy or awkward.
TREATMENT FOR SCIATICA
• Physiotherapy: Once the acute pain of sciatica is relieved, the physiotherapist can suggest the patient a few exercises which patient has to do on day-to-day basis. Physiotherapist may also guide on maintaining the correct posture while sitting or standing. Physiotherapist may also guide on doing some strengthening exercises for the muscles of lower back and stretching exercises for improving the flexibility of the muscles.
• Yoga: The best poses from Lotus Pose to Reclining Big Toe Pose to find yoga relieffor tingling or pain in your leg caused by sciatica.
• Conventional treatment:
a. Medical treatment: This includes prescribing NSAIDS (Non- Steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs) and some muscle relaxants for pain relief.
b. Steroid injections: In severe cases of sciatica, doctor may advise the patient to take steroid injections in the area around the involved nerve root. But, number of steroid shots to be given to the patients is limited because of serious side effects of the same.
• Surgical treatment: In severe cases of sciatica where there is significant damage to the sciatic nerve resulting in bowel and bladder incontinence and in cases where the pain is so severe that it does not come under control with any other therapies, surgeons can perform a surgery on the patient of sciatica.
• Home remedies
a. Alternate cold and hot fomentation can be tried for 30 minutes 2 to 3 times daily.
b. Heavy objects should be pushed rather than pulled.
c. Do not pick up anything heavier than 10 pounds.
d. The weight of the objects should be taken in your bent legs and arms and not in your back.
e. During an acute attack sleep with a pillow under the knees.
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR SCIATICA
Homeopathic medicines can be a big help for you in the treatment of Sciatica. Great benefit of using homoeopathy is that along with the treatment of sciatica homoeopathy also aims at strengthening the patient’s constitution in order to prevent further recurrences.
Homeopathic medicine Colocynth stands tall in the homeopathic list of medicine used for treating sciatica. It can work wonders in treating Sciatica. It is mostly used in treating right sided sciatica pain. Whenever there is numbness associated with pain, homeopathic medicine Gnaphlium is a remedy of unquestioned benefit. Rhus tox covers nearly all kinds of sciatica symptoms and many a times it is the first choice. Rhus tox is indicated when the patient feels pain while beginning to move and is little relived by walking.