Sciatica – Lightning leg pain - World Class Holistic Homeopathy
Treatment
NERVOUS SYSTEM – Sciatica – Lightning leg pain
Nerves are complex fibres in our body which carry impulses from the
periphery to the central nervous system ( brain and spinal cord) and vice versa.
In simple language, they are wire connections of our body which carry current
(impulses/signals) between brain and muscles, joints, skin, etc. without which
communication of impulses related with sensation, movement, reflex,
control,correlation, function cannot be performed and life will be a coma. Till
now, science has not advanced to replace it.
Nerves are cord like structure which consist of several nerve fibres.
Sciatic nerve is the largest nerve of our body which is also called as Great
Nerve. It is around 2 cms in diameter. It arises from nerve (roots) plexus
emerging from the sacrum (back part of hip bone). It comes out of the pelvis
through greater sciatic foramen (opening) in the hip bone with piriformis
muscle which unites hip joint and femur. From there it descends on the backside
of the leg, deep into the gluteus muscles (buttock). It gives out branches
tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve to supply medial and posterior aspect of
leg. In general, it innervates joints (hip joint, knee joint, etc.), muscles
and skin of the leg. So diseases of this nerve can make one disabled.
Sedentary life often complicates life. One among them is sciatica. Sciatica
is commonly misspelled now for all leg pain, but actually sciatica refers for
the neuralgic pain extending down the leg arising from the irritation,
compression and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Its intolerable intensity
and recurrent nature make every sufferer most worried. Unless one has suffered
and conquered sciatica, they cannot realise its frightening, lightning pain.
Characteristic of sciatica
·
One-sided pain
·
Lightning or shooting in character
·
Symptoms are aggravated with change of posture (regarding
hip and leg) especially leaning forward, raising leg in lying posture. They
often add fuel to the fire of suffering.
Incidences
Sufferers are mostly sedentary
workers (computer professionals) and long distance travelers/drivers. They will
be weak and get trapped with their own occasional strain. Even though, it can
occur in any person of any age group, females around menopause are the most
common victims. It is mainly due to development of osteoporosis and friction
loss. Also it is commonly noted after strenuous exercises, spinal injury,
improper jumping, lifting heavy objects improperly, prolonged sitting, etc. The
commonest site where the sciatic nerve gets trapped often is near the spines or
greater sciatic foramen where it emerges with piriformis muscle.
Causes
The development of sciatic pain i.e., sciatica, is due to compression /
prick / pinch of sciatic nerve by bones or muscles or external factors
(pressure) or internal factors (disease and tumours). Here sciatic nerve gets
trapped and inflamed. Sciatica can be due to a variety of reasons:
·
Injury or fall or accident or physical strain (even
sitting continuously for a prolonged time which exerts pressure over the
buttock area) either with or without fracture
·
Degeneration or friction loss/wear and tear phenomenon (
herniated disc or prolapseddisc or spondlytis)
·
Adhesion of sciatic nerve to adjacent muscle or ligaments
(commonly with piriformis muscle)
·
Inflammation or abscess formation in spine (cold abscess
– tuberculosis)
·
Tumours – of vertebral bones, nerve roots and pelvic
organs
·
Diseases – Nervous disorders, diabetes, etc.
Symptoms
Sciatica symptoms usually vary from person to person in type, intensity and
suffering period depending upon the nerve fibres involved and nature of the
complaint or disease. Some patients tolerate the pain or condition with
day-to-day activities and some may be bedridden all of a sudden. It all depends
upon the site of affliction and intensity. Most often it occurs as a catch in
the hip after a strain or fall. Also, mostly, the complaint radiates down the
leg in one side. The common symptoms are:
·
Tightness and stiffness in the lower back
·
Difficulty in rising and standing immediately after
sitting on a chair for a long time
·
Violent sharp lightning / shooting down / flickering type
pain in hip or buttock or leg or in all parts
·
Pain radiates from buttock down the leg to foot in the
posterior (back) and inner (medial) aspect of the leg
·
Numbness or tingling sensation with weakness in the parts
involved
·
Restlessness due to pain
·
Difficulty in gait due to tight low back muscles and
development of partial or complete paralysis in muscles below knee which
reflect as wasting of muscles
·
Development of paralysis may proceed further to hinder
bladder and bowel control
Diagnosis
It is must to diagnose a complaint before starting treatment or suppressing
it with a pain-killer. To pinpoint nerve compression or disc degeneration or
disc prolapse, one can go with plain X-ray, CT scan or MRI. History of the
complaint i.e., incidence, nature of disease, aggravating factors, etc., and
neuromuscular examination with respect to injury, scar, pain on particular
posture, sensation, temperature, muscle power, reflex, muscle wasting can also
provide outline for the diagnosis. Also, before diagnosing and fixing sciatica
as the complaint, it is better to examine and scan the abdomen also to rule out
renal stones, gall stones, pelvic tumours, etc., since these complaints also
mimic initial sciatica symptoms.
Prevention
Prevention is always better than cure. So, it is better to avoid triggers.
Do’s
·
Sit, stand, sleep in straight/erect position
·
Brisk walking or swimming or any active exercise daily at
least for 30 minutes
·
Sleep lying on back in hard flat surface if you have
sciatica complaints
·
Lift weight close to the chest if you have sciatica
complaints
Avoid
·
Stress and strain
·
Sitting continuously for a long period
·
Foam mattress
·
Leaning forward for lifting any objects
·
Lifting heavy objects
·
Curling up in bed and chair
·
Exercises while there is pain
Complications
– The severity of symptoms often make one fear to live. Paralysis of
the leg below the knee is the most common complication. Rarely, it may involve
the bladder and rectum.
General treatment
The routine mode of treatment is
generally based on symptoms and its intensity. Along with exercise
(physiotherapy), posture corrections are also commonly advised to sufferers.
Other than that, on requirement, pain-killers and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed with supplements (calcium, magnesium
and essential fatty acids).
Traction will also be advised many a time for temporary relief. Repeated
traction will not only become useless over time, but also cause more pain.
Sufferers will also often try their own healing way with oil application,
massage, hot bath and flax seed or other anti-ageing supplements(?).Unless
otherwise the cause is found and treated accordingly or appropriately, sciatic
pain will recur and get worse over time. Surgery is advised in case of severe
compression as a final resort.
Homeopathic approach
Sciatica should not be treated just with anti-inflammatory drugs and pain
killers, since the situation will often get worse with time, leading one to
surgery. One should be aware that “instantly killing pain with a pain-killer is
just like putting off the light when you don’t want to see the things around.
Surely the day will come when / where you cannot switch off the pain”. Here
pleasure with pain-killers is nothing else but the intermission of pain.
Wear and tear phenomena are common for everyone. If you happen to use the
bones in one position only all the time or most of the time, then, naturally,
that point will suffer more friction loss than other places. If friction loss
occurs evenly, people will lose some height only with age. But,
if it has not occurred evenly then, more friction loss occurring in
one place can damage disc to cause disc degeneration or disc bulge or disc
prolapse which can induce sciatica. So, caring position is equally important
against medicines to rule out exciting cause or maintaining cause.
The goal of treatment should not be aimed only at relief but also to
prevent recurrence. Rebounding, recurring attack can be given knock outs, when
the reviver counsels the sufferer about correct posture in addition to drugs.
In addition, “No more attacks” can be brought easily, when a Homeopath selects
and prescribes a right drug constitutionally with detailed analyses of cause,
nature of pain, aggravating factors, characteristic symptoms of disease and
characteristic symptoms of the sufferer.
Homeopathy can provide miraculous relief from this nervous pain without any
side-effects by controlling the inflammation and infection of the nerves. Also,
Homeopathy can treat paralysis or weakness of the leg by rejuvenating the
sciatic nerve. It favours enhancement of neuron regeneration / reduction of
disc bulge / ruling out other causes to revive impinged nerve. In case of
fractured bones which compress the sciatic nerve, surgery may be absolutely
needed to relieve the suffering by releasing the compression mechanically
(surgically).
Homeopathic medicines commonly used in cases of sciatica are Ars alb,
Belladonna, Bryonia, Calc carb, Chamomilla, Colchicum, Colocynthis, Dioscorea,
Gelsemium, Gnanphalium, Kali bich, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mag phos, Medorrhinum,
Natrum mur, Nux vom, Phytolacco, Plumbum met, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Ruta,
Sangunaria, Spigelia, Tarentula, Viscum alb, Xanthoxylum, etc, These Medicines
should be taken under the advice and diagnosis of a qualified Homeopath.
for
new hope
Dr. S.
Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi
Homeo Clinic
24 E.
New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai,
TN 625 001
India
Tel: +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011
(Mob)
Fax:
+91-452-233-0196
E-mail:
drcheena@yahoo.com
www.drcheena.com / www.drcheena.in
(Disclaimer
- The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content
is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice,
diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for
any health problem or medical condition.)