Sciatica Treatment

The sciatic nerve happens to be the largest nerve in our body. It starts from the lower part of the spinal cord and runs down through the hips and the back of the thigh into the lower leg and foot.  The word ‘Sciatica ‘describes a condition of pain and sometimes numbness in the area through which the sciatic nerve passes. Homeopathic medicines can be of   great help to patients who suffer from sciatica. Homeopathic treatment of sciatica usually produces no side effect and the relief is mostly very effective.

Sciatica or the pain in the course of the sciatic nerve occurs when there is a compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve by a problem in the lower back or in the course of sciatic nerve. The most common back problems that cause this kind of pain is the disc prolapse or the disc bulge other conditions being spodylolithesis (slipping of vertebrae one over the other) and spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal).

Our spine comprises of mainly three structures; bones (vertebrae), the intervertebral disks and the spinal cord. Spinal Bones called as vertebrae are stacked one on top of each other to form the spine or the backbone. Through these spinal bones passes the spinal cord. Intervertabral Discs are a kind of cushions (which act like small shock absorbers and also help in provide flexibility to the backbone) that are positioned between two vertebrae. It is when these discs get pushed (due to aging and wear -tear and arthritis), that the nerve roots of sciatic nerve get compressed or irritated. This leads to an inflammation on the nerve roots causing pain in the course of sciatic nerve.

Sciatica pain usually radiates from the lower part of the back through the buttocks and into the back of the leg and calf muscle. Sciatica pain can range from a very mild ache or spasm in the back of the leg to a very severe incapacitating pain. It can at times be felt like sudden electric shocks or jolts. Usually, only one leg is affected by sciatica. Sciatica pain may also be accompanied by feeling of numbness and weakness in the leg and foot. Patients suffering from sciatica may also complain of tingling or pins and needle sensation in toes and foot. In an advanced case of disc bulge and nerve compression patients may lose their control over bladder and bowel movement. This is a rare but a serious condition and requires an immediate emergency care.

Homeopathic treatment for sciatica is of great help in reliving the pain and treating the disc bulge effectively. Homeopathic medicines are able to help by improving the degenerative changes  in the disc and the vertebrae. Homeo medicines also effectively treat the inflammation on the nerve roots caused by compression thereby reducing the sciatica pain. Homeopathic medicines Rhus tox , Arnica Calcarea Flour are very useful in treating the Arthritic changes  lumbar spine. For reducing neuritis (inflammation of nerve) homeopathic medicines Colocynth ,Magnesium Phos and Hypericum have wonderful properties. Gnaphlium is very effective in treating sciatica that is accompanied by numbness in the leg.