Salivary calculus – Sialolith

Salivary calculus

MOUTH – Salivary calculus – Sialolith

Calculus is medically meant for any abnormal concretion of mineral salts formed inside the body. ‘Sial’ refers to salivary gland and ‘Sialolith’ refers to salivary gland calculus. Tendency to salivary calculus or formation of salivary calculus is termed as ‘Sialolithiasis’. Stone formation can obstruct the pathway and cause infection and pain in the glands. The obstruction can be complete or partial.

Three pairs of salivary glands produce saliva persistently and dispense them into the mouth

through ducts almost continuously, i.e., even at night time (during sleep) to keep the mouth moist. Saliva constitutes mainly water, salts, electrolytes, waste products of body (urea, uric acids, acetone, etc.) and epithelial cells. It is the first digestive juice of the digestive tract which helps to breakdown the food particles to get dissolved and digested easily. It also makes the food bolus to swallow easily. Salivary calculus is a type of salivary gland disorder where normal saliva flow is interrupted (partially or totally) to cause dryness of mouth, pain in salivary gland with or without altered taste in the mouth.

Incidences – The incidence of stone formation in the salivary glands seems to be more in males than females. The reason is unknown. The commonest age group which

suffers most frequently is 30-50. The salivary calculus is most commonly seen in Wharton’s duct (draining duct of submandibular gland which opens to the floor of the mouth). The stone formation in submandibular gland or duct is more common because of its thick saliva and its draining way (i.e., against gravity) compared to other glands (parotid and sublingual glands).

Causes – The major constituent of salivary calculus is calcium. Calculus commonly forms in the glands and gets obstructed in the ducts. The exact reason why a stone forms is really unknown. Anyhow, researchers can find out various factors which can favour the formation of stones. They are:

• Thick saliva – highly concentrated saliva (concentrated more with calcium, mucin, magnesium , etc.) – may be because of dehydration or super-saturation or salivary gland diseases.
• Changes in saliva PH (saliva PH gets altered in infections or diseases or tumours)
• Saliva inadequate drainage – slowness in flow and stagnation with obstructive flow or in case of infection, will encourage precipitation of salivary salts to form stones.

Symptoms – Many a time, most of the salivary stones remain asymptomatic. Usually, symptoms occur when stone(s) happen to move and block a duct. Mostly stone(s) do not block a duct completely. So there won’t be any need for emergency attention. Even if it blocks completely, saliva from remaining glands cope up with the need / digestion in the mouth. So complaints arise only when the affected gland swells more drastically or gets infected. The common symptoms of salivary calculus are:

• Swelling of the affected gland(s) – usually follows more after food intake or while chewing since additional amount of saliva is often produced in salivary glands to break down the intake of food materials in the mouth. Swelling may be persistent or vary in size from time to time.
• Pain – occurs mostly because of swelling and pressure. So, as like swelling, which increases after
  
  food or taking citrus fruits (which induces more saliva production / flow and swelling), pain also increases with food intake or taking citrus fruits.
• Dryness of mouth (occasionally) – due to lack of saliva
• Halitosis – due to drying of thick saliva
• Altered taste in mouth

Diagnosis – Perfect diagnosis can be made from

• Clinical examination
• Radiological imaging studies with the help of X-rays / ultrasound / CT or MRI scans
• Sialoangiography – radiography of duct after injecting radio opaque materials.
• Sialoendoscopy can aid for diagnosis as well as for removal
• Chemical analysis of calculus (which have been expelled on their own or removed by surgery) can provide a clue in identifying the underlying causative factor and can aid in preventing it in future.

Complications

• Chronic infections
• Recurrence of stones
• Fibrosis of the gland

Preventive measures and management

Drink

• Plenty of water – good hydration often helps to ease the condition and further helps to stop stone formations

Avoid

• High sources of calcium diets – meat, dairy products, cheese, poultry, fish, calcium supplements, ice creams, chocolates, tea.
• Citrus fruits like orange, lemon, tomato, etc. – These items can increase saliva production, which in-turn can cause swelling and pain in the blocked gland.

General treatment – Treatment varies depending on size and location of the stone. Rarely, stone gets expelled on its own into the mouth. Otherwise sialolithotomy (removal of salivary calculus) will be tried with any of the following according to the condition:

• Lithotripsy (shock wave treatment) – to break stones to expel them easily in parts.
• Sialoendoscopy can aid in removal – if necessary, (in case of big stone whose size exceeds the duct size) intracorporeal lithotripsy aid can also be sought for breaking stones to force easy removal.
• Sialolithectomy – total removal of gland will be advised in case of multiple stones or recurrent infections.
• Intraoral open surgery to remove obstructed (big and adhered) stone.

In case of salivary stones, Allopathy mostly directs everyone to opt for surgical solution. Allopathy mode of treatment mostly prescribes a course of antibiotics with analgesics during the initial,

infective and painful condition i.e. for temporary palliation / to ease the condition and then simply go for elective surgery to avoid an emergency surgery in future. The advantageous endoscopic surgery without scar and minimal hospital stay makes every patient opt for removal of salivary calculus by surgical option.

Homoeopathic approach – These days, people keep worrying about their health and go for surgery sometimes even unnecessarily. Even for minor ailments, they get admitted to a hospital to rule out all (?) risk factors. Removing just stones or the salivary gland cannot be taken as elimination of the whole disease since stones are only the effects of the disease and not the disease itself. So, the stone-forming tendency will be there in the body and the disease will move or proceed to other places/parts. The best way to stop occurrence/recurrence of stones is to treat the condition and to prevent the formation of stones in future.

Calculus formation in salivary glands, like renal stones/gall stones, can arise to form tendencies. Homoeopathic medicine can stop this stone-forming tendency by enforcing salivary gland to work

properly and more efficiently, so that it can produce good quality (composition) saliva and have good flow. Homeopathy treats patient with its constitutional approach considering the characteristic symptoms of the patient and the disease. Surgery can be avoided in many cases of salivary stones if one follows homeopathic medicines regularly for the prescribed period as per the direction of the Homeopath but in advanced conditions, where stone is enormously large and adhered, surgery may be the only way.

Simply put, the earlier you treat, you get easy, speedy and complete cure. There are many drugs in Homoeopathy which can help relieve pain, expel stones and associated complaints. The most commonly used homeopathic drugs in case of salivary calculus are Alumen, Apis mel, Ars alb, Baryta mur, Belladona, Beri beri vulgaris, Borax, Bryonia, Calcarea Carbonica, Cantharis, China, Colocynthis, Hydrastis, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Mag phos, Nat Sulph, Nux mos, Nux Vom, Pulsastilla, 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.)

Taste – Delight of food

Taste – Delight of food

Tongue & Taste – Taste – Delight of food

Food is very essential for energy for our existence. Tasty food tempts us to eat. Taste is one of the special senses / feelings just like vision , hearing, smell, touch or pain . Each and every one has their own favourite taste. Parrots like chillies, rabbits like carrots, dogs like bones, children like ice creams / chocolates / sweets, etc.

Taste will help us choose the right quality food. Of course, it can also become a culprit in making one obese

with high cholesterol with good eating. Taste differs from person to person and also time to time even in the same individual. Usually, some food tastes good and some others might be tasteless. Without taste, no one will have interest in food and it may lead to disgust for it. Taste improves the appetite and also protects us from most bitter / corrosive substances by creating aversions.

Normally, desires and aversions are developed with habit, i.e., what some find delicious might be not be so for others. Nowadays, evolution of cooking and revolution of catering technology has been creating / introducing many varieties of food items claiming to be mouthwatering, delicious. Everyone likes to have sweets (mostly), as sugar and carbohydrates are most essential foods. But we can see personalities who crave for salty / sour foods / bitter things too. These cravings sometimes make the persons aggressive too, for example – children become aggressive and stubborn in getting chocolates, likewise, a dog might become aggressive for getting meat even if it has got milk.

One will not feel any taste beyond the pharynx, even then those tempting temporary moments make everyone to have good intake. Even though appetite is entirely different from taste, for good intake, it seems to be essential.

Taste buds and receptors – Feeling of taste is sensed by taste buds / receptors present all over the mouth in a scattered manner (i.e., in tongue, walls of cheek, gums, back part of pharynx and soft palate). Taste buds are actually a cluster of epithelial cells present around a central pore in the papillae. In the tip of the each taste bud, there will be hair / receptors to sense the taste of the substance which comes in contact with it. But, they get destroyed often since they are exposed to different types of food substances which includes concentrated acids (juices), alkali (salts), corrosives (preservatives), etc., and their life is short i.e., maximum 2 weeks. Anyhow, they are constantly renewed.

The tongue has 4 types of papillae. They are scattered in different areas and engaged in identifying specific tastes. They are:

• Fungiform papillae – concentrated more in anterior one third of the tongue (identify sweet taste more quickly than others)
• Circumvallate papillae – concentrated more in posterior two third of the tongue (identify bitter taste more quickly than others)
• Foliate papillae – concentrated more in lateral borders of the tongue (identify sour / salt taste more quickly than others)
• Filiform papillae – have no taste buds.

Parts of the tongue which are sensitive to specific taste are:

• Sweet – tip of the tongue
• Sour – sides of the tongue
• Bitter – back part of the tongue

Chemically sensitive taste buds identify the particular taste of the food substance and trigger the particular area in brain (cerebral cortex) to have a pleasant or irritable feeling. These types of special sensations are carried to the brain by VII cranial nerve – facial nerve – chorda tympani branch (from cheek and anterior 2/3 of tongue) and IX cranial nerve – glossopharngeal nerve (from posterior 1/3 of tongue, gums and pharynx).

Variation in taste – Taste is a feeling (pleasant taste / unpleasant taste). It often varies with many factors. Taste is usually coordinated with olfaction / odours. So any dysfunction of it can also reflect in taste. While masticating, different food substances come in contact with taste receptors and can cause variation or confusion in taste discrimination. Also, due to overlapped fields in cerebral cortex (of brain), taste cannot be fixed as certain by individual, so perception and adaptation commonly varies from person to person and sometimes in the same individual. Taste may be enhanced by tongue movements, which increase the distribution of the substance over a greater number of taste buds. Taste may differ (lowered or altered) with

• Age
• Dentures
• Strong tooth paste, mouth fresheners, betel leaves, tobacco, cigarettes, etc.
• Poor oral hygience, tongue coating and lack of proper brushing
• Physiological changes (pregnancy – craves sour / salt – since body needs more salts)
• Pathological changes – Diseases (especially upper respiratory tract infection, viral flu, stomatitis, nerve leisons, hormonal / endocrine disorders, etc.)
  Drugs
• Treatments like chemotherpy, radiation therapy, etc.
• Olfaction disorders – nose polyp / block, sinusitis, post nasal drip, allergy , etc.
  Brain dysfunctions (in taste areas)

In addition environment, colour / attraction / proper serving of food can also add flavours Taste will also differ from previous substance tasted, for example

• After taking goose berry, water will taste sweet
• After taking gymnema (sakkarakolli) leaves, you cannot realise the sweetness of any sweet
• Water may taste bitter or sour after getting accustomed to extreme salty foods.These may be due to a suppressing or an opposite effect.

Taste reflexes and taste provoking smells – Normally, mouth-watering

(increased drooling, salivation) can be seen with delicious food intake (even with smell or sight too). As a reflex, concentrated sour taste will induce increased salivation instantly (to enhance fast intake of it as salts are vital for the body). Also most bitter taste too will induce increased salivation (to reduce the concentration of bitter substance / bitterness to comfort the tongue).

All the taste buds will usually respond to more than one taste. As food substances have different taste substances, every taste bud will initiate taste stimuli to the brain. But, when they get contact with specific taste buds, they will initiate enhanced (pleasant or unpleasant) stimuli to the brain. Also many of the flavours are recognised more with the sense of smell, i.e., if one holds his nose while eating / drinking, he could not be certain in telling the exact taste of it. Likewise, even the smell of coffee can induce the taste of coffee in brain, since flavour of the coffee (or food) will also be exhaled through the nose with our natural respiration.

Taste disorders – Even though taste is not only confined to the tongue, the tongue is always blamed for any taste difference or variations. Taste buds / receptors in the tongue are very much sensitive to temperature or disease, so any change in body with oral temperature or disease will have taste variations too. Taste disorders are named as:

• Ageusia – Absence of taste (complete loss of taste buds / nerve functions)
• Dysgeusia – Inappropriate / inaccurate taste – (malfunctions of nerves)
• Hypogeusia – diminished taste sense (partial loss of taste buds / nerve functions)
• Parageusia – irritating or unpleasant sense of taste

These terms can be used only with complaints or feelings of the sufferer. Even though taste function test – spatial test – can analyse the taste variation, it cannot be tested easily as done for other special senses (vision or hearing). Also there is no scale for intenstiy or concentration of taste. In addition, complicated design of taste testing will not provide accurate results.

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.)

KELOID – SCAR TUMOUR

KELOID – SCAR TUMOUR

SKIN – KELOID – SCAR TUMOUR

Moles (natural or birthmarks – also known as god’s mark or luck mark) and scar (artificial or accidental mark – also known as devil’s mark) play a major role in forensic medicine in identifying a person, since they cannot be erased easily. They can be considered as landmark in our body which stay throughout our life. A keloid is a scar tumour which is supposed to be a larger scar. So, one needs to know about scar before learning about keloid.

Scar – To know about scar in our body, simply look for the vaccination spots on the arm. It is a scar. More reaction ends in a larger scar and less reaction ends in a smaller scar. Players and soldiers treat scar as their medals or stepping stones for their victory. In short, scar is unusual and abnormal skin surface revealing the history of accident or disease or surgery.

Normally, when skin gets injured superficially, natural healing can make skin revert back to normalcy without any trace of injury. But, when the injury is deeper, to support/tie that part, Nature puts more fibre strands i.e. collagen fibres, cross through the spot, making it a scar. Scar tissue is usually tougher than normal skin tissue, but lacks blood vessels, sweat glands, hair follicles, etc. You will not have sweat in that area, you will not have hair in that area and you will not have normal good healing in that area when the spot gets injured.

Keloid – A keloid is a scar tumour where our body/skin keeps on supporting the injured spot with more and more collagen fibres to make the spot more and more strengthened. It can be considered as an overreaction to the injury or disease immediately after or later. Keloid usually progresses slowly in size and width. It never disappears or reverts back to normal on its own.

Incidence – Keloids are most commonly seen in blacks. They also seem to run in families. They can occur in any age at any occasion irrespective of sex. Mostly they follow or occur in injured spots. Sometimes, they can occur without any injury or skin lesions.

Common Sites – Even though they can appear at any spot, the common victims are chest, shoulders and back. They also commonly occur in surgery suture spots (chest in open heart surgery), in injection spots (arm, ear lobe, etc) and in skin grafted places.

Causes – Even though the exact cause or gene transmission cannot be predicted and proved clearly, the keloid most commonly starts with injury or skin lesions (diseases). Delay in healing of the wound mostly seems to be the precursor of the scar formation. This tendency to scar formation often leads to keloid later. It is most commonly seen in burns (where skin is deeply affected) and in open heart surgery cases. It is important to note tattooing spots are also more vulnerable to develop keloid growth.

Symptoms – Mostly, smooth, purple coloured raised swelling will be the one and only symptom of keloid, i.e., mainly cosmetic disfigurement. But depending upon its size, place andextension/expansion, it can cause further symptoms, i.e. pain, burning sensation, itching, ulcer, restriction of movement, etc. But most often patients consult doctors with concern more for cosmetic disfigurement only. Even though it need not be feared for becoming cancerous tumours, the cosmetic disfigurement often makes one depressed.

Diagnosis – Even though appearance, i.e. raised and spreading scar, with history of injury in the specified spot itself betrays the possibility of keloid, confirmation can be sought by biopsy and histo-pathological reports.

Complications – Mostly there won’t be any complications. But depending upon the places (bends and joints), treatments (steroidal injections or external irritant applications) and other sufferings ( diabetes, neurological disorders, etc.), complication may arise. On getting a flare up, it can cause more pain and itching and can finally end in contractures and restriction of movement in the affected spots.

Prevention – Always prevention is better than cure. This has been proven in the case of keloid too. So, early care must be taken for all wound healing. People who have the tendency to develop keloid should be careful to avoid skin lesions and surgery. If necessary, surgery should be performed by expert hands with the precaution to avoid suture over bends and joints and to take intensive care in wound healing. Supplements like vitamins (especially vitamin E) and minerals can be taken to heal the wound at the earliest. It is also wise not to rub or scratch or apply any irritants on the spot to prevent it from growing further or forming ulcerations.

Treatment – Most often, keloid is left untreated by modern school of medicine. If the sufferer insists more due to cosmetic disfigurement or due to hindrance of normal function of life due to big swelling, then doctors will provide steroidal injections on the spot to arrest/regress the growth. If it is not responding, then they go for surgical removal /excision with or without plastic surgery. Both ways, recurrences are more common and no one can guarantee that it will not recur. Also, sometimes, after surgery, keloid growth may recur with flare up i.e., more in size than previously. Also, there are various other treatment like cryosurgery, radiation therapy, laser therapy, etc. Each one has its own complications. Most times, their adverse effect will be more than their benefits.

Homeopathic Approach – Most people with keloid will suffer silently, tolerating all the pain without knowing what to do and how to proceed with it. Considering keloid as a pure surgical disorder (even though it can’t solve it permanently) nobody thinks of Homeopathy for treatment. But, Homeopathy can treat keloid well. In Homeopathy, removal of keloid with surgery is considered as the removal of effects of the disease and not the removal of the cause or disease itself, leading to recurrence of keloid in the same spot or in other spots. Homeopathy is a natural way to help the body by supporting the body’s own process of healing and expelling the disease force by itself. The Homeopathy medicine not only relieves the pain of the keloid, but also treats the condition to regress.

Best results can be seen if one starts treatment early. Initially, Homeopathic medicines arrest the growth or expansion of keloid. In course of time, Homeopathy medicines can make keloid shrink without any surgical procedure. Even though keloid cannot be made to disappear as a whole, it can be reduced up to 80 – 90 per cent its size, depending upon the age of the keloid and the patient. The remaining 10 – 20 per cent will remain silently as a trace or residuals or history of the sufferings.

The Homeopathic medicines commonly prescribed for keloid are – Acid Flour, Acid Nit, Baryta carb, Bryonia, Calc carb, Calc flour, Hepar sulph, Phytolacco, Radium brom, Silicea, Spigelia, Sulphur, Thuja, Tuberculinum, 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.)

Sciatica – Lightning leg pain

Sciatica – Lightning leg pain

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 withsensation, 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.)