Sciatica is a disease of the nerves. In this pain is felt along the sciatic nerve, when the nerve is compressed or pinched by the tightened muscles attached to the hip when it emerges from the spinal cord or due to the pressure from an intervertebral disc.
Sciatica pain is felt from hip to the foot on the backside. The person feels pain while bending down or walking. This pain is felt even while sitting and sleeping. Sciatica pain is generally felt on one side but sometimes it could be on both sides. This pain is typically a radiating pain that usually is related to a specific nerve root.
Home Remedies for Sciatica Pain
In Ayurveda, sciatica is known as gridhrasi and considered as a Vataj Roga or Vataj Kaphaj Roga.
Vataj disease is caused by the vitiation of vata dosa alone and contains a needling sensation. The Vata imbalances cause gas, constipation, abdominal distention, sciatica, arthritis, etc. feet. Vataj dominating sciatica there is rigidity, throbbing, pricking pain, intermittent symptoms, the irregular shape of body parts, and severe stiffness of the knee and waist. In Kaphaj symptoms include stupor, heaviness, poor digestion, salivation, and aversion to food.
In Ayurveda, the patient is advised to do Yoga and Pranayama. Certain medicines such as Yograj Guggul, Vatari Guggulu, Kishor Guggulu, Maharasnadi Quath, Maha Vishgarbha Tailam, Maha Narayana Tailam (remedy as a local message) are also prescribed.
Doing Yoga and Pranayam
Do Yoga and Pranayam daily in the morning. The continuous practice of yoga helps a lot. The sciatica pain, stiffness of the body, waist pain and even other diseases are managed by doing Yoga and Pranayam.
Do following Yoga in expert’s guidance
- Markatasana
- Katiuttasana
- Makarasana
- Shalabhasana
- Ushtrasana
- Ardhachandrasana
Pranayam
- Anulom-Vilom
- Nadi shodhan
- Suryabhedi Pranayam
- Kapalbhati Pranayam
Apply cold and hot compresses
Apply cold and hot compresses alternately for ten minutes each. This is done at least twice or thrice daily.
Do exercise
To relieve the sciatica pain, lie on one side with the knee of that side slightly bent, and then extend the other leg and raise it towards the ceiling three times. Turnover and repeat the same exercise on the opposite side.
Prepare Homemade Oil for Sciatica pain
Cook garlic cloves in mustard oil to make medicated oil. Use this oil to massage the painful area.
Or
Mix fine powder of Akarkara in walnut oil and massage the painful area (sciatica pain).
Or
Mix 10 grams of nutmeg with 100 grams of sesame oil, cook it. Massage this medicated oil gives relief in pain.
USING AYURVEDIC HERBS
Daily eat 5 leaves of Tulsi in the morning.
Boil about 250 grams of Parijat leaves in 1 liter of water well till water reduces to 700 ml, then filter it.
Add 1 gram of saffron in this decoction and fill in the bottle. Drinking 50 ml of this daily in the morning and evening. Do this for a month.
OR
Clean, crush and boil fresh leaves of the Parijat in a glass of water, when half a glass of water remains, filter it. Drink daily for one week.
Ground 100 grams of Nirgundi seeds. Divided this powder into 10 equal doses. Mix one dose in pure ghee Aata Halwa and eat. Eat daily for 10 days.
Make a powder by mixing the following ingredients:
- 20 grams of fenugreek seeds
- 20 gram Amla/Anvla (Indian gooseberry)
- 10 grams of Ajwain
- Take this powder in a dose of 1 teaspoon per day.
Every day, eat 2-3 garlic cloves with water.
What to Avoid in Sciatica
Pulses, beans, and fried things are strictly prohibited. The patient should not take curd or any other sour things, including sour fruit.
For managing sciatica, have a daily exercise program and avoid prolonged sitting, prolonged standing, and improper lifting.
The patient should avoid sitting on hard stools, wearing tight belts and tight pants.