Query is: can homeopathy help me. I have been suffering from Sciatica since October last year. I have seen an orthopaedic surgeon who would be happy to operate and I've also seen a neurosurgeon who would be happy to operate. I should say that both said I should try all other alternatives first with the exception of chiropractors, because of the potential further damage that could be caused.

I have had physiotherapy, acupuncture. Neither with much success. I am on anti-inflammatories and the neurosurgeon has given me pain killers (Tramal) for when it is too bad. I also have other pain killers which contain codeine which I try not to take very much.

I have had CT scans, Xrays and lately an MRI. The MRI showed that my L4/5 disc is ruptured causing spinal stenosis. On the MRI the rupture shows at least halfway upwards on L4.

I am in constant pain in my hip and calf (typical for L4/5 disc). Although initially my leg gave way a couple of times this has disappeared and occasionally I almost feel as if I'm going to get better, only to hurt myself and go right back to stage 1 again. Example - had started to feel less pain for a couple of days, even walked about a block before I started to feel uncomfortable - that night I forgot and bent over to hug my god-daughter and have been in agony ever since.

I can sit, lie down but walking or standing can be agony, so much so that I start to sweat, turn white as a ghost and have to breath deeply to control the pain if I'm in a line of people for instance at a checkout.

I'd appreciate your advice.

My mother had sciatica about 15 years ago...she kept asking her homeopath to help her..he kept saying there was nothing he could do. She begged him. He gave her belladonna....and the pain went away..forever.

I have cured sciatic with homeopathy lots of times. Coloc. works palliatively but it is best to have a full consultation whereby a remedy is found for you as an individual rather than a diease name. With this sort of prescribing from a Classical homeopath you should realise a cure.

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Kesa,

Why don't you see Dr. Leela at
www.homeopathy2health.com

I, too, used to have sciatica, so I know how crippling it can be!

Good luck,
Snoopy

Boericke lists over 100 remedies for sciatica, so it would be important to take the whole case.

__________________
Shirley Reischman

Kesa, I advise you to :
1. not consider Homeopathy yet.
2. find the most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory for your pain, e.g.,VOLTAROL,NAPROXEN...the response is different for each patient (as Dr Hahnemann might have predicted).
I prefer Rofecoxib (VIOXX) because it has no adverse effects on the stomach/intestine - all the other anti-inflammatories do, with long-term use. Take the maximum dose of the chosen anti-inflammatory, but never take it on an empty stomach. (NAPROXEN was my favourite until it, eventually, gave me duodenal ulcers.)
3. If you have a sleeping problem, take Amitriptyline for sleep - start at 10mg, go up to 75mg (if need be), 1-2 hours before bedtime.
4. SECONDARIES: limit your fluid intake (only drink when you are thirsty) - anti-inflammatories tend to cause fluid retention (oedema) and this will cause a constant stinging pain in your affected parts - hips/legs. Also, the muscles become stiff and hard (myoedema). Immediately, on seeing & palpating my legs, a Chinese doctor diagnosed oedema/fibrosis.
5. Prevent muscle deterioration with the right exercise/physiotherapy. Later, it can become very difficult to reverse muscle contractures/fibrosis which develop.
Your back will gradually improve with time and the right mobility - it may take a long time - while at the same time, the secondary problems will gradually develop. The physiotherapy did not appear to help early on, but it is important in preventing these secondary problems.
6.My prob was at L5/S1, and taking a warm bath daily (with gently stretch and massage of the muscles) was important. Perhaps you have a problem with getting in/out of the bath. But, if you can do it daily, spend only about 10 minutes in the bath, and dry yourself quickly afterwards, to avoid oedema problem (above). Try to walk around for a while after the bath.
7. As you mention, no sudden movements, but keep as active as possible without aggravating the pain.
Yes, you lose all gains made with the wrong movement...mine was more a sitting problem, but getting into the habit of lying in bed too much was the very worst thing to do.
8. I don't recommend paracetamol or codeine, (or a combination) because, though they reduce the pain signal to the brain, your movements may be causing more tissue damage/inflammation (which you will have to pay for later).
Your back should recover on its own, just be patient. If no improvement, or worsening of back symptoms (not secondaries) by August, consider spinal surgery - microsurgery by a neurosurgeon.

"I can sit, lie down but walking or standing can be agony, so much so that I start to sweat, turn white as a ghost and have to breath deeply to control the pain if I'm in a line of people for instance at a checkout".

I remember the sweating & turning white as a ghost, too...others would keep telling me about it. But, ignore it, and try to keep as active as possible.
When I had that problem, it was so persistent I became convinced that it would last for ever, but I was wrong (thankfully).

Tim K

[ 10. February 2003, 17:54: Message edited by: Timokay ]

Kesa, Homeopathy is very effective with these types of problems. I had a longstanding problem with L4/5. My back would 'go out' on me, rendering me completely bedridden.

L5 was ruptured at one point, and I was told surgery was about the only thing that would 'help'. That it was going to be inevitable no matter how long I put it off.

I had bad periods and not-so-bad periods. I learned to live with the pain - making adjustments to what I could and could not do -- with various pain killers on standby when things got really bad and I couldn't move. I lived with this for well over ten years.

Then I discovered homeopathy (for other problems....never dreamed this would be resolved!)

It's cured now. I haven't had so much as a twinge in my lower back for over 2 years. Not one. And, my mobility is great now.

You have to find a good homeopath. Perhaps one of the posters here can recommend someone in Oz who is a sound practitioner.

I would stay away from the anti-inflammatories if you can manage!
Good luck, Austin.

Austin,
Why no anti-inflammatories? Without them I would have died. Long-term, granted, they need management.
Did they not work for you, at all?
Kesa has a mechanical problem, spinal stenosis, nerves are being compressed - care needs to be taken with the management of this pain.
Yours was mechanical too? Your pain was actually in the back not referred to the hip/butt/legs?
What did the Homeopath give you?
Tim

[ 10. February 2003, 18:29: Message edited by: Timokay ]

Hi Tim,
Referred pain was in the butt, hip and down the left leg. Sometimes it was a shooting pain. Sometimes it was a nervy pain. L5 ruptured about 5 yrs into the problem. This is when I began to have episodes of being utterly bedridden and incapcitated. There was no mechanical misalignment (I'd seen an osteopath...)
I'd had several MRI's, CAT scans and xrays.....MRI's with dye....you name it.

I suspect all the 'pain management' caused me to do things that actually damaged the disc, but that's my feeling on it. I took a lot of pain killers during the first 5 yrs - and anti-inflammatories. But it wasn't without affecting my liver and kidneys too.....

I only said if she could manage without the inflammatories, it would be better. They cause a lot of strain on the kidneys and liver. Long term use is definitely not good. If it were to recur with me now, I wouldn't use them at all.

Applying wet-heat was the best thing for me personally. Not an easy task when you can't move, but if you have someone that can get a wet-heated-pad to place on your back - it helps ease the pain tremendously. (Or lie on the pad if you can't tolerate being on your tummy)

I began treatment with my homeopath just over 2 years ago. I had a twinge in my back during the first 6mos of treatment - amongst other symptoms that were resufacing in my case. I thought "Oh dear, this is it -- my back is going again" and literally went to my bed fully expecting to be there for another 'spell'.

I rang my homeopath and reported what was happening. But, having just had a second dose of the remedy (Puls) she had given me for my overall case -- she said to wait if it I could bear it - if the pain was managable. The pain wasn't at its 'normal' zenith, so I went to my bed and rested - fully expecting it to worsen with each minute (as it normally did). I was supposed to ring if it got really bad like it had all the other times in the previous 10 years.

It never worsened. I rested and it improved inside of two days. (I remember thinking - NO WAY -- it's going to come back! But it didn't.)

I've never had another episode since. So, this is the longest I've gone without having had pain in my lower back, ever since my back was injured. I've slowly ventured into doing old things that before would set it off. Slowly. Now, I can do almost everything I did before -- save what age has limited :razz: .

Then last year I had a T3/4 problem - not a ruptured disc thank heavens, but it was part of the old back problem (I'd been injured years before and it affected my lower back initially and upper back later), and I had always thought it was an offshoot of compensating for my lower back. I remember thinking, "Oh dear -- now my lower back will be next --- this hasn't resolved like I thought and hoped ."

It was very intense -- much worse than I'd ever experienced in my upper spine before -- extending to my neck and shoulders (right side). Rang the homeopath -- was prescribed Rhus-tox 30 - and told to get it checked by the osteopath when the pain subsided enough to get there and be physically handled. I had the check up. There was nothing mechanical out of place. He couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain and offered acupuncture (I said no thanks).

Rang the homeopath back -- and was told to ring as soon as the sx's worsened again. Anyway, it got so bad in my upper back extending to neck and shoulders, that I couldn't move my head at all.....nor open my mouth but about 2/3 cms! Any slight movement would send me into spasms of unbearable pain. I cried like a baby with this one. I thought I was dying. In fact, I was praying for some relief or death it was so bad. Some might laugh at this, but it wasn't the least bit funny at the time. It was pure agony.

I was given rhus tox (200c) for that episode, after my homeopath was satisfied nothing mechanical was out of place. Within 3 days I steadily improved to 80%. Within another 2 or 3 days I was fully recovered. Nary a twinge since - and it's been 15 mos since that happened.

Also, I noticed in the months leading up to this upper back episode I was especially sensitive to drafts -- especially if I'd been sweating. Now, ever since the dose of R-tox, if I'm in a draft and sweaty - it doesn't affect me anymore at all. Not in the slightest.

Oh, and that sweating and turning white as a ghost is a very familiar memory. Such is the intensity of the pain!! I don't wish this on anyone.
I hope this answers your questions, Tim.

One last thing. I'd say do what feels okay for you back. If you feel like lying down - lie down. If you feel you need support - then support it. If you feel like taking a hot bath, hot shower, cold bath, cold shower, then do it. But be careful of the things that are painful. Remember, pain is there to protect us from damaging things which aren't doing so well. Good luck Kesa!!
Austin

[ 10. February 2003, 19:47: Message edited by: Austin Powers ]

PS:
Kesa,
I remember too well, being paralysed with pain in public places. Not being able to move without taking in measured breaths. Measuring in my mind how long - how many steps (in pain) it would take me to get out of the shop - into the car - and the agony-drive home. I just re-read your original post.....and having recounted my past problems to Tim, I feel so much sympathy for your current problem. I hope you can find a good homeopath to help you. Best wishes, Austin.