Diagnosis of the Sciatica Disease

The patient suffering from sciatica and slip-disk feels recurrent pain. Once it becomes chronic, the patient experiences difficulty in movements. A little bending, moving or any other tension hurts him. Such patients always prefer to lie down to get relief from pain. The body of the patient becomes weak. he always feels dejected and irritated. With this psychological problem his personal, familial, married, and social life becomes pathetic and miserable.

Modern Therapy:  In the chronic cases, operation is the popular cure. Surgeons remove the damaged disc and reattach both the vertebrae. With this treatment patient no doubt gets relief but this is not a permanent relief. Sometimes pain recurs. With all such procedures the condition worsened. In the initial stages, doctors prescribe waist belt but even that is not a permanent cure. Hot sponging of the region of pain and swelling does provide some immediate relief. Even light massage is helpful. Aspirin or some other muscular depressants are used. But all these cures provide immediate but temporary relief.

Yoga Therapy: For the patients of slip-disc and sciatica, in the beginning, such asanas are prescribed which strengthen the muscles and ligaments associated with the vertebrae. The smooth functioning of those parts is assured and a steady flow of blood to these parts is maintained. Backward bending asans are especially beneficial in these diseases. The duration of asans should be gradually increased till the back bending attains perfection.

The patient should practice following asans under the guidance of an expert yoga trainer __ Makarasan, adwasan, and jyeshthikasan. Once the practice of these is perfected, then gradually the patient must proceed with ardha shalabhasan, sarpasan, simple dhanurasan, bhujangasan, shalabhasan, vajrasan, ushtrasan, meru vakrasan, and bhu namanasan. For the shoulder and upper back dwikonasan, sarpasan, bhujangasan, garudasan, gomukhasan and marjari asan are useful and beneficial. Besides these, shithilikaran, pranayama, dhyana and ajapa japa should be practiced.

In the previous issues the procedures for makarasan, marjari asan, sarpasan, bhujangasan, and dhanurasan have been described in detail. The procedures for the rest of the asans are as follows.