An overview of Cervical & Lumbar Spondylosis and their homeopathic management
Introduction
The word spondylosis is derived from the Greek word for vertebrae. It is a painful condition of the spine resulting from the degeneration of the intervertebral discs. It is structurally characterized by degeneration of the spine and subsequent osteophyte formation (osteoarthritis change). Hence spondylosis changes in the spine are frequently referred to as osteoarthritis of spine. Depending upon the location of degeneration, it is called either cervical, thoracic or lumbar spondylosis. Thoracic spondylosis is uncommon. At times lumbosacral spondylosis is also reported, which involves both lumbar as well as sacral spine. There are cases having multilevel spondylosis, which is the affection of multiple vertebrae.
Scope of homeopathy
Homeopathy plays a positive role in spondylosis. A study[i] published in British Homeopathic Journal shows that there was 60.38% clinical improvement in unilaterally affected cervical spondylosis with a few symptoms. In case of cervical spondylosis with many characteristics symptoms, clinical improvement was 48%. However, where the cervical spondylosis was associated with many other diseases, improvement was only 12.8%. Another study[ii] of lumbar spondylosis published in American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine shows that there was an improvement of 78% over baseline. All cases improved substantially, most within one month. No case took longer than 2 months to experience benefit. From the results, it was concluded that homeopathy appears to be effective in treating lumbar spondylosis.
Homeopathy is not only useful in spondylosis, but also in lumbar disc herniation. A study[iii] published in Homeopathic Links shows that relief of between 76 – 99 % was seen in 30 % of the cases, and 26 – 50 % relief was seen in 50 % of patients. In multi-level disc protrusion cases results were not that encouraging. Absence from work was drastically reduced. One failed post-laminectomy case was treated successfully.
Various studies show that cervical and lumbar spondylosis is found 60-80% of people over 40 years of age. Conventional medicine has a limited role of analgesics and anti-inflammatories. Prolonged use of them is attached to unwanted adverse effects. As presented above, homeopathy has proven to be effective in the management of spondylosis. This article gives an overview of the condition and its homeopathic management.
Symptoms
Symptoms are generally attributed to the osteophytic changes, encroachment and compression of nerve roots and subsequent nerve injury, disc protrusion or prolapse, loss of lumbar curvature, spasm of muscles alongside the spine and related pathology.Many symptoms are common in both cervical and lumbar spondylosis. Such symptoms include radiating pain in the areas of the distribution of affected nerve root, aggravation by movement, numbness or loss of sense in affected areas, weakness, wasting, etc. Specific symptoms of cervical spondylosis include pain in the neck that rigid or stiff neck, reflex impairment, headaches that mostly occur in the back of the head, tingling or numbness that mainly affects shoulders, arms, hands, legs or feet, etc. Whereas the symptoms of lumbar spondylosis include pain in the back, buttocks, or legs, with possible numbness, and muscle weakness that may be worsened by activities such as lifting, bending, twisting, or sitting.
Risk factors
As stated earlier, age is one of the important risk factors. People in the bracket of 20 and 50 year of age are mostly affected. Family history and genetics, occupation and spinal injury are other factors.
Laboratory investigations
Usually symptoms help us to diagnose the condition. If needed, x-ray, CT scan and MRI are also used to find out exact pathological changes in the spine.
Limitations
Treatment is not aimed at reversing the degenerative changes. There is no report on any intervention proving reversal of degenerative changes. However, it can be well managed by homeopathic treatment with the support of self-care, physiotherapy and yoga to reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life.
General management
When the pain is severe, straining should be avoided. Mild exercise specific to the type of spondylosis will help to lessen the pain. There are neck exercises for cervical spondylosis and back and lower limb exercises for lumbar spondylosis. If pain gets worse during exercise then that particular exercise should not be continued. Bed rest should be avoided since that is reported to prolong the recovery. Perhaps it can be tried when the severity comes down. Ultrasound and interferential therapy performed by physiotherapists are found to be effective to bring down the pain in shorter duration. Application of warm compresses and ice can be tried as home remedy. Lumbar spondylosis patients report relief from keeping a pillow between the legs. Neck braces can be worn for shorter period to give rest to the neck muscles. Surgical intervention would last option especially in case of complicated disc herniation.
Homeopathic treatment
As mentioned under scope of homeopathy, homeopathy helps in managing the condition effectively. The approach is usually with conditions specific remedies to give prompt relief to the patient and intercurrent constitutional miasmatic drugs to reduce the tendency. Such conditions specific remedies are given below with indications:
Abrotanum
Osteoarthritis with excessive pain before the swelling commences; joints stiff, swollen, with pricking sensation; wrists and ankle-joints painful, inflamed, very lame and sore.
Acidumbenzoicum
Tearing with stitches.Pain with cracking sound on motion; tearing and stitching pain with redness and swelling of joints.Worse at night.Pains alternate with heart symptoms.
Acidumformicum
Muscular pain & soreness; tremor.Right side.Worse motion; better pressure, walking. Arthritis deformans is associated.
Apismellifica
Arthritis with oedema of the hands and feet without thirst with sensitiveness to touch; character of pain: burning, stringing, sore and suddenly migrating from one part to another.
Arnica montana
Its chief action is on connective tissues and muscles surrounding vertebra. It improves circulation of affected or injured areas. It covers pain due to spondylosis from physical exertion. Covers different intensity of pain from mild discomfort to intense acute pain. Injury is the causative factor. Pain with fear of being touched. Feels bed on which he lies too hard; extreme coldness of forearm. Sprained sensation.Worse touch, rest, lying down; better motion.
Belladonna
Shiny, swollen joints of first stage inflammation; shooting pain shifting rapidly; affected joint is with heat, redness, throbbing and burning pain; arthritic affection with subcutaneous red streak
Berberis vulgaris
Tearing and shooting pains; pain with extreme tiredness after walking a short distance.Worse menses, motion, pressure, stepping hard, rising from sitting; better open air. Associated with diseases of urinary organs; uric acid diathesis.
Bryoniaalba
Drawing pain in the shoulder joints; sticking pain in the fingers and hip joint. Predominantly right side. Worse warmth, any motion, morning, eating, hot weather, exertion, touch.; Better, lying on painful side, pressure, rest, cold things.
Calcareacarbonica
Limbs drawn together crooked; pain after exposure to wet. Mostly lower limbs. Worse cold damp weather, exertion. Associated with obesity; coldness of inflamed joint.
Causticum
Dull tearing pain in the affected joint.
Cobaltummetallicum
Pain with fatigue worse in the morning.
Colchicum autumnale
Drawing, tearing and pressing pain; patient screams when touching the affected joint; sharp and shifting pains worse towards night. Pain shifts from right to left. During warm weather with cold air.
Calendula officinalis
It helps to accelerate the regeneration of damaged nerves and tissues due to spondylosis. It is well-known to have good healing properties. In case of spondylitis, majority of cases have nerve injury from the nerve compression. Promotes healthy granulations and rapid healing by first intention. It alleviates pulling pain which worse from movement.
Dulcamara
Spinal arthritic pain from exposure to cold, damp and rainy weather or changes in hot weather; spondylosis alternate with diarrhoea; spondylosis follows acute skin eruptions.
Formica rufa
Sudden onset, with restlessness; patients desire motion, although it worsens pain; sweat without relief; stiffness. Right side most affected. Pains worse, motion; better, pressure.At times associated with perspiration.
Kalmia
Intense pain shifts from one joint ot another; joints hot, red and swollen. Affection of multiple joint.Worse form least motion.
Lachnanthes
This is one of my favourite remedies in cervical spondylosis. Drawn over to one side in sore throat.Rheumatism of the neck.Stiffness of neck.Pain in nape, as if dislocated. High potencies like 1M found to be most beneficial.
Lycopodium
Spondylosis with drawing and tearing pains; sometimes with gastric and hepatic disorder.
Medorrhinum
Sore feeling of whole body; past history of suppressed venereal disease; arthritis with intense restless of legs and feet.Pain especially when walking
Phytolacca
Pain shifts rapidly like electric shock; nature of pain is shooting, lancinating and flying to other part; pain better by stretching the limbs.
Pulsatilla
Pain with tearing and drawing pain in back muscles; pain shift rapidly with restlessness and sleeplessness; type of pain: drawing, tearing and tensive.
Rhododendron
Spondylosis of acute stage; drawing and tearing pain worse at rest and in wet cold, windy weather.
Rhustoxicodendron
It mainly acts on joints, cartilages and connective tissues. Alleviates pains in the surrounding tendons and tendon sheaths. It covers pain and stiffness in the neck and lumbar region, associated with restlessness and better by motion. Therefore cannot keep the extremities in one position. Spinal arthritis after over lifting; affected parts sore to touch. Affects predominantly left side. Pain on first motion and better by continued motion; complaints worse in rainy weather.
Rutagraveolens
Acts on bone, periosteum, joints, tendons, connective tissue and muscles. Covers pains aggravated by overstrains, weakness of the affected parts, stiffness, lumbar pain worse by lying down and night, etc. It also helps in headache due to cervical spondylosis.
Symphytumofficinale
It acts on the vertebral bones and joints,and surrounding muscles and tendons. Covers pricking pains and soreness of vertebral bones and cartilages. It also improves vertebral blood circulation where the veins are inflamed. Suits well in cases of cervical and lumbar spondylosis originated from injury.
Acknowledgement
Dr. P. N. Varma, for his expertise and scientific inputs on drugs with cholesterol lowering effects.
[i]G.R. Mohan, C. Jayalakshmi, A.L. Meena Devi. Cervical spondylosis—a clinical study. Homeopathy, Vol. 85, Issue 3, p131–133
[ii]P., Praveen Raj; Babu, Bayula. Homeopathic Treatment of Lumbar Spondylosis: An Observational Study. American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine . Autumn 2015, Vol. 108 Issue 3, p104-110. 7p.
[iii] Ram Mohan Gundimeda. Herniated Lumbar Disc – A Clinical Study. Homœopathic Links 2008; 21(4): 217-220