Sciatica

C.E. Alliaume

Sciatica, ischias or ischiagra, is a neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, and often a difficult disease for the patient to tolerate and for the physician to cure. Among the many remedies which may often be indicated in its treatment are arsenicum album, colocynthis and rhus tox., and because of their importance I am giving their symptomatology that they may be compared or differentiated.

I have cared for many cases of sciatica and have found it very amenable to treatment, the vibrator and galvanic or faradic current being the only means used beside the internal medication. While the symptoms which I shall give are characteristic of colocynth, arsenicum alba and rhus tox. in their relation to sciatica, the sciatica may be but an associated condition, and then the totality of all of the patient's symptoms must be considered in order to make the proper selection of the simillimum.

The number of cases of sciatica which I have cured after the patients' failure to find relief from treatment at the hands of other physicians has given me the greatest confidence in the efficiency of the homoeopathically indicated remedy.

The time required to produce a cure is indefinite, as much depends on the general condition of the patient, the character of his surrounding influences, such as his work being very strenuous, working in water or in extremes of temperature, etc.

Materia medica

Arsenicum album

Severe burning, tearing, drawing pain in the affected hip, not allowing the patient a moment's rest.

Sciatica brought on from staying in a damp, cold cellar.

Deep, drawing, boiling sensation in sciatic region; hopeless, pale, emaciated; dyspnoea and fainting spells on slightest exertion.

Pain back of great trochanter, extending down back of thigh toward knee; and in front, embracing the patella, down the tibia to ankle.

Pain somewhat relieved by flexion of knee. Cramp in thighs, calves and toes in evening in bed. Aggravation. After midnight or from 1 to 2 P.M. -from cold-cold drinks or cold food-lying on affected side or with head low.

Amelioration. From heat in general.

Colocynthis

Crampy pain in affected hip, as though screwed in a vice; lies upon affected side with knee drawn up.

Shooting pains, like lightning, down the whole limb. Pain passing down outside of leg from hip to ankle in paroxysms every 15 minutes; worse at night, relieved by heat.

Parts very painful to touch. Movements at first aggravate and later relive pain; aggravation again from continued motion, when every two or three hours four or five successive shocks of pain pass suddenly through the affected parts.

Tenderness on pressing over the sciatic and stiffness of knee joints; pain relieved by rubbing. Severe pain in right leg compelling him to lie quietly in one place.

The slightest motion causes great pain and sensation as if marrow were being crushed. Want of sensation along the sciatic. Occasional pain shooting with lightning-like rapidity from small of back to heels.

Severe stitching, tearing pain in right hip and thigh, worse from motion. Sciatica characteristically right-sided.

Aggravation. Least motion, walking or standing-at night between 1 and 1 A.M. , also 4 P.M. -from heat, anger. Pain worse soon after rising and about noon.

Amelioration. Hard pressure, absolute quiet, and lying on affected side. 

Rhus toxicodendron

Sciatica, worse on right side; dull aching pain, worse at night, from cold damp weather; relieved by rubbing, heat and when warmed by exercise.

Numbness and formication over sciatic. Paroxysmal pains in sciatics from getting wet, especially when warm and sweaty.

Tearing pains in legs during rest. Violent, tearing, burning pains from tuberosity of right ischium, following course of sciatic nerve and spreading over thigh, knee and leg; it generally came at night, increased in intensity every minute and compelled him to get up and walk, which relieve.

Sciatica of left side; drawing, burning, lancinating pains, worse at night, from cold weather.

A sensation of coldness in the limbs, aggravated at rest but relieved from continued motion. Sensation as if the hamstrings were too short. (Nat. mur.).

Sciatica of rhus tox. is characteristically left-sided, although there are many right-sided cases.

Aggravation. Before a storm-from cold, wet weather-after midnight-from getting wet while perspiring-during rest.

Amelioration. From dry, warm weather-wrapping warmly-heat, motion-change of position-moving affected parts.

Discussion

E.G. H. Beck: I would like to call attention to the sensitiveness, or rather over-sensitiveness, of arsenic.

A case of sciatica in which I prescribed arsenicum presented these peculiar symptoms: A sensation as if hot needles were sticking in the limb in the region of the great trochanter, with a great desire to wrap up warm.

She was markedly oversensitive both as to pain and also as to the condition of her bed and room (this was rather an unusual condition in this patient); there was also great thirst, a desire for warm drinks.

Transactions of the Homeopathic Medical Society of State of New York. 1911.