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TURMERIC FOR SCIATICA AS ONE OF THE HERBAL TREATMENTS

By Tess Thompson

There has been a lot of media hype over herbal treatments. With the banning of certain herbs and their exclusion from the US pharmacopeia, due to their reported adverse affects, herbs have also had their shares of controversies.

Herbs are natural products and have nothing to offer to pharmaceutical companies as they are difficult to patent. Turmeric is one of the few herbs over which the Indian Government has fought a successful legal battle against companies that are trying to patent it for medicinal purposes.

Conventional allopathic drugs are infamous for their adverse affects and the complications that are difficult to manage. There are myriads of plants and herbs that have medicinal properties that are safe to use and have been in use for ages.

Turmeric has a rich past to support its efficacy in healing. It is not uncommon to see Indians drinking milk mixed with pure turmeric powder when they hurt themselves. Turmeric and milk can also prove to be a good home remedy for a cold and chest congestion. It is also used as a topical application for sprains and strains. However, turmeric does not have research to back it and one has to depend upon success stories and word of mouth testimonies. Stories, however, are stories and difficult for people to believe if they are looking for physical and scientific evidence.

Sciatica pain can be debilitating and can often lead to partial or complete immobility. It is a pain caused by compression of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the human body that has its roots in lower spine and extends to the legs, passing through the buttocks. Compression of any of its five roots due to alterations in spinal disc is the most common cause behind sciatica. It is a long nerve and is susceptible to getting pinched or compressed at various points along its route.

There is no single treatment for sciatica. Conventional sciatic nerve treatment involves use of toxic pain killers. Even traditional physicians suggest a combination of therapies. Herbs form an important part of sciatica alternative remedies as do exercises, acupuncture, yoga and chiropractic manipulations. Turmeric, as an herbal remedy, can play an important role in managing sciatica.

Turmeric is an herb that grows as a slender stem with yellowish orange color inside. It has known anti inflammatory properties and is an effective herb for healing injuries. A mixture of turmeric, butter oil and herbs like piper longum and roots of the genus Allium is used as a topical medicine for healing, alleviating pain and reducing inflammation. It is chewed in its raw form for cough and is also an important ingredient in practically all types of Indian curries.

The fact that there was an attempt for patenting turmeric for its use in pain relief is sufficient evidence of its efficacy. It may not be long before turmeric gets the recognition that it deserves as alternative medicine for pain relief and accompanying cardiovascular and anti-carcinogenic properties. Its record is much stronger than most of the other herbs. Turmeric has been in use in Asia for blood, gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders and relief from pain.

References:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3987/is_200204/ai_n9079041
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2306_1.cfm
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Acharya14.html
http://www.cherylsherbs.com/turmeric.htm