Effectiveness of Individualized Homoeopathic Medicines in Pain and Health-Related Quality of life in Patients with Sciatica using Synthesis Repertory: A Single Group, Pre-Post Interventional Study

INTRODUCTION: Hippocrates was, the first physician to use the term ‘sciatica’, deriving from the Greek ‘’ischios’’, hip. Sciatica (ME84.3 as per ICD-11) is commonly used to describe radiating leg pain. It is caused by inflammation or compression of the lumbosacral nerve roots (L4-S1) forming the sciatic nerve. A crucial function of the sciatic nerve is to provide direct motor activity to the hamstrings and lower extremity adductors, as well as indirect motor function to the anterior lower leg muscles, calf muscles, and select intrinsic foot muscles. Furthermore, its terminal branches indirectly contribute to sensation in the posterior and lateral lower leg and the plantar aspect of the foot. Importantly, sciatica predominantly arises from an inflammatory condition, leading to sciatic nerve irritation. Conversely, direct nerve compression results in more pronounced motor dysfunction, necessitating a thorough and prompt diagnostic evaluation if present. From a maximum incidence of 40%, the prevalence of sciatica varies greatly between research. Most instances occur in life’s fourth and fifth decades. In conservative treatment pain medications have uncertain benefits for sciatica and can have adverse effects, because of their role and use only very sparsely for a short period (weeks rather than months) and in the lowest possible dose for pain relief. Corticosteroids may improve symptoms for a short period (six weeks), as compared to a placebo. In Homeopathy, we do not treat based on the name of the disease, i.e. sciatica, but we treat the patients as a whole using constitutional medicines based on a summary of symptoms. These drugs reduce pain and limit disability. There have been many studies on sciatica in other areas, but very few works have been done in homoeopathy. This study presents cases clinically and radio-logically diagnosed as sciatica and their response to individualized homeopathic medicine in the context of pain via the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and changes the overall health-related quality of life by using the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (OLBPDQ) and with the help of the Synthesis repertory.