Evaluation of Add on Efficacy of Agni Karma with Siravyadha in Pain Management of Gridhrasi W.S.R to Sciatica-A Randomized Comparative Clinical Study

ABSTRACT

Background: 3.8% of the working population and 7.9% of the total population suffer from sciatica. Modern conservative treatments give short-term pain reduction with mild to serious side effects. Anushalya karma (para surgical procedures) are being practiced as Atyayikachikitsa (emergency care) for pain management. Gridhrasi (sciatica) was described in Ayurveda as Rujapradhana (pain predominant) under Vataja Nanatmaja vyadhis (diseases caused by Vatadosha).Objectives: To evaluate the added efficacy of Agnikarma (cauterization therapy) with Siravyadha (blood letting therapy) and Siravyadha (alone) in pain management of Gridhrasi with special reference to sciatica.Materials and Methods: 40 subjects diagnosed with sciatica after fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The procedures were performed once after obtaining informed consent according to the randomized groups, i.e., Control group (Siravyadha) and Interventional group (Siravyadha followed by Agnikarma). The pain assessment parameters, i.e., VAS (Visual Analogue Scale)/Wong-baker face rating scale, VDS (Verbal Descriptive Scale), FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability) scale, SLR (Straight Leg Raising) test, along with classical lakshanas of Gridhrasi, i.e., Stamba (stiffness), Ruja (pain), Toda (pricking pain), Spandana (pulsating sensation), Sakti utkshepanani grahanthi (difficulty to lift the limbs with pain), and Sandhi Spurana (pulsation in joints), were assessed from baseline and at different time points.Results: The add-on therapy, i.e., Agnikarma with Siravyadha, has shown significant results (within and between groups) in parameters like pain (with p-value < 0.01) and other classical symptoms like Stamba, Ruja, Toda, Spandana, Sakti utkshepanani grahanthi, and Sandhi Spurana with p-value < 0.01, when compared with Siravyadha alone from baseline and at various time points.Conclusion: Agnikarma followed with Siravyadha is found more effective than Siravyadha alone in the management of Gridhrasi.

KEYWORDS

• Gridhrasi
• Sciatica
• Anushalya karma
• Atyayika Chikitsa
• Siravyadha
• Agnikarma
• Pain management

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• DOI10.5530/ajbls.2024.13.67Copy

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© 2024 Author(s)

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. CC BY 4.0

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