Radiculitis Causes, Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S

Radiculitis is the pain that “radiates” along the nerve, due to inflammation or irritation of sensory nerves arising from the spinal cord. Radiculitis is the pain that “radiates” along the dermatome (sensory distribution) of a nerve due to inflammation or other irritation of the nerve root (radiculopathy) at its connection to the spinal column.

Sciatica is the common form of radiculitis. When the radiating pain is associated with numbness or weakness, the diagnosis is radiculopathy if the lesion is at the nerve root and myelopathy if at the spinal cord itself.

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Table of Contents

Causes

Inflammation and irritation of nerve root at its connection to the spinal column
Pressure on the nerve coming from a herniated disc or foraminal stenosis
Bony spurs and thickening of surrounding ligaments
Damaged intervertebral discs
Degeneration of spine
Spinal instabilities such as spondylolisthesis or scoliosis

Therefore radiculitis occurs when a nerve or nerve root is pinched, irritated, inflamed or just not working properly. Certain activities and positions usually make the symptoms worse.

Read – Cervical Spondylosis: Ayurvedic Treatment

Pathology

Radiculitis can affect any part of the spine, but it most commonly occurs in the lower back or in the neck. Pain caused by radiculitis is often referred to as radicular pain. It starts at the injury site and radiates outwards through the extremities. It is usually caused when the chemical in our disc comes through a crack and touches a nerve.

Symptoms

Radiculitis symptoms start off with radicular pain, usually accompanied with sensations of numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness.

Cervical Radiculitis Symptoms

Local neck pain
Pain that flows down the arm(s) and into the hands.
Numbness in the arms, hands, and fingers.
Muscular weakness in the arms if left untreated.
Pain may also be felt in the shoulders or chest depending on which nerve is affected.

Lumbar Radiculitis Symptoms

Local lower back pain.
Pain that flows down the leg(s) and into the feet.
Numbness felt in the leg(s) and possibly in the feet/toes.
Muscular weakness if left untreated.
Burning pain in the hips.

If your skin becomes very sensitive to touch, or you notice that your muscles are getting weaker, you may be in early stages of nerve damage; this will worsen if the radiculitis is not treated and allowed to progress. As radiculitis symptoms progress even further, loss of muscle tissue and even nerve death may occur. Radicular pain can be quite debilitating; you do not need to live with it anymore.

Read – Stiff Neck Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment And Remedies

Treatment

Radiculitis is best treated in its early stages. Unless there are concerns of nerve death, the first step for treating radiculitis should be through conservative and not surgical intervention. Depending on what underlying condition is causing the radiculitis, conservative treatments have a high success rate and in many occasions will lead to a full recovery.

Non-Surgical treatment – include heat or cold therapy, exercises to help strengthen your back, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy combined with activity modification.

Surgery for Radiculitis

In the event of progressive muscle weakness, a radiculitis operation may be needed to avoid permanent damage. Surgeries for radiculitis include –
Endoscopic Discectomy
Endoscopic Foraminotomy
Read more about Radiculitis – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Radiculitis In Ayurveda

Probable Ayurvedic correlation

Vata Vyadhi / pitta sthanagata vata / pittavrit vata – Since there is pain along the sensory distribution due to inflammation of the nerve root, this condition shall be considered as vata vyadhi in general. Sensory perception is carried over by vata. The inflammation in the vata tantrika or dhamani i.e. nerve roots is caused by pitta. This condition can be considered as vata sthana gata pitta i.e. pitta going to vata sthana or pittavrita vata i.e. pitta enveloping the vata. These principles shall be used to treat radiculitis. Spinal instabilities and degeneration which are causal of radiculitis are also caused by vitiated vata.

Read – Charaka Vatavyadhi Chikitsa 28th Chapter

Shotha – inflammation / swelling, mainly vataja and pittaja type of shotha
Katishula / Greeva Shula – Since radiculitis is commonly seen in lower back and neck, taking into consideration the seat of pathology, it can be compared to katishula (low back pain, sciatica, inflammation of lumbar or lumbo-sacral nerve roots) and greeva shula (neck pain, inflammation of cervical nerve roots).

Gridhrasi – is a term given for sciatica. Sciatica is a classical example of radiculitis taking place in the lower part of the body. When radiculitis defines sciatica i.e. lumbar radiculitis in consideration, it may be correlated to gridhrasi.

Viswachi and Apabahuka – related to cervical radiculitis wherein pain and burning sensation, tingling etc symptoms occur in upper limbs.
Read – Brachial Neuritis: Ayurvedic Treatment, Medicines, Remedies

Samprapti – pathogenesis

Dosha – Vata (vyana vata), pitta (bhrjaka, ranjaka pitta)
Dushya – twak, mamsa, dhamani (nerves)
Srotas – vatavaha (nerves)
Sroto dushti lakshana – ati pravritti (excessive discharge)
Roga Marga – Bahya (tissues including skin)
Sadhya Asadhyata – krichrasadhya (curable with difficulty)

Chikitsa – treatment principles

Vata vyadhi chikitsa – abhyanga, swedana, vasti, nasya, vatanulomana
Pittahara Chikitsa – pitta mitigating treatments
Shota Chikitsa – treatment of inflammation and swelling, mainly pittaja shotha
Gridhrasi Chikitsa – in lumbar radiculitis
Avabahuka and Viswachi chikitsa – in cervical radiculitis

Role of Panchakarma

Snigdha Virechana – to combat vitiated vata, pitta and inflammation of nerves
Vasti – enema with medicated oil and ghee to combat vitiated vata and pitta (especially in lumbar radiculitis)
Nasya – instillation of medicated oils like ksheerabala taila 101 etc into the nostrils to soothe the upper nerves (especially in cervical radiculitis)

Upakarmas

Abhyanga – herbal oil massage
Dhara – showering of medicated oil over the body
Kati Vasti – oil pooling in the lower back region (lumbar radiculitis)
Greeva Vasti – oil pooling in the cervical region (cervical radiculitis)
Patra pinda sweda – leaf bolus fomentation (both cervical and lumbar radiculitis)
Lepa – application of medicinal pastes in cervical and lumbar region
Pada Abhyanga – foot massage with herbal oils (lumbar radiculitis)

Useful medicines