Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

The tail-end pain

Homoeo call A change in the lifestyle could be effective in dealing with ‘coccydynia’

Evolution has spared homo sapiens of the antenna at the hind i.e the tail but not definitely the tail bone and thereby man is equally prone to afflictions of the area. Ever since this species has chosen to walk erect, the balance of weight has shifted more on to the low back too and the incidence of pain or other symptoms related to it have only increased. All seems to be well till one day it just seems difficult to sit down for work and even turn or twist easily from a given posture. It could be due to the afflictions of the coccyx or the tail bone at the end of the vertebral column usually termed as coccydynia. As such pain in the area between the buttocks at the low back is referred to by this term.

Inflammation of the coccyx bone is called as coccydynia and can occur only due to an injury like a fall or twist or sudden bending or happening to fall while attempting to twist can cause an injury and typically cause this pain. Such an injury would also cause a tenderness of the area and the person would find difficulty in sitting and on pressure. The other common cause of pain in the area could be due to sciatica. The sciatic nerve which traverses along the lower limb when compressed can cause pain along the course and also since a few nerve fibres supply the area of the coccyx, pain is experienced in this area too.

The nerve is involved too in certain manifestations of the viral infections like chicken pox wherein the sheaths of the nerves are affected to cause shingles with acute pain and the person suffering finds skin eruptions in the area.

Not uncommon cause of pain in the coccyx area is due to an infection of the sebaceous glands of the skin in the area which can form into an abscess and thereby the acute pain. This seems to gradually develop in less than a week and the gradient of pain too increases proportionately.

If the infection persists for sometime the pus seems to find a place in the cleft of the buttocks to form a pilonidal cyst and is a reason for the acute pain.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies to treat the pain symptomatically apart from regulating and removing the cause for the pain. The most common reason the trauma and lifestyle is relieved by Arnica, Rhus tox, Hypericum, Ruta. If degeneration of bone is the cause Calcarea flour and Calcarea phos come into play. If it is due to the viral infection, shingles, Ranunculus bulb, Bryonia are known to help. The initial stage of formation of abscess is aborted with help of Belladonna and if there has been formation of pus already, Hepar sulph will help. Pilonidal cysts have been known to be treated with Silicea, Myristica, Merc sol etc.

Burn

I had a burn on the right foot as hot water fell while carrying. Though the blebs have subsided the skin has not formed even after two months. I am a diabetic and on insulin. Can homoeopathy help?

Rajan

Diabetics need to be very careful in treatment of injuries to the limbs and in your case too you need regular monitoring of the healing of the burn. Homoeopathic medicine like Cantharis, Merc sol, Secale cor help in improving the c irculation to the area and help in rapid healing.

The unprecedented spell of rain in the city last month has caused episodes of fever, cold and cough in our locality. In our household too children happened to miss school and the bodyache that ensues is troubling further. Can homoeopathy help?

Sumitra

Homeopathic medicine has good remedies to bring down the fever by treating the cause with simple medicines like Bryonia, Rhus tox, Eupa perf. In such season when the rainy season ensues Dulcamara when given two t imes a day for three days should improve resistance towards developing this viral fever.

My mother was operated for “breast cancer” ten years ago. Now she has developed pain in the right lower limb which when investigated was proved to be due to cancer of the bone. The hip joint needed replacement. She has acute pain all along the right leg. She is fifty nine year old. Can Homeopathy help?

Lakshmi

Magnesia phos, Gaultheria, Colocynth are a few remedies which can help relieve the pain to start with. To give symptomatic relief and prevent further spread is the challenge and homoeopathic medicine is an ideal complementary system to do so.

DR. VENUGOPAL GOURI

92463 72625 drvenugopal@gmail.com

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail