Any in-depth anatomy lesson in the West will eventually describe the sciatic nerve.  It is the longest nerve in the body and extends from the lower back, through the hips and buttocks, and then splits to ultimately go down the back of each leg. Given its size and its extensive presence in the body, it is susceptible to dysfunction as the result of various disorders and maladies.

Sciatica is the name given to pain that results from problems with this nerve, and the location of it is in the lower back, hips and buttocks, and usually only one of the legs but not the other. This pain can be sharp and debilitating or can cause tingling sensations and general loss of sensation in the affected areas.

Western medicine considers sciatica to be a symptom of another underlying condition which usually involves a structural problem that is applying pressure to the nerve.  Cited causes of sciatica include a herniated vertebral disk, displacement of disks through one of a variety of diseases, tumors of the spine, injury directly to the sciatic nerve itself, and severe trauma to the body that causes physical injury.

The pain associated with sciatica can also be exacerbated by having a sedentary lifestyle, sitting on hard surfaces, and other actions that may disturb the sciatic nerve.  Generally, most incidents of sciatica resolve themselves within a few months, but more extreme cases can result in a loss of movement in the legs, sensation in the legs or even use of the legs completely.

Western medical practices aim to resolve more extreme symptoms of sciatica by identifying the root cause of the pain and treating that condition directly.  This may involve administering physical therapy, suggesting pain medication in either over-the-counter (ibuprofen, acetaminophen) or prescription forms (epidural steroid injections), or even having the patient undergo different types of surgical procedures as based on the nature of the physical malady.  Sufferers are also instructed to apply hot/cold therapy, exercise and stretch, and partake in a healthy lifestyle in general.  It has recently become more popular for Western sciatica patients to use acupuncture and other alternative therapies to resolve their symptoms.

In Ayurvedic medicine, conditions based on disorders of the nervous system are primarily associated with the Vata dosha.  This dosha represents the energy of the body related to movement and elimination, and sits in the large intestine.  Properly balanced Vata energy facilitates healthy movement of the body and manifests this quality by sending the body messages through the nervous system.

Certain Vata-related bodily processes can be poorly managed, such as waste matter not being healthfullyremoved from the system as a result of elimination problems (like constipation) and joints not being properly utilized as a result of poor posture and excessive, rapid movement.  These dysfunctional aspects of living can create toxic matter, and this toxicity is spread throughout the body via the nervous system.

This imbalance of the nervous system triggers a variety of dysfunctions associated with thought, the senses, and movement.  In some cases, this imbalance can lead to dysfunction of the sciatic nerve, which then leads to pain.  This pain can become intensified when we do things related to excessive movement (like traveling too much), undue brain stimulation (like talking too much), and hyper emotional reactions (like anxiety).

Thinking in excess about any one issue creates nervousness in the entire system, especially in the back and lower regions. When a person is engaged in one intense thought or many at the same time, the body is the recipient of this extra nervous energy which then translates into anxiety and stress. As this energy needs to find a way out, it will find the weakest point of the physical body and take root there. Since the central nervous system runs in the back region, much of this stress is felt in this area.

Vata energy is also aggravated by food deprivation, eating too many dry foods, and generally depriving the body of moisture and lubrication. When we experience a severe combination of these habits and also endure significant amounts of stress in our day-to-day life, we can experience derangement of Vata energy in the form of painful sensations along the sciatic nerve.

Ayurveda notes that resolving symptoms of sciatica can become more complicated when the aggravated Vata energy moves into the site of either Pitta or Kapha energy in the body, and therefore causes the symptoms to both reflect Pitta or Kapha imbalances and require therapies necessary for resolving these imbalances.

This makes for resolution of the symptoms not only more difficult, but more specialized as well.  For the purposes of this application, self-healing though the use of an Ayurvedic lifestyle will be based upon a more general association of sciatica with a Vata imbalance.

As such, treatment for sciatica is to eat a Vata-balancing diet, take Vata-balancing herbs, make lifestyle changes that help to resolve derangement of this energy as noted below, and to generally provide nourishing substances and activities to the body in an effort to ground it and provide the nervous system with an opportunity to settle itself without aggravating the other doshas in the process.

Treatment by a trained Ayurvedic practitioner is advised to help establish the root cause of the symptoms and to administer therapies that are more ambitious and specialized in nature.

Cherries
Ghee
Milk
Bananas
Apricots
Mangoes
Berries
Peaches
Plums

Figs (fresh)
Beets (cooked)
Carrots (cooked)
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus (cooked)
Zucchini
Oats (cooked)
Rice (white basmati)

Mung beans
Vegetable soup
Sesame oil
Olive oil
Whole wheat (unbleached)
Almonds (soak overnight, then peel skin before eating)
Yogurt water (lassi) mixed with the herb trikatu

Apples
Pears
Watermelon
Cauliflower
Broccoli

Celery
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Corn
Oats (dry)

Barley
Dry foods
Most legumes including green lentils and garbanzo beans
Raw and cold foods