THIS IS WHY NIGELLA SATIVA IS A MUST IN TREATING SCIATICA PAIN

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Overview

Low back pain is a very common global health issue. There are several reasons that can cause low back pain. However, general estimation reported 5% to 10% of low back pain incidence is related to sciatica pain.

Sciatica pain is a neurological pain that occurs due to irritation and any neurological pinch that develop in the sciatic nerves.

Almost 49% to 70% patient suffering from sciatica pain develops to a lifetime low back pain.

Worldwide, there are multiple risk factors that influence sciatica pain, which
include height, aging, mental stress, cigarette smoking, and frequent exposure to the quivers that arises during traveling through vehicles. The usual recommendation for relaxing the pain symptom is adequate rest.
 However, in most of the cases, after 2 to 3 years the sciatica pain relapse. [1] Physical therapy and analgesic medications only provide temporary pain relief.

Therefore, individuals with sciatica pain always search for therapeutic interventions, which can give them long-term benefits an without increasing side effect burden.

Experts, as well as the general population, are always in search of some natural therapeutic substance to control sciatica pain, to prevent side effects.

Herbal remedy nowadays attracts general people, as well as clinicians, because most of them are cost-effective, side effect free, convenient to administer and hazel free to apply due to high patient compliance.

Nigella sativa is one of such herbal remedial option, which recently got the attention of researchers, who are searching natural remedy for Sciatica pain relief.  

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Basic anatomy of sciatic nerves

Sciatic nerves are two in numbers and are the largest nerves in our body. They originated from a lumbar segment of the spinal cord (present in the lower back), which then extended to the buttocks and then spread from thigh of each leg to the calf, lower part of the feet and the first toes. [1]

Symptoms of sciatica pain
The sciatica pain symptoms do not follow a constant ideology and vary from individual to individuals. The severity of the condition can change the symptomatic features. The pain intensity can be so intense that it can interfere the physical movements essential for daily activities, such as standing, walking, etc. Sciatica pain symptoms may decrease the quality of life in affected individuals.
The back pain symptoms included in sciatica pain are:
•    dull soreness
•    numbness
•    tingling sensation
•    an electric shock like feeling
•    throbbing heat
•    stabbing pain [1]
What underlying causes generate sciatica pain?

Spinal disc herniation is the most common underlying cause of generating sciatica pain symptoms. In layman language, this condition may be explained as a spine disc rupturing, spinal nerve pinched or slipped disc.

Usually, the disc degenerating condition occurs by the gradual interference of personal and occupational risk factors. [1]

In slip disc condition, the vertebra slips in the forward direction and nerve present beneath the vertebra get compressed in-between.

This type of pathophysiological condition arises due to sudden traumatic injury or due to incorrect postural issues during prolong bending or sitting. [1]

Even chronic joint disorder, including spinal osteoarthritis, causes narrowing of the nerve channel through which spinal nerves travel to the lower spinal region, which hurt the nerve tissue. [1]

Another musculoskeletal system disorder is piriformis syndrome, in which the piriformis muscle spasm compresses and irritates the sciatica nerve.

Piriformis muscle is present in the buttock, therefore, the pain extended to the buttock. [2]

Even diabetic neuropathy can cause sciatica pain because such condition can affect any nerve in the body. [3]
How Nigella sativa help to treat sciatica pain?

Nigella sativa, commonly known as the black seed was used to treat back pain in traditional medicine.

Reports of investigation research have given evidence that Nigella sativa has a potent analgesic effect, which can reduce the sciatica pain naturally. The CNS depressant property of Nigella sativa is the primary mechanism of action in pain reduction.

In addition, the active constituent thymoquinone present in Nigella sativa has anti-nociceptive property along with potent antioxidant effect.

All these properties are packed in tiny seeds of Nigella sativa, which can inhibit microglia activity. Nigella sativa supplement can indirectly activate the supraspinal mu- and kappa-opioid receptor subtypes.

Therefore, the analgesic effect of Nigella sativa is strong and prolonged, which is not only effective in initial sciatica pain syndrome, but also in late phase condition. [4]

•    Prolong and chronic pain condition of sciatica pain are associated with the underlying inflammatory condition. Nigella sativa also has an anti-inflammatory effect which reduces the underlying inflammation associated with sciatica pain syndrome. [4]
•    The using of Nigella sativa supplement in sciatica pain condition not only decrease the pain and inflammation, but also improve the underlying cause by improving neuronal cell viability. Nigella sativa has neuroprotective action and prevent neuronal cell death. The Nigella sativa supplement preserves the neuronal integrity and reduces the rate of neuronal loss due to personal or occupational hazardous with increasing of time. Administration of Nigella sativa supplements helps to prevent age-related neuronal damage.[4]
•    The antioxidant property of Nigella sativa acts against neurotoxicity and increases the detrimental free radicals burden. In addition, Nigella sativa also helps to maintain natural antioxidant enzyme level in our body and prevents free radicals induced neuronal damage.[4]
•    Interestingly, animal test report showed that Nigella sativa significantly reduces sciatic nerve degeneration after traumatic nerve injury. [4]
•    In chronic condition, sciatica pain can cause ischemia (inadequate blood circulation) in sciatica nerves causing permanent disability due to necrosis in sciatica nerves. But treatment with Nigella sativa can lower the risk of neuronal ischemia by preventing intracellular edema. [4]
•    Nigella sativa also has a muscle relaxant property, which may prevent piriformis syndrome and related sciatica pain. [5]
Therefore, altogether, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant property of Nigella sativa and its active constituents can able to prevent neuronal damage, which is helpful to resolve sciatica pain. [4]
Research evidence supports the efficacy of Nigella sativa against sciatica pain

An animal study conducted on rats showed that oral intake of Nigella sativa with 400mg/kg body weight once a day for one month time period reduces sciatic nerve degeneration after traumatic injury and the distortion of neuronal cells are absent in the Nigella sativa-treated rats.[6] 

Another animal study result has reported that Nigella sativa with 50 mg/kg dose significantly produce an analgesic effect and can control pain associated with chronic sciatic nerve compression condition in rat animal model. [4]

An animal study also reported treating a diabetic animal model with Nigella sativa reduce the risk of sciatica pain syndrome development by improving cellular integrity in the nerve tissues.

Research result concludes that administration of Nigella sativa can remarkably decrease myelin sheath breakdown without alteration of diabetes-induced histology of the sciatic nerve tissue. Thus, reduce the risk of Diabetic neuropathy related sciatica pain syndrome. [7]
Direction to use Nigella sativa against sciatica pain

Nigella sativa supplements like Nigella sativa oil, powder or capsule are available in different organic herbal remedial product supplier. Raw Nigella sativa seeds are also effective to provide health benefits but require more dose than the specific dosage forms. 

Dosage
The experts recommended that one teaspoon of Nigella sativa oil or seeds, half an hour before breakfast and repeating the same dose at the bedtime, can effectively treat sciatica pain and inflammation.

How to use Nigella sativa in sciatica pain?

•    Add Nigella sativa seeds or oil in a hot water or prepare an herbal tea by adding Nigella sativa and green tea. Put 1 teaspoon of honey in this preparation and drink twice daily as directed. [8,9]
•    Apart from oral treatment, Nigella sativa oil can be also used in massage therapy along with Lavender oil and pine oil in sciatica pain syndrome. Before the massage, blend Nigella sativa oil, Lavender oil and pine oil with olive oil. In this oil preparation, olive oil acts as a carrier oil. Gentle massage with this blended oil preparation in morning and evening provides better pain relief. [9,10]
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References
  1. B W Koes, M W van Tulder, W C Peul. Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica. BMJ. 2007 Jun 23; 334(7607): 1313–1317. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39223.428495.BE. Online available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1895638/
  2. Sciatica: Of all the nerve. Harvard Health Publishing. Online available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/sciatica-of-all-the-nerve
  3. Sciatica from Diabetes. The Sciatica Authority. Online available at https://www.sciatica-pain.org/sciatica-from-diabetes.html
  4. Farimah Beheshti, Majid Khazaei, Mahmoud Hosseini. Neuropharmacological effects of Nigella sativa. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2016 Jan-Feb; 6(1): 104–116. Online available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884225/ 
  5. Subhash Padhye, Sanjeev Banerjee, Aamir Ahmad, Ramzi Mohammad, Fazlul H Sarkar. From here to eternity - the secret of Pharaohs: Therapeutic potential of black cumin seeds and beyond. Cancer Ther. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2008 Nov 17. Published in final edited form as: Cancer Ther. 2008; 6(b): 495–510. Online available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583426/
  6. Javanbakht J, Hobbenaghi R, Hosseini E, Bahrami AM, Khadivar F, Fathi S, Hassan MA. Histopathological investigation of neuroprotective effects of Nigella sativa on motor neurons anterior horn spinal cord after sciatic nerve crush in rats.
    Send to Pathol Biol (Paris). 2013 Dec;61(6):250-3. doi: 10.1016/j.patbio.2013.03.007. Epub 2013 Jun 14. Online available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23751360
  7. Kanter M. Effects of Nigella sativa and its major constituent, thymoquinone on sciatic nerves in experimental diabetic neuropathy. Neurochem Res. 2008 Jan;33(1):87-96. Epub 2007 Aug 23. Online available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17713854
  8. Sciatica Treatment. A Natural Remedy for Sciatica. 
  9. The Blessed Seed.  Online available at http://theblessedseed.blogspot.in/2016/03/oh-pain-pain-pain-natural-remedies-that.html
The Blessed Seed.  Online available at https://theblessedseed.blogspot.in/2016/03/black-cumin-and-olive-oils-best-massage.html

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