Symptoms

  • Chronic lower back pain
  • Stiffness worse in the morning
  • Pain worse with prolonged standing or sitting
  • Difficulty bending or lifting
  • Sometimes radiating pain to buttocks or legs
  • Muscle spasm
  • Reduced mobility over time

Causes and Risk Factors

  • Age-related disc degeneration
  • Heavy lifting, occupational strain
  • Poor posture
  • Obesity
  • Previous back injury
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Constitutional Vata predominance

Evaluation

  • Clinical examination
  • X-ray lumbosacral spine
  • MRI for cases with sciatica, planning intervention, or red flag symptoms

Treatment

Ayurvedic Internal Medication

Individualised for pain, inflammation, Vata pacification, and where appropriate, joint nourishment.

External Therapies

  • Oil applications
  • Local warmth
  • Massage where appropriate

Panchakarma

  • Kati Basti (lumbar oil pooling): primary local therapy
  • Basti therapy course (traditional treatment for Vata)
  • Full Panchakarma programme in select severe or chronic cases

Lifestyle

  • Back-friendly ergonomics
  • Specific back exercises (with guidance)
  • Weight management
  • Lifting technique
  • Sleeping surface guidance

Realistic Expectations

  • Pain relief typically within 2 to 4 weeks
  • Functional improvement over 4 to 12 weeks
  • Structural changes cannot be reversed
  • Long-term care includes lifestyle discipline

When to Consider Modern Intervention

  • Progressive neurological deficit (leg weakness)
  • Cauda equina syndrome (emergency: saddle numbness, bladder or bowel dysfunction)
  • Severe unrelenting pain
  • Advanced structural instability
  • Failure of adequate conservative management

We coordinate referral appropriately.

Related Conditions

  • Sciatica
  • Cervical Spondylosis