Ayurveda for sciatica in San Ramon

A sharp or burning line from the buttock down the back of the leg, tingling in the foot, or pain that worsens when you sit: sciatica is hard to ignore. Preeti Gupta at Minute Wonder Ayurveda in San Ramon works with warm oil and steam therapies and daily habits, after your physician has assessed it.

Preeti does not diagnose pathological conditions from a Western perspective, so her work sits alongside the care of your physician and never replaces it.

What Ayurveda looks at

Ayurveda describes sciatic pain as a vata pattern affecting the lower back and the nerve that runs down the leg, often worse with cold and dryness. Preeti looks at:

• The path of the pain and what provokes it: sitting, bending, coughing, long drives.

• Warmth and oil in your diet and routine, which this pattern is said to need.

• Weight-bearing habits: how long you sit, how you lift, how you sleep.

What a First Visit covers

A First Visit is 90 minutes ($250). Preeti reviews your daily routine, diet, digestion, exercise and sleep, using a health history, pulse analysis and tongue diagnosis. For sciatica, expect time on:

• Your physician's findings, any scans, and the warning signs to watch.

• Which therapies suit your history: Kati Basti, Abhyanga or Swedana, or none for now.

• Daily habits and food that avoid cold, dry and irregular patterns.

You leave with a written diet, herbal and lifestyle plan. Follow-ups are $125 for 60 minutes. See pricing.

What you can start this week

Two warm, cooked dishes from her recipe pages:

• Turnip (shalgam). Her page says turnip is grounding for vata, cooked with warming spices to offset its cooling quality.

• Butternut squash. Her page says squash nourishes the body's tissues and is best cooked with digestive spices.

See your physician first if

• Sudden leg weakness, numbness in the groin or saddle area, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Go to emergency care at once.

• Pain after a fall or injury, with fever, or with unexplained weight loss.

• Pain that is severe, getting worse, or has not eased after a few weeks.

Common questions about sciatica

What does Preeti do for sciatica?

Sciatica should be assessed by a physician first. Alongside that care she may recommend Kati Basti, Abhyanga or Swedana with diet and routine changes. Her Swedana page describes Nadi Swedana as steam directed onto sites of pain or stiffness.

Is Nadi Swedana safe for everyone?

No. Her page says Swedana is not recommended with conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or fever, which is one reason she reviews your health history first.

Should I rest or keep moving?

That depends on your diagnosis, so ask your physician or physical therapist. Preeti fits her recommendations around their advice.

Ayurveda is a traditional system of wellness and is not a substitute for medical care. Content here is educational. Please consult your physician about any medical condition. Preeti Gupta is not licensed by the State of California as a healing arts practitioner; Ayurvedic services are complementary to the care of licensed providers.