Ayurvedic management in cervical spondylotic myelopathy

The age related spondylotic changes may result in direct compressive and ischemic dysfunction of the spinal cord known as cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Symptoms often develop insidiously and are characterized by neck stiffness, unilateral or bilateral deep aching neck, arm and shoulder pain, and possibly stiffness or clumsiness while walking. The management available in current mainstream medicine is not satisfactory. Various Ayurvedic treatments have been in use for these manifestations. We present a case of CSM, which was treated with a combination of Panchakarma procedures and Ayurvedic oral drugs. The patient was considered suffering from Greevastambha (neck stiffness) and was treated with Shalishastika pinda svedana (sudation with medicated cooked bolus of rice) for one month and Mustadi yapana basti (enema with medicated milk) for 16 days along with oral Ayurvedic drugs such as Brihatavata chintamani rasa 50 mg, Ekangaveer ras-250 mg, Ardhangavatari rasa-125 mg Amrita satva (dry extract of Tinospora cordifolia Willd)-500 mg, Muktasukti pisti-500 mg, Ashwagandha churna (powder of Withania somnifera Dunal)-500 mg Dashmool kvatha ghana (solid extract of Dashmool kvatha)-500 mg, Trayodashanga guggulu-575 mg, twice a day with honey and Eranda paka-10 g twice a day with milk. Patient's condition which was assessed for symptoms of CSM and Chile's modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score for cervical spondylotic myelopathy showed substantial improvement. This study shows that the cases of CSM may be successfully managed with Ayurvedic treatment.