A Role of Siddha Medicine in the Management of Vathasthambam: A Case Report

Vathasthambam is commonly affects middle age individual and characterized by aggravated Vatham, penetrating or boring pain, low back pain radiating to the posterior aspect of the thigh, swelling, numbness and bow like stiffness. Based on the similarities of its clinical manifestations Vathasthambam can be correlated with Sciatica. This case reported a 30-year-old male patient who has 10-days history of Vathasthambam like symptoms following trauma. The patient received Siddha internal and external therapies with an integrated Siddha treatment protocol for 15 days. The patient was treated with internal medicines namely, pavalamalli ilai kudineer, Mudakku and Thripala chooranams along with external therapies including ennai seelai, Thokkanam and vedhu. Clinical outcomes were assessed before and after treatment using pain intensity, tenderness, walking distance, Straight Leg Raise (SLR) test and other relevant clinical examinations and selected Siddha diagnostic parameters. These observations indicate improvement in symptoms and clinical findings during the treatment period. However, as an uncontrolled single case, spontaneous recovery, regression to the mean, and placebo effects cannot be excluded. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis generating rather than evidence of treatment efficacy. Controlled clinical studies using standardized outcome measures and appropriate safety required. After 15 days of treatment, the recorded symptom score improved from 11 to 1, and the SLR and Slump tests became negative. This case suggests that Siddha therapeutic interventions may effective in the management of Vathasthambam, providing significant pain relief and functional improvement without any observed adverse effects. However further well-designed clinical studies with large sample sizes are required to establish efficacy and safety of this intervention. However, the report does not provide a structured adverse event monitoring method. The case therefore supports the feasibility of documenting an integrated Siddha treatment protocol in a patient with Vathasthambam, but it cannot establish efficacy of safety.