Download Doc - Dr Vijay Sarvotham

THE WEEK-HEALTH-APRIL 26-2009
Who hasn’t experienced back pain at one time or the other? With our hectic work schedules and
fast-paced lives, we tend to take our backs for granted, using and abusing them as we see fit. For
the most part, our backs prop us up, bear our weight, and carry us around through our lives. But,
occasionally, this tough pillar made of vertebrae that are separated or cushioned by discs could let
us down, leaving us in pain and discomfort.
Kalpana Bai, secretary to the chairman at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, had been
suffering from severe back pain for the past 22 years. She had consulted various doctors over the
years, including orthopaedics, spine surgeons and rheumatoalogists. Over the years, her situation
worsened, leading to multiple problems. She was diagnosed with lumbar spondylosis, cervical
spondylosis, ankylosing spondyilitis, and compression of the third, fourth and fifth discs. Kalpana
felt severe pain in the head, or as described by her, “a priking sensation” that no amount of
allopathic painkillers would rid. She had tried everything, even wore a collar over the years to
stabilize her neck, and a specially-designed back support belt, but to no avail.
Traditional treatment involves modifying one’s activity, physiotherapy, painkillers, hot or cold
compress and bed rest. Where these techniques don’t work, the orthopedist may recommend
surgery involving disc replacement (discectomy) or disc fusion to treat a slipped disc, for
example. Surgical methods are invasive and may not guarantee respite from pain and any end up
in loss of mobility. Additionally, surgery involves risk of infection and complications like injury
to nerves. Consider the case of Anuradha, an Infosys employee, who suffered from a slipped disc.
Anuradha opted for spinal surgery to tackle her acute back and leg pain due to a slipped disc.
However, the pain did not go away even after the surgery. She continued to have problems
bending forward and sitting for a long time (necessary, as she has a desk job). Ultimately, an
alternative therapy cured her.
There are several alternative routes, collectively known as Complementary and Alternative
Medicine or CAM, as they are not part of conventional medicines that treat spinal problems.
Examples of CAM include acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, chiropractic treatment, and massage
therapy. Each of these therapies promises relief from pain without going in for invasive
procedures.
The latest technique to join the ranks is Acu-Cranio, a term coined by Dr Vijay Sarvotham who
pioneered the technique. Acu-Cranio is a combination of acupressure and craniosacral therapies
for cervical and lumbar ailments such as slipped disc, prolapsed disc, spondylosis, and pre and
post-pregnancy back pain.
According to acupressure theory, there are 14 imaginary meridians that carry energy through the
human body. The acu-points or nerve points on the meridians help send messages from the brain
to the muscles and organs. Pressure stimulates these acu-points to release endorphins which help
block the pain and improve the flow of oxygen and blood to the affected muscles. This, in turn,
helps the desired muscle functions to return to normalcy.
Craniosacral therapy, on the other hand, involves “listening” to the subtle rhythms of the body by
touch and detecting regions of inertia or stress, thereby helping release forces that are the cause of
the disease. “it is sensing the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and thereby getting the pulse of the
body,” says Sarvotham, who studied acupressure in Singapore before training in craniosacral
therapy in Switzerland.
But Acu-Cranio may not suit all, and sometimes surgery is mandatory, says Sarvotham. He
individualizes the therapy to the patient’s unique needs. In fact, he takes on a case only if he
believes that he can make ad difference. One such patient was Kalpana, who, as a last resort,
sought his help for chronic pain.
“On the first day, he didn’t treat me. He just asked me to get various tests done,” says Kalpana.
Only after Sarvotham saw the results, did he tell her, “I will cure you”, and for the first time in
many years, Kalpana admitted that she felt confident that she would feel better soon. After the
first session, she was able to sleep all through the night for the first time in many years. Ina a
month, she was completely pain-free. Ask Kalpana to describe the treatment, and she says, “It is
really different and unique. What makes it so is the doctor himself. All you have to do is sit back
and relax, and unlike so many doctors I have seen, he doesn’t ask you to specify where the pain
is. He just finds the pain and takes care of it,” says Kalpana.
His patients swear by his medical skills, and his practice has grown rapidly (mainly though word
of mouth) as patients from across the country and abroad approach him for Acu – Cranio
treatment.
Psychosomatic approach to pain relief
The acupressure component addresses the pain or the physical or somatic part of the disorder
whereas the cranio component addresses the psychological part of the disorder. Which is
probably why patients report that the mind feels lighter and better following a session of AcuCranio. Sure enough, Sarvotham advocates Acu-Cranio as a method of treating spinal disorders
that are stress-related, brought on by working at the computer or commuting long distance by car
or through bad posture.
So what to mainstream doctors have to say about alternative therapies? Says Dr Ram Iyer, and
orthopedist who runs Indiranagar Specialist Clinic in Bangalore: “I tell all my patients to get
treated with any one kind of therapy. There is no foolproof method to treat spinal disorders. So,
whether you go for acupressure or surgery or physiotherapy, stick to that system of therapy and
you will see the results.” This is an opinion that Sarvotham shares. He state that allopathy, for
example, is only a part of the entire system of well-being. Whether one works or the other does
must be decided on a case-to-case basis, which is his approach to treating.
Based on the results of medical tests, he determines if the patient is eligible for Acu-Cranio, or if
he must be referred to a spine surgeon. Once eligibility is established, the entire treatment plan is
explained to the patient. Typically, patients are advised to undergo therapy for a minimum of a
week, with two weeks being optimum and a maximum of three weeks. Visits are limited to once a
day. Over time, the frequency of visits is tapered to once in three weeks or once a month,
depending on the patient’s progress. Zero side-effects and non-invasive! What more can one asks
for? Sarvotham’s methods have converted even skeptics like Madhu Natarajan.
Madhu is a dancer and choreographer who suffered from sciatica pain for years. It interfered with
her dancing. She tried allopathic and ayurvedic treatments, which helped for some time but didn’t
provide a permanent respite. “Frankly, I didn’t believe in acupressure,” she says. “But, I was
getting desperate and decided to give it a shot as I had an important international dance
performance.” Sarvotham treated her in record time, and she went on to give a successful
performance. She is staunch believer in Acu-Cranio therapy now and would recommend it to
anyone with back problems.
“Acupressure works efficiently in dealing with various health problems; cranio also does the
same,” says Sarvotham, “Using it in combination only serves to accelerate the healing process.
There is no good or bad method of treatment, whether it is allopathy or alternative therapies. It is
the person who makes the difference.