AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF BRACHIAL PLEXOPATHY: A CASE REPORT

Background:The Brachial Plexopathy is a condition characterized by a lesion of the brachial nerve plexus. Depending on the aetiology, brachial plexopathy is classified as post-traumatic, infectious, toxic, compressiom-ischaemic, dysmetabolic and auto-immune. Among the causative factors, injuries are the most common. Symptoms include numbness, paraesthesia, weaknessin shoulder, arm and hand. Based on the references in Ayurvedic literature it can be correlated to Apabahuka.

Case Presentation:A 51-year-old male patient with the diagnosis of brachial plexopathy reported to OPD with complaints of weakness of right upper limb for 8 months associated with stiffness of right shoulder joint. The patient was treated with Ayurvedic therapeutic interventions such as nasya karma, greeva basti, Sthanika seka, sarvanga abhyanga and sarvanga shashtika shaali pindasweda, sthanika upanaha swedaalong with Vatakaphahara and Vataharashamanoushadhiswere prescribed.

Conclusion: After 15 days of treatment, there was marked relief in the symptoms in the form of reduced weakness and stiffness of right upper limb. The above treatment protocol along with oral medications has shown significant result clinically in the present study.