Suffering from sinusitis? Here are some simple Ayurvedic tips that work

If you have sinusitis, you know nothing can beat the uneasiness of a blocked nose. On top of that tenderness and pain under eyes, pain in the cheekbones and eyebrows can make the situation even worse. If you are suffering from similar symptoms, here's some help for you:

Sinusitis is a medical condition that affects your sinuses. Sinuses are connected hollow cavities around the nasal passages. The cheekbones hold the maxillary sinuses, frontal sinuses are on the forehead, ethmoid sinuses are in between your ears and sphenoid sinuses are behind the nose. When there is inflammation, these sinuses get swollen and blocked with fluid, which can lead to infection.

A sinus episode once aggravated can last for up to 12 weeks causing a lot of discomfort.

Sinusitis is very common, it can be caused by infection, cold, pollution and allergy. There are four stages of sinusitis – acute, sub-acute, chronic and infected.

The classic symptoms include facial tenderness, constant headache, facial pain that doesn’t let you bend, sensitivity to light and sound, radiating pain in temples, cheeks, runny and blocked nose and persistent cough. Infection can lead to fever, body ache and has an opaque yellow-greenish nasal discharge.

The symptoms of sinus are out there but most people choose to take the OTC and ignore it. Though the OTCs provide short term relief but the problem can aggravate in the long run.

As per Ayurveda, the imbalance of two sub doshas – Prana Vata and sub dosha vata are the major causes of sinus infection. The imbalance of these doshas also lowers your immunity and thus make you vulnerable to infections.

The proper Ayurvedic treatment for sinusitis includes detoxification through Panchkarma, medicines, dietary changes and lifestyle modifications.

A Vata Kapha calming diet is recommended to pacify the Prana Vata and Shleshaka Kapha. Patients should avoid hot chillies, cold drinks and ice creams.

Light foods like khichdi and dalia are recommended too. Good digestion is necessary to remove toxins from your body, organic vegetables and fruits should be included in the diet.

Foods like bananas, eggplant, bell peppers and tomatoes should be avoided as these can clog the sinuses. Having regular meals is suggested to reduce your digestive imbalance.

Remedy 1

Boil four glasses of water, add basil leaves, mint leaves, two cloves and a piece of ginger. Let it cool down and keep sipping this throughout the day.

Remedy 2

Grate a piece of ginger and take out its juice. Have this juice with honey two-four times a day.

Remedy 3

Ayurvedic kriya like Jal Neti can also help remove the mucus and clean the blockages. Regular practise of this kriya reduces your chances of getting the sinus infection.

Suppressing a problem offers temporary relief. Ayurveda recommends approaching the problem in a holistic way. This helps in strengthening the immunity and reduces the susceptibility of getting a sinus infection.