Inflammation of the sinus is termed as sinusitis.

It involves the mucous membrane lining of the sinus. The sinus glands are generally filled with air, but in case of inflammation, these glands get blocked and filled with mucous and become infected. Nasal allergy is usually linked to sinusitis. Rhinitis and cold may increase the blocking of the nose.

Signs and symptoms
• Excessive or constant sneezing, headache after waking up in morning
• Running nose
• Pain in the teeth and upper jaw. The cheeks become tender.
• Heaviness while bending the head
• Blockage of one or both nostrils
• Other symptoms include weakness, fever, tiredness, a cough that becomes more severe at night and nasal congestion.
• Headache and pressure around the head, eyes and face
• Tender face

Herbal remedies
• Garlic: The fresh juice of 3 to 4 garlic cloves, with 2 teaspoonfuls of honey, should be taken twice a day before food. It is a proven antibacterial, and analgesic.
• Onion: Fresh juice of onion, well mixed in honey is also of great help in sinusitis.
• Black pepper: 5g of black pepper should be powdered finely, and this, well mixed in a cup of warm milk, if taken regularly, prevents recurrent attacks. It is a good anti-infective.
• Steam inhalation is very good for sinusitis.
• Fresh ginger juice: 10 ml of fresh ginger juice with 5 ml of honey twice daily 10 minutes before food
• Fresh tulsi juice: 10 ml of fresh tulsi/basil juice with 5 ml of honey twice daily 10 minutes before food
• Adathoda vasica juice: 30 ml of fresh juice of Adathoda vasica with 5 ml of honey once a day in empty stomach

Ayurvedic therapy for sinusitis
Depending upon the dosha predominance, the treatment regimen is planned which includes internal medicine and a unique therapy called ‘nasyam’. Nasya Karma or Nasyam is one of the five detoxification therapies mentioned in Ayurveda. It is a process by which medicated oil or powder or fresh juice is administered through the nostrils.

Pre-purification measures
Prior to Nasyam karma, warm medicated oil is applied to the patient’s face, forehead, head, ears and neck. This helps the toxins loosen, making it easy for elimination.

Main procedure
• The patient is asked to lie down on a bed
• The head is kept in a slightly lower position
• Mildly warm medicated oil or fresh herbal juice is administered carefully in the nostrils
• The neck, sole, ear and palm are gently massaged to improve the medicine’s assimilation
• Then the patient is asked to spit out all the impurities and medicines
• This spiting process is repeated until the removal of toxins
• This should be repeated for 7 days as a daily process

Benefits
This results in better circulation and nourishment of the organs and the disease will subside. Most of the drugs described for nasya therapy have bitter, hot and penetrating properties. These drugs produce liquefaction and expulsion of vitiated doshas.

Yoga for sinusitis
• Tadasana (Palm Tree Pose)
• Parvatasana (Mountain Pose)
• Trikonasana (Triangle pose)
• Janu Sirshasana (Head to Knee pose)
• Matsyasana (Fish pose)
• Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
• Simhasana (Lion pose)
• Ushtrasana (Camel pose)

Breathing exercises
• Kapalbahati Pranayama (Frontal Brain cleansing breath)
• Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Psychic Network Purification)
• Suryabhedana Pranayamas
• Yoga breathing exercises are extremely helpful in curing the condition and preventing recurrence.

Ayurvedic remedies
• Maha Laxmi Vilas Ras: 1 tablet twice a day with warm water is a good remedy for this painful condition.
• Chitraka Hareetaki: 1 teaspoon after food twice daily with warm milk
• Nasal inhalation of steam for 5 minutes gives good relief.

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