All World
Gayatri Pariwar

    In this issue of Yoga Therapy, the causes and symptoms of sinusitis along with its treatment through yoga and other therapies will be  discussed. Sinusitis can be described as inflammation and burning sensation in the sinus cavity which is enclosed within the cheek and the forehead bones. It is a contagious disease. Sinus cavity is covered with mucous membranes which start from the nasal path. At the onset of common cold (flu), the narrow entrances to the sinus get blocked, headache and heaviness is felt, and swelling appears in the cheek bones and forehead. At times, the pain in the sinus is so intense that the eyes also start aching. Along with cold, all these symptoms take about a week to subside, and sufficient rest is necessary in this period.

Symptoms of rhinitis (swelling inside nose) are commonly found in sinusitis. So it is also called rhino-sinusitis. In USA, the number of patients affected from this disease sums up to about thirty one million. In India also, this disease has risen up to dangerous proportions.

Causes

The main cause of this disease is infection in the upper respiratory tract, which could be a bacterial, fungal or viral infection.  Among bacteria, streptococcus pneumonia and haemophilus influenza are mainly responsible for this disease. Sinusitis can become a long-term disease and can sometimes take two weeks to a month or even longer to get cured. This normally happens when sufficient care is not taken during a strong infection of common cold. Wrong food habits are continued and the process of disposal of toxic elements from the body gets disrupted due to constipation. As a result, microbial infection and production of mucous starts and symptoms of disease begin to appear in the lower respiratory track. Though the swelling of face and forehead may subside after sometime, but the generation of mucous from the front and back of nose in the blocked and infected sinus continues. This results in the symptoms of blocked nose and recurring headache. In the cases of chronic sinusitis, the infection gets strongly rooted. In such situations it becomes very difficult and painful to establish control over the infection by conventional therapies.

Factors leading to Sinusitis

The main factors that aggravate this disease are: infections in upper respiratory track, allergic rhinitis, low immunity, Kartagener’s Syndrome, cystic fibrosis etc. Cold air, smoking cigarettes, wrong ways of breathing, and adopting incorrect lifestyles also aggravate the disease.

The symptoms of sinusitis

If green-yellow fluid is continuously discharged from the nose, it indicates the presence of this infection. Headache, body-ache, burning sensation, tooth-ache, mucous discharge, reduced sense of smell etc. are some other common symptoms. Half of the population infected with sinusistis also complains of fever. This disease is identified by various methods. Modern scientific instruments like CT Scan, Conventional Sinus Radiography, Flexible Fibroptic Rhinoscopy and Translumination are used to examine various aspects of the disease. Endoscopy is also used for examination.

Modern treatment of sinusitis

In the first stage of sinusitis anti-allergic drugs are prescribed. If that does not help then antibiotics like – cefuroxime, cefaclor, clarithromycin, etc. are prescribed. In acute infections these drugs are taken for 10-14 days and in chronic or old diseases these are taken for up to six weeks. Oxymetazoline spray can also be used for decongestion but its prolonged use can be harmful.  So allopathic treatment of this disease is not without its side-effects. In very old and chronic patients the infected cells need to be surgically removed using Functional Endoscopic Surgery (FSS) but this also is not an effective solution.

Vitamins

Vitamins and Zinc Beta-Carotenes are often taken as preventive measures as they help boost up the immunity of the body. Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. Yoga therapy can provide a complete cure for this disease. It is possible to completely uproot both acute and chronic forms of this disease using this therapy.

Yogic treatment of sinusitis

In yoga, sinusitis is treated by two methods: first, by balancing the energy centers or nadis in the body; and second, by affecting the deep mental states or obstructions that arise with the symptoms of the disease. Dhy³n (meditation), Yog-nidr³ and objective self-analysis are very helpful in understanding and regulating the system of the unconscious mind during the disease.

1.    Surya namaskar: This process has been explained in previous issues in great detail. This is a very dynamic and effective yogic practice. It enhances the pranic energy within the body at an amazing pace. It also presents apt solutions to many sensitive mental situations and different kinds of psychological and immune system related problems. It is also very effective in expelling infections of respiratory system.

2.    Asan:  After general improvement of health, first start with pavan muktasan series of asans. Then sequentially start with Surya Namaskar and Shavasan. As the health improves further and strength increases in the body then start the practice of paschimottanasan, bhujangasan, halasan, dhanurasan and ardha matsyendrasan one to three times. Do not practice Shirshasan and Sarvangasan during common cold because that can aggravate sinusitis.

3.    Pranayam:  Practice five cycles of Bhastrika pranayam. Each cycle must have fifty breaths. This pranayam frees lungs of unnecessary air and microbes and purifies them. It vaporizes the water filled in the sinus and cleanses it. The flow of energy is continuously maintained in this pranayam which is very beneficial in the healing.

4.    Shatkriya : Jalneti is the most beneficial when there is no fever. It helps in expulsion of dried mucous from the nose, cleanses sinus and helps create unobstructed flow of air. This can be practiced once or twice every day. Whenever stuffiness is felt in the nose or accumulation of mucous is felt, then to get relief from this condition jalneti should be practiced. However, to dry up and cleanse the nasal passages, and activate the frontal portions of the brain, do practice Kapal-bhati pranayam. It is necessary to expel extra water through the nose; otherwise jalneti may have the opposite effect and restart cold and cough.

Sutraneti is another effective practice to end the excessive sensitivity of the mucous membranes. In the early days of practice complaints of sneezing and inflammation are possible, but in just a few days great benefits are visible.

Kunjal kriya is extremely useful in both prevention and cure of this disease and can be practiced every day. Kunjal helps in the expulsion of phlegm and mucous deposited in the body, which is very beneficial in sinusitis. At the change of seasons surely practice Shankh-Prakshalan. It helps in expelling all the mucous obstructions that lie decaying inside the body and the state of the body heat gets balanced. The toxins deposited in the intestines pollute the air and this air then casts its ill effects on the head, nose and throat. Shankh-Prakshalan expels these toxins and reduces the heaviness of the head.

5.    Shithlikaran: Practice yog-nidra everyday because it provides deep relaxation, which has great therapeutic importance. The good and bad experiences of earlier life and various experiences of childhood give rise to various mental complexes hidden within the personality and thoughts. With this practice patients of sinusitis can witness all the complexes of the mind from the outside. These complexes play a very important role in the root causes of the disease.  Yog-nidra helps in opening up and unraveling these complexities of personality, which helps in slowly curing the disease.

6.    Diet: Sinusistis patients must consume light and vegetarian diet so that mucous is not generated. Overeating for taste of food should be avoided. Specially, it is not right to consume heavy, oily and sweet food in excess. Food items made from salt, rice, and finely ground maida should be abstained from. Avoid cold drinks, ice-cream, milk and food items made from milk. In the first 3-4 days of treatment take only fruit juices (not chilled). Take a lot of grape and sweet lime juices, but do not mix juices of different fruits together. After the intake of juices, include a lot of vegetables in your food. Eat a lot of fruits and specially eat papaya.

7.    Fasting: Fasting is the best treatment. With fasting it is possible to control even the most difficult diseases. Whenever symptoms of the disease begin to show, start fasting. This is the most effective remedy to prevent an attack of this disease. As an alternative, in place of food for dinner take every day, Pragya Tea boiled with ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and cardamom. This provides heat to the body and helps expel phlegm.

Other useful tips:

1.    Keep the body warm in the winter and rainy seasons. Especially protect throat and chest from cold.
2.    Stop taking bath the moment symptoms start showing. Do not drink cold water.
3.    Apply cold pack on sinus; or applying hot and cold pack turn by turn would provide good relief.
4.    Do steam inhalation in the night.
5.    Stop smoking and stop eating heavy and oily food.
6.    Stop worrying excessively and regulate the daily routine.
7.    Avoid mental and emotional anxieties as they further increase the disease.

Positive thinking and meditation, chanting Gayatri and Mahamrityunjay mantras etc. help in complete elimination of this disease. So practice these regularly. In this manner, if these practices and balanced/controlled food habits and life styles are adopted then it is possible to get rid of this disease permanently. In the next issue, yogic treatment of Tonsillitis will be discussed.


Every sinful act brings sickness, sorrow, downfall and problems.