SINUS INFECTION (Sinusitis)

AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE ON SINUS INFECTION

The winter chill in the air and the smell of cedar logs crackling and burning in a far off chimney refreshes the senses. Yet after several minutes of walking, my nasal passages have swollen shut. An unsightly drop of clear mucus prompts me to reach for a tissue. For many, this discomfort masks the genius of a stuffy nose and prompts a battle with an irritated, red proboscis. Assaulted by an arsenal of nasal sprays and drops, the nose briefly submits to temporary relief only to suffer the consequences. Cold temperatures leave our schnoz vulnerable to attack and invasion by bacteria and virus.

The Brilliance of Stuffy Noses

Ayurveda's approach redirects frustration away from our stubborn, sealed and sulking snout and instead towards the root cause. Once brilliantly buffered from exposure to the cold air and blanketed by a thick layer of mucus, the comfy cozy sinuses warm up again. Our nose knows that viruses thrive on the surface of cool mucus membranes. It's winter, and a stuffy nose protects delicate sinus tissues by swelling shut and filling with fluids to prevent nasal breathing. Forcing them open again would create vulnerability to infectious attack.

The Dignity of Boogers

The example above highlights a perspective that respects the body and dignifies its responses to disease, from boogers to blood pressure, however uncomfortable the symptom may feel. This perspective is core to many traditional healing systems on the planet from Ayurveda to the western nineteenth century Vitalists. These healing systems suggest we work with the body, embracing symptoms as teachers or clues rather than struggling against them. The presence and type of a stuffy nose helps us clarify the cause, whether due to blood stagnation, chronic cold, or underlying allergy.

Definitions

Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages, also known as nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, stuffy nose, or stuffed up nose. Nasal congestion is usually due to swollen nasal membranes from inflammation of blood vessels.

Sinusitis is any condition of inflammation in the sinuses connected to the nasal cavity. A simple runny nose is defined by unusually large amounts of nasal fluids with or without inflammation and blocked nasal breathing. Catarrh is a runny nose with thick mucus and white blood cells in response to an infection. Snot and Boogers are the slang term for congealed nasal mucus as it dries.

Types of Stuffy Noses

Many stuffy noses result in the Common Cold. When chronic cold forces the nose to remain stuffed, the inability to flush mucus from the nasal passages may also promote growth of bacteria and viruses. A delicate balance is the key to avoiding sinusitis. The very ordinary ailment we call a common cold is known as Pratishyaya in Ayurveda. Common Colds indicate the presence of rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and many others. Other types of stuffed or blocked noses include polyps and injury to the temples (not covered here).

The main causes of stuffy and runny noses are:

• Exposure to cold temperatures
• Constipation or other toxicity polluting the blood
• Dry heat causing irritation
• Circulatory stagnation from rich, heavy foods
• Infection and irritation
• Allergies
• GERD or acid reflux, especially in chronic sinusitis
• Crying

Signs & Symptoms

The main symptom of a stuffy nose is the inability to breathe through nasal passages. The signs and symptoms of sinus infection are:

• Drainage of thick, yellow or greenish mucus through the nose or back of the throat
• Nasal obstruction with difficulty breathing through the nose
• Pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead
• Aching in the upper jaw or teeth
• Loss of sense of smell and taste following inflammation
• Cough

Other signs and symptoms can include:

• Ear pain - The symptoms of middle ear infection are similar to sinusitis
• Sore throat - Infection, or mouth breathing causing dryness both irritate the throat.
• Bad breath - Ama & putrefaction cause bad breath.
• Fatigue or irritability - More prominent in chronic sinusitis.
• Nausea - Mucus resists digestion by stomach acids. Swallowing mucus weakens digestion.
• Fever - Typically associated with acute sinusitis.

Sinusitis lasting more than eight weeks or keeps coming back is considered chronic. Fever is more common in acute sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis often causes more significant fatigue.

There are four pairs of sinuses in the head. The location of the pain can indicate where the infection is more prominent.

• Frontal sinuses (in the forehead)
• Maxillary sinuses (behind the cheek bones)
• Ethmoid sinuses (between the eyes)
• Sphenoid sinuses (behind the eyes)

Development

Sinusitis usually follows a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The viruses damage the cells lining the sinuses, causing inflammation, swelling, and buildup of fluids that obstruct the nasal passages. The obstruction disrupts elimination of bacteria normally present in the sinus cavity. The bacteria multiply and invade the sinuses causing thick yellowish or greenish exudate. Allergens, pollutants, dryness, and chronic acid reflux create a similar effect, damaging the lining of the sinuses.

Streptococcuspneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis are normally involved in acute sinusitis. Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobes are sometimes involved in chronic sinusitis. Fungi is an increasing cause of chronic sinusitis, especially in people with compromised immunity, such as with AIDS, leukemia, and diabetes.

Ayurveda considers these pathogens opportunists taking advantage of an underlying weakness. Rather than fight the pathogen, Ayurveda considers the pathogen a symptom and addresses the deeper disease patterns that promote their growth. Disease patterns that commonly lead to infection of the sinuses include a diet or lifestyle with an excess of the following qualities:

• Cold
• Rough (as in lifestyle)
• Sharp (allergens or irritants)
• Slimy (as in mucus)
• Dry (causing constipation or irritation)
• Heavy (heavy food causing acid reflux)

Treatment

Soups are traditional dietary foods for common cold and sinusitis. The warm broth of a vegetable or chicken soup warms the blood and entire body.

Kapha people often get stuffy noses in the spring when the blood is naturally rich. If heavy, rich foods have triggered a flood of mucus, a day of light fasting helps clear mucus and dry out the blood. Keep the head and chest warm with a hat and plenty of layers. Sweets and dairy should be avoided including cheese, yogurt, & milk because these provoke mucus (Kapha). Avoid cold water and swallowing mucus. Pitta people get stuffy noses due to allergies and Vata people due to cold quality and toxins in the colon.

Cilantro and an Ayurvedic herb called guduci are hypoallergenic.

Mouth breathing and suppressed appetite causes significant dryness irritating nasal passages. Take care to prevent dehydration. Vata may employ daily oil massage except where fever is present to balance dryness and keep the skin warm. After the acute infection has resolved, five drops of ghee, sesame oil, or nasya oil (medicated nasal oil) in each nostril daily will help the sinuses heal and restore the senses of taste and smell. Foods that are difficult to digest should be avoided. Cleanse the colon with gentle laxatives such as triphala and enema therapy.

Proper Drainage

Proper drainage of the sinus passages will help the bacterial infection to resolve. Since all infection involves Pitta dosha and inflammation, avoid substances that clear the sinuses by further irritating them.

1. Humidifiers make the air warm and moist, soothing the lungs and nasal passages. Inhaling steam infused with ginger or a few drops of eucalyptus oil can open up the nasal passages. Avoid dry heat.
2. Hot baths move circulation. Heat up the room beforehand to avoid a chill when finished bathing.
3. Vibrations from humming can help phelgm to drain.
4. Keep the head upright to help the sinuses drain.
5. Dry throat and lung irritation from mouth breathing can be alleviated using lemon, ginger, black pepper, honey & salty tea. Sour, salty, and sweet tastes are secretagogues, encouraging fluid secretions. Fluid secretion in the sinuses thins mucus for easy removal and also coats dry membranes.
6. Pungents like ginger, black pepper and cinnamon break up mucus and assist expectoration. Demulcents like wild cherry bark, licorice root, and marshmallow root also assist expectoration. Sip or gargle teas made from these ingredients.
7. For sore throats try Honey, Turmeric, Ginger, & Black Pepper Tea.
8. Clear the nasal passages by inhaling the vapors from crushed raw onions. Just as chopping raw onions make the eyes watery, sniffing them liquefies mucus. Raw onions are also a fast acting anti-inflammatory that reduces swelling in the nasal passages when appropriate. Simply crush a 1/4" thick slice of onion in a mortar and pestle and inhale the vapors until clear.
9. Once the nasal passages have been cleared with crushed onions, rinse them with a saline solution of 1/8tsp salt to 1c water. Use a neti pot if you have one.

Images of Sinus Infection

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