Acute sinusitis (acute rhinosinusitis) causes your nasal passages (sinuses) to become inflamed and swollen. This interferes with drainage and causes mucus to build up. It is difficult to breathe, area around your eyes and face may be swollen. Acute sinusitis is most often caused by the common cold. Other triggers are allergies, bacterial and fungal infections.

These self-help steps can help relieve sinusitis symptoms:
1. Get good rest. This will help your body fight infection and speed recovery.
2. Drink plenty of fluids: Like, water or juice. This will help dilute mucous secretions and promote drainage. Avoid beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol, as they can be dehydrating. 
3. Sleep with your head elevated. This will help your sinuses drain, reducing congestion.
4. Moisten your sinus cavities: Drape a towel over your head as you breathe in the vapour from a bowl of hot water. Or take a hot shower. This will help ease pain and help mucus drain.
5. Apply warm compresses to your face. Place warm, damp towels around your nose, cheeks and eyes to ease facial pain.

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Top 5 Sinus-Relief Home Remedies 

The inflammation of the tissues around the sinuses is a condition known as sinusitis. This can be triggered by a number of factors including a common cold and pollen allergies. The symptoms of acute sinusitis are

Facial muscle pain
Stuffiness of the nose
Running nose
Congestion
Loss of smell

Sinusitis is an uncomfortable condition on its own, but can also lead to a number of other complications. Ayurveda can be very effective in treating sinusitis without causing any other side effects. Here are a few ways to treat sinusitis with Ayurveda.

Steam inhalations

Steam is a decongestant that can successfully clear congestion and make sinusitis less painful. This can be done five to six times a day. If your sinus is causing excessive pain, this should be repeated regularly for at least a week. In cases of chronic sinusitis, you may even continue this form of treatment for two years.

Nasyam

Nasyam is one of the five therapies of detoxification according to Ayurveda. It treats sinusitis by administering medicated oils or herbal juices through the nostrils into the body. Nasyam acts by attacking and removing excess humor in sinus cavities. This improves the flow of oxygen in the body, and thus also helps treat the pain that is a result of your sinusitis.

Ginger-Garlic

Ginger and garlic have a number of medicinal properties. A teaspoon of fresh ginger juice with honey can help reduce the congestion caused by sinusitis. This should ideally be had early in the morning, as soon as you wake up and may be repeated in the evening. Similarly, create a concoction with crushed garlic, turmeric, and honey, in the ratio of 1 tsp each of garlic and turmeric and 2 tbsp of honey. Have 1 tsp of this concoction daily.

Jala Neti

Neti is a yogic purification method and jala neti refers to purification by water. This is a simple technique that should be practiced daily to relieve problems related to sinuses. Fill a neti pot with lukewarm water and a little salt. Position the neti pot such that the spout is in one of the nostrils. Breathe through your mouth and tilt your head till the water starts flowing from one nostril to the other. Once the pot has been emptied, repeat the process with another nostril. This can be repeated any number of times.

Change your diet

Ayurveda is a lifestyle and hence diet is a very important part of the treatment. Avoid cold and oily food. Starting the day with a glass of lemon juice and water is also said to be beneficial to sinusitis patients. Processed foods, chocolates, liquor, carbonated drinks etc are other things to be refrained from when treating sinusitis with Ayurveda.

Treating Sinusitis with Ayurveda

Most people go through the experience of getting up in the morning feeling lousy along with a heavy headedness which lingers on all through the day. You may believe that you are getting cold, but you realize that the medications of the common cold are not able to mitigate your symptoms. That s because you are being affected with sinusitis which needs comprehensive treatment.

What is sinusitis?
Sinuses are hollow spaces in the body which have their opening in the nose for the exchange of air and mucus, and each sinus is joined with the nasal passage with the help of continuous mucous membrane. This means that anything which leads to a swelling in the nose including an infection or allergic reaction or immune reaction can affect these sinuses. It results in an intense pain of sinus attack as air is prevented from entering into the nasal sinus because of the swollen membrane. It can also lead to other symptoms such as a runny nose along with nasal congestion, tiredness, fever and severe cough.

How to get rid of sinusitis?
Even though there are endless numbers of medications which can help you control the symptoms of sinusitis, you will be surprised to know that it can also be effectively treated through the Unani medicines without any side effects. If you are suffering from acute sinus pain, you can inhale steam with holy basil five to six times a day. You may require this treatment for several weeks to years together as per the level of suffering. Practicing breathing techniques can also aid in draining out pollutants from the sinus cavities.

Besides practicing these effective procedures, it is recommended to see a Unani medicine expert who can evaluate your unique physical condition and set a treatment plan to relieve your condition. This particular system has got its name from a region in Greece called Unan. The system of Unani medicine is based on several kinds of research, and it incorporates a huge number of drugs from notable medical systems like Siddha and Ayurveda.

How does the Unani system of medicine work to treat sinusitis?
According to the Unani system of medicine, it is important to find out the reason behind the ailment to treating the ailment from its roots. A person gets affected by different diseases including sinusitis due to the surrounding conditions. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between human body and environment. Pollution also makes the body weaker, and medicines bring about a host of unwanted side effects. On the other hand, the medicine aids in collecting the factors which have contributed to causing the disease. The natural forces in the body together with the Unani medicines help in removing the ailments which, in turn, manage the symptoms of sinusitis.

So, if you are suffering from intense sinusitis and no treatment has helped your condition, then you should consider Unani medications without further delay. It would take some time to uproot the condition, but it is possible to get rid of the condition by following the instructions of your expert diligently.

Best Unani Medicine for Sinusitis Treatment

The inflammation of the cavities around nasal passage is known as sinusitis. When the cavities are full of fluid, germs attach themselves to the fluids, which give rise to infections. Some of the causes of sinusitis are common colds, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps and deviated septum.

There are 4 different types of sinusitis:

    Acute sinusitis: It remains for about 4 weeks or less. It is usually characterized by a runny nose and pain in the face which will stay for at least 10 to 14 days.
    Sub acute sinusitis: It is almost like the acute sinusitis but stays longer for about 4 to 8 weeks.
    Chronic sinusitis: The inflammation in this case lasts about 8 weeks, sometimes longer than that.
    Recurrent sinusitis: In this, the sinusitis attack keeps occurring all through the year.

At times, to clear up the blocked sinuses, a surgery is mandatory. This can be painful hence many are hesitant to go through with a surgery. If you want to control sinusitis so that it doesn't reach the limit where you have to go through a surgery, here are some tips of what you might be able to do regularly to clear your chances of controlling this:

    Take steam: This is the most common and easy way to control sinusitis. The steam helps to break down the excess mucus in the nasal passage and also reduces the inflammation of the sinuses. All you need is water. Heat it up to the required temperature and then inhale the steam. You will get a lot of relief if you do this regularly.
    Nasal Irrigation: This is basically the process of flushing the infected and stale mucus out of the nasal cavity. Take a liter of sterile water, mix one tablespoon of kosher salt and baking soda each. Then with the help of a syringe or a neti pot, wash your nostrils with the solution. The mucus will start coming out and your nasal cavity will clear out.
    Use warm washcloth: Lie down and place a warm washcloth (a washcloth dipped in warm water and wringed) on your forehead and nose region. The warmth from the washcloth will break down the mucus and clear the congestion.

Sinusitis: Controlling it without Surgery

Pilonidal Sinus/ Cyst is Characterized By 
   Small nodular swelling in the lower spinal region with occasional discharges that may stain undergarments. Sometimes mild pain may also be noticed. 
   It is usually seen in adults of college/ school going age & with hairy skin. 

Pilonidal Sinus/ Cyst seldom heal with medicinal treatment. Any medication whether allopathic, Ayurvedic or homeopathic may show some temporary relief but do not eradicate the problem. In most of the patients having pilonidal sinus/ cyst, surgeons usually recommend surgical procedures like Z-plasty etc. Even after surgery the chances of recurrences are always there. Post operative pain, hospitalization and chances of recurrence are the factors which suggest that surgery is not the appropriate method of treating pilonidal sinus/ cyst. 

TREATMENT OF CHOICE (AYURVEDA) - 
In Ayurveda, a parasurgical treatment known as Ksharsutra therapy is an effective treatment for pilonidal sinus/ cyst. Treatment method includes proper identification of sinus tract wrt. to its depth, direction and branching pattern. This could be achieved via sinogram or skilled probing. Once the sinus tract has been properly identified, a super specialized medicated thread i.e. Graded ksharsutra  is placed in the tract. The medicine from the medicated thread is gradually released which leads to debridement of the sinus tract which means unhealthy tissue, pus, hairs are expelled out from the tract. The proper and complete debridement of the tract induces healing of the sinus which subsequently heals. The medicine coated thread remains effective for 7-10 days after which it has to be replaced by a new thread. 

Usually, in a sinus of approx. 5 cm length, 6-8 sittings of medicated thread replacement are required at a weekly interval. Ksharsutra therapy being a non surgical opd procedure doesn't involve any hospitalization or bed rest and patients can resume their routine work immediately after treatment. Graded ksharsutra  treatment is the treatment of choice for Pilonidal Sinus as chances of recurrence are seldom seen. The facility of Graded ksharasutra  is available only at Sushruta Anorectal Institute. 

Pilonidal Sinus/ Cyst Treatment FAQs 

Question 1 - What is Pilonidal Sinus/ Cyst Disease? 

Answer - Pilonidal Sinus disease is seen as a small nodular swelling in the lower spinal region with occasional discharges of pus & blood. It is most commonly found in people with hairy skin. Some times mild pain may also be noticed. The main problem is that it keeps on developing again and again after short period of remission. As the problem aggravates, the size of the swelling & pus discharges also increase. It is usually not noticeable in the beginning till it keeps recurring again and again. It is advisable not to get it operated as the chances of recurrence after surgery are pretty high, where as in Ayurveda with the help of Graded ksharsutra , this problem can be completely cured without surgery. *(There is no guarantee of specific results and the results can vary.) 

Question 2 - What are the Causes of Pilonidal Sinus Disease? 

Answer -Pilonidal sinus is also known as the jeep riders back problem. The problem was first recorded on a large scale during world war II in the soldiers who rode jeeps and motorbikes on a frequent basis. Though, the reason behind the occurrence of the issue is really not known it is believed that in growing hairs and hairs penetrating the skin are main cause. The problem is more common in people who have hairy skin. Home remedies for Pilonidal Sinus? Answer - Pilonidal Sinus is an infective condition usually seen in hairy skin individuals. As such there is no home remedy for Pilonidal Sinus. So instead of wasting time in searching for home remedies; you should plan for complete treatment i.e. Ksharsutra Treatment for Pilonidal Sinus as soon as possible. 

Question 3 - What are the ways of identifying a Pilonidal Sinus and Recognizing Signs of Infection? 

Answer -The main problem with identifying Pilonidal Sinus Infection is; it cannot be done till it grows to a certain extent. At first, it appears like a normal boil on the skin. When it does not go away with time; pus starts discharging out of it. We have demarcated a few of the signs that may help you in detecting the problem. 

Sensation of pain while sitting or standing in the low back region. 
The cyst appears swollen 
Pus and blood mixed watery discharge from the cyst 
eddened skin near the cyst 
Cyst forming again and again

Pilonidal Sinus - Say No to Surgery!

Sinusitis is an inflammatory condition which causes swelling of the tissue lining the sinus passages. The healthy sinisuses are filled with air, but when there is a blockage, they get filled with fluids which can give rise to germs and cause an infection. Conditions such as the common cold, allergic rhinitis (swelling of the lining of the nose) and a deviated septum (shift of the nasal cavity) can cause sinusitis. People with nasal polyps and blocked drainage ducts are more prone to getting sinusitis as compared to other people. The main treatment for sinusitis is surgery.

Sinusitis Surgery
Surgery is the most effective treatment for this condition as it makes the sinuses drain by getting rid of the blockage and draining out the mucus. Surgery also removes infected, swollen and damaged tissues in the sinus along with polyps present in the nose or the sinus. If any foreign substances are obstructing the nasal passage, they are removed as well. Surgery, sometimes, is the only way of getting rid of a nose which is badly blocked. In severe conditions, people might also require a second surgery. Surgery, when coupled with medication, is more effective in treating this condition as antibiotics might be required to prevent the sinus from getting re-infected.

There are two types of sinusitis surgeries people can avail:

Endoscopic surgery: This surgery removes small bones and other foreign substances blocking the sinus passage or is used for removing polyps. A thin tool called the endoscope is inserted into the nose with the help of which, the doctor gets rid of substances which are blocking the sinus passage.
Sinus surgery: This is carried out in conditions when there are developments like pus and infections in the facial bones or in case of a brain abscess (inflammation caused due to infection within the tissues of the brain). In this kind of surgery, the doctor uses the opening in the mouth or makes another one through the skin of the face to remove the blockage from the sinus and get rid of sinusitis.

Suffering from Sinusitis? Can Surgery Be Helpful?

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