A sore throat is usually caused by a bacterial infection and it usually indicates an onset of cold. It may also indicate strained vocal chords or a strep throat. Eating proper foods can help in easing the symptoms and fight inflammation; thus providing the requisite energy to the body.

The 9 foods which help in treating a sore throat are:

1. Bananas: These foods are packed with vitamin C that allows you to recover quickly from an illness. They are also relatively soft and easier to swallow which make them a preferred food if you have a sore throat.

2. Cooked carrots: Carrots contain good amounts of vitamin A; eating them roasted or sauteed is a good way to consume the required nutrients. This vegetable also contains carotenoids in good amounts which are beneficial for the body.

3. Tea: Tea is usually preferred by people when they have a sore throat. Tea has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in fighting infections in the body. Tea also helps in fighting stress and contributes to increased focus.

4. Cooked cabbage: Cabbage contains antioxidants along with Sulfur, vitamin K and vitamin C, which helps in fighting infection in the body. It can also relieve symptoms of headache.

5. Sage: Sage is a herb that has powerful infection fighting properties. Mixing crushed sage with warm water or sprinkling it in your soup can help alleviate symptoms of cold and sore throat.

6. Honey: Honey is an effective treatment for sore throat because of its strong anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to take honey during a sore throat.

7. Licorice: Licorice is another remedy that can be used to treat sore throat. It has certain properties, which cause a reduction in pain and help in clearing the airways.

8. Yoghurt: Yoghurt is soft, which makes it easier to gulp down in case of a sore throat. You may even add some fresh fruits to the mix for taste.

9. Garlic: Garlic has strong antibacterial properties, which help in easing symptoms of sore throat. You may directly chew garlic or add them to your food to gain the maximum benefits.

9 Foods To Help A Sore Throat

What is allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is defined as allergic symptoms in the nasal passage. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal (occurring during specific seasons) or perennial (occurring year round). The allergens that most commonly cause seasonal allergic rhinitis include pollens from trees, grasses and weeds, as well as spores from fungi and moulds. The allergens that most commonly cause perennial allergic rhinitis are house dust mites, cockroaches, animal dander and fungi or moulds. Perennial allergic rhinitis tends to be more difficult to treat.

How does allergic rhinitis occur ?
This condition occurs when allergens (allergy- causing substances) come into contact with the nose, and usually also the ears, sinuses, and the throat. When allergens come in contact with the lining of the nose and sinuses, they trigger the cells to release the chemical histamine, which causes the allergy symptoms described below.

What are the symptoms?
Nasal congestion 
Sneezing 
Watery " runny nose" 
Itchy eyes,nose,or throat 
Puffy eyes or 'allergic shiners'
Post nasal drip 
Tears 
These symptoms may occur during a certain season or year long. They can occur at any age. 

Risk factors for allergic rhinitis?
Allergies can affect anyone, but you re more likely to develop allergic rhinitis if your family has a history of allergies. Some external factors can trigger or worsen this condition, including:

cigarette smoke
chemicals
cold temperatures
humidity
wind
air pollution
hairspray
perfumes
colognes
wood smoke
fumes
Ayurvedic concept of rhinitis
As per Ayurveda, Allergic rhinitis is compared with Vata- Kaphaja pratishaya. The concept of Ama, Asatmya and virudh aahara also predict the allergic conditions.

Ama is the product of impaired digestion and metabolism. It affects Rasa and Rakta Dhatu leading to manifestation of Pratishyaya. Wrong food combinations (Virudh aahar) having antagonist properties like fish with milk, fruit juice with milk, clarified butter with honey, ice cream after night meals, etc. leads to allergy.

Ayurveda believes in balancing the three doshas present in the human body, thus treating the disease on the whole. Treatment involves clearing the sinuses and expelling phlegm, alleviating the relevant dosha and detoxification. To permanently resolve this disorder, dietary and lifestyle adjustments may be necessary in addition to the strengthening of the immune system. Panchakarma is an effective means of treating Allergic Rhinitis.



Ayurvedic treatment for allergic rhinitis:
If the symptoms are severe and in chronic conditions, Vamana Panchakarma treatment, followed by Virechana is administered. This helps to relieve Ama and balance Tridosha.
In some cases, where the patient has normal digestion strength, Nasya treatment (nasal drops therapy) is administered with herbal oils such as Anu taila or Shadbindu Taila. 
After the above Panchakarma treatments, Ayurvedic medicines are administered to improve respiratory immunity and strength of upper respiratory tract.
Useful Ayurvedic medicines in treating allergic rhinitis:

Nimbarajanyadi tablet   Contains neem and turmeric as main ingredients.
Chavikasavam   Fermented Ayurvedic liquid, also used in urinary tract disorders.
Mahalaxmi Vilas Ras   Also useful in the treatment of skin diseases, diabetes, Sinus, non healing wounds, etc.
Other medicines: Narada lakshmi vilas rasa, Anand bhairava rasa, tribhuvan kirti rasa, shringarabharaka rasa, Mayur shringa bhasma, Abhraka bhasma, Lavangadi pills, Sitopaladi choorna, Marichayadi yoga, vyoshadi pills, Khadiradi pills are suggested.

Diet management:

Take  Light food, lukewarm water, Kapha nashaka foods like little spicy food, saindhav salt, legumes, soups etc.
Avoid heavy food, fermented food, congestive food, too hot or too cold food, soar food, non vegetarian food, sweets, banana, curd, yogurt, ice creams, deserts, cakes, yellow grams, etc.
Avoid Alcohol and cold beverages. 
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ayurveda.

Allergic Rhinitis - Signs That You are Suffering from it

Acoustic neuromas are tumors that develop on the nerves connecting the ear to the brain. Being non-cancerous in nature, they do not spread to other parts of the body. However, they are characterized by symptoms such as gradual or sudden hearing loss, more pronounced with either of the ears, a ringing sensation in the affected ear, weakness, facial numbness and dizziness.

Causes:

Acoustic neuroma can be of two types: one is sporadic in nature and the other is associated with a condition known as neurofibromatosis type II (NF2). NF2 is basically an inherited disorder identified by benign growth in the nervous system. NF2 being a rare disorder, makes the sporadic type the dominant one. Although the causes behind this type of neuroma are still unknown, long term exposure to radiations, especially around the neck and the head, could be one of the most important triggering factors.

Treatments:

Once the diagnosis is done, treatments for acoustic neuroma depend on the growth and size of the tumor.

Diagnosis with the help of monitoring: Small tumors exhibiting no such symptom or slow signs of growth need to be monitored with the use of hearing tests and regular imaging. In case, the MRI scans are able to trace any sort of development on the part of the tumor or if the tumor poses subsequent difficulties, opting for treatment becomes the need of the hour.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Also known as Gamma Knife, radiosurgery is a treatment method wherein controlled radiations are used to treat tumors, thus doing away with the need of making any incision.

Surgical Removal: Surgery performed under general anesthesia is directed towards removing the tumor; that helps to preserve the facial nerve and thus inhibit facial paralysis and hearing loss. The tumor is usually removed either through the ear or through the skull.  

Experiencing Dizziness? It Could Be A Sign Of Acoustic Neuroma

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?

The tonsils are soft tissue masses which are located at the back of your throat, usually at the pharynx. The tonsils are masses which are part of the lymphatic system that helps fight infections. However, tonsils can themselves become inflamed and cause a lot of pain. Tonsillectomy is a procedure to remove the tonsils and relieve pain.

Why is tonsillectomy performed?
A few decades back, tonsillectomy was a routine surgery performed to relieve any pain within the tonsils. This method of treatment however has changed over the past few decades as pain medications for inflammation have improved vastly. However, tonsillitis is still performed in many cases wherein it tends to cause acute problems. Some of the cases it is applicable in are:

Chronic bad breath problems caused by recurrent inflammation of the tonsils
Recurrent sore throats caused by tonsillitis
It is also done along with dental surgery for correcting teeth with imperfect positioning
Abscess formation in the mouth
Upper airway being obstructed due to inflammation, thus causing difficulty with sleeping, snoring, or causing sleep apnea (irregular breathing during sleep)
Ear infections being regularly caused by inflammation of the tonsils
Other reasons why it may be recommended
Tonsillectomy may be also be recommended when there are no indications of problems but tonsillitis and other infections keep cropping up too regularly. This affects children and can make them sick or keep them in pain regularly. Some of these other indications are mentioned below:

Tonsil infections and inflammations happening too frequently within a year
Tonsillitis is caused by bacterial infection wherein the antibiotics aren t effective
Formation of pus in the form of an abscess within or around the tonsils which keep forming even after repeated drainage or administering antibiotics
Possible complications and risks
Like any other form of surgery, tonsillectomy has certain risks associated with it as well. However, these are very rare. Some of these risks and complications are mentioned as follows  

Swelling of the mouth: The tongue and the soft palate or the roof of the mouth may swell, resulting in breathing difficulties an few hours after the surgery.
Infection: As is the case with any surgery, infections may occur in rare cases, which may require further treatment.
Adverse reactions to anesthetics: Many patients exhibit an adverse reaction to anesthetics and may develop symptoms such as a headache, nausea, muscle soreness and frequent vomiting.
Bleeding during surgery or healing: Although it is rare, bleeding during and after surgery has been reported after all sorts of procedures and it may occur with tonsillectomy as well.

Tonsillectomy - When Should You Go For It?

9 Home Remedies for Sinus 

Nose incorporates an intricate system of narrow passages and hollow, air containing spaces connecting to eyes and ears that enable us to inhale the air before it reaches our lungs. And the problem of sinus is directly linked with the nose. Basically, Sinus is a cavity within bones of face connected with nasal cavities and the main cause of sinus is allergies. But internally our nose has to suffer a lot when this problem occurs. But there are few tips that can be of great help during sinus. Let’s see them one-by-one

1. Drink plenty of water: While you are suffering from sinus, you must keep drinking water at short intervals because this won’t let the sinus get dry which is very essential for the treatment of sinus. Prefer taking lukewarm water.

2. Oregano oil: Adding few drops of oregano oil in water and having it 2-3 times a day for a week will provide relief when suffering from sinus and it will also make recovery faster.

3. Eat vitamin C: Eat citrus fruits which are rich in Vitamin C. Although some people avoid it thinking that it will aggravate the sinus problem but taking Vitamin C is helpful in sinus problem.

4. Fruit juice intake: Taking fruits juices also helps in thinning out mucus and preventing sinuses from blocking.

5. Warm compressor on face: Keeping warm compressor on your face will give relief from discomfort and will open blocked nasal passages.

6. Keep your head propped up while sleeping: Sleeping on a couple of pillows will be a good idea as it will help in proper breathing.

7. Spicy food intake: Taking too many spices is never a good idea but taking it in limits can actually solve many problems and one of them is clearance of sinus. Spices like mustard, hot pepper, curry and horseradish etc. helps in clearing sinus. It opens your nasal passages.

8. Hygiene: Hygiene is the first and foremost thing to be kept in mind when this problem occurs.

9. Humidifier: Keeping humidifiers in your room also helps in providing relief during sinus.



9 Powerful Home Remedies for Winter Sinus That Work Fast!

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