Top Health Tips on Treating Sinusitis

There is probably no house in India, where dishes are prepared without the use of ginger. It forms an amazing spice that is savoury, both for spicy and sweet dishes and as a result, most Indian dishes include this spice for making them tastier and healthier. But did you know that both fresh and dried ginger has medicinal properties as well?

Here are the top 13 benefits proffered by ginger

Healing properties: Ginger can be used as a fresh root or a milled powder for healing all kinds of sores and cuts and it prevents spread of infections.

Helps in relieving pain: If you can boil ginger for a short time and drink the liquid, it can help in alleviating the chronic and acute pain caused by arthritis, rheumatism, abdominal cramps, back pain, bronchial asthma and bronchitis, neck stiffness, inflammation in the kidney and liver.

Regenerating properties: Ginger can help in increasing the blood circulation, eliminating toxins and regenerating the tissues that have been harmed with any kind of disease.

Fat burning abilities: Ginger can act as a fat burner and aids in weight loss. It can create a feeling of fullness and reduces sudden food craving so that you will not have to snack in between meals.

Anti-inflammatory properties: Regardless of what has triggered the cause of pain, ginger has the potential to set you free from it owing to the anti-inflammatory properties contained in ginger roots.

Helps in relieving sinusitis: Ginger has a notable impact on the health of those suffering from sinusitis. If you are suffering from asthma, you may have it too.

Alleviating nausea: Ginger root can soothe the nerve and can prevent headache, vomiting and migraine. It can relieve you from tiredness and soreness of muscles caused due to long voyages.

Fighting abdominal discomfort: By consuming ginger tea on regular basis, your digestion, as well as food absorption, can be prevented.

Reduction of inflammation: Ginger root helps in soothing swollen joints and tired muscles. It is also recommended for relieving pain and burning sensation.

Fighting menstrual problems: Dipping a towel in ginger tea and putting in the region of the uterus can aid in relaxing the muscles.

Relieving stress: A cupful of ginger tea can aid in improving the mood and reducing stress and tension.

Empowering the immune system: The antioxidants contained in ginger roots can help in strengthening the immunity system by reducing stroke risk and cleaning arteries.

Treating cancer: It has been proven that ginger tea can kill cancer cells.

There are specific rules and ways of consuming Aadrak (ginger) by people of different constitutions and regions. An Ayurvedic constitutional examination can help you in understanding which and when is the best way for you to consume ginger.

The lungs are highly prone to chronic problems. Be it asthma, bronchitis or COPD, these problems require chronic treatment and the patient is always on alert. Homeopathy believes that these are just symptoms of an underlying, deep-rooted cause and addressing the root cause can help in complete cure of symptoms. By working on the underlying problem, homeopathy attempts to:

Prevent further damage to the organs; so disease progression is arrested
Reduce dependency on steroids and bronchodilators, which is very common among most people with chronic respiratory disorders
Natural and holistic treatment with minimal side effects
What Causes Breathing Problems?

There are many causes of breathing problems. Some people have difficulty breathing when they get a cold. Others have trouble breathing because of occasional bouts of acute sinusitis. Sinusitis can make it difficult to breathe through your nose for a week or two until the inflammation subsides and the congested sinuses begin to drain.

Homeopathy has some of the best remedies to cure acute signs and symptoms of different respiratory infections. Using Homeopathy for these infections is beneficial as it has no side-effects. Such infections include include rhinitis, tonsillitis. They are often associated to common cold, sinusitis, ear infection and sometimes bronchitis. The most prevalent disease of this kind is bronchitis. It is an inflammation of the lung's air passages, the bronchi. It can be either acute or chronic. It is supposed to be incurable when it continues for more than two months. The respiratory system renderoxygen to the cells and exclud waste from the body; The different symptoms of respiratory diseases should be treated wisely because long-lasting infections can turn into lifetime lung diseases. Homeopathy offers an exceptionally effective approach to these set of illness. An experienced homeopathic doctor can quickly prescribe an individualized remedy based on numerous factors that are determining the patient's overall health and his addictions.

Sinusitis or sinus infections can be quite a debilitating ailment when it becomes recurrent. Sinuses are cavities within our head just behind the nose which extends up to our forehead and to certain areas of the cheeks. These cavities are filled with a mucosal lining which helps you breathe and also filters the air which goes to the lungs. When the mucosal lining gets inflamed, it blocks the normal drainage of the mucus into the nose. This results in headaches, nasal polyps and general discomfort. Homeopathy offers some great remedies for this condition, without side effects. Some of these are discussed below.

Homeopathic remedies for sinus problems

Belladonna: This medication is very effective when the sinusitis has resulted in a suppressed discharge from the nose which occurs intermittently. If you have a splitting headache which feels unbearable, Belladonna can help relieve the symptoms quickly. If the infection of the sinus has spread to the throat and results in cough, Belladonna can be equally effective in those circumstances as well.
Pulsatilla: If you are experiencing a greenish mucosal discharge from your nose without a painful burning sensation within it, Pulsatilla can be a very effective cure. Another indication where this medication is very effective is when you have headaches centered just above your eyes rather than over the forehead or other parts of your face.
Kali Bichrome: This is another commonly prescribed medication to deal with the symptoms of sinusitis as well as to reduce inflammation and cure sinusitis altogether. If you have a lot of mucosal discharge that drops into your throat along with discharges through the nose, Kali Bichrome is the drug to go to. Other indications where it is effective are pain and heaviness in the nose and the inability to breathe with headaches in and around the eyes.
Silicea: If you are feeling cold and constantly chilly along with nasal stuffiness, Silicea is the medication to go to. Along with discharges, your nose may form hard mucous crusts within it. Trying to manually remove these crusts may also cause bleeding. Silicea will reduce these symptoms and is also effective in reducing a headache which occurs mostly on the left side of your face.
Merc Sol: If you are experiencing a yellowish green discharge from the nose along with a burning sensation and increased saliva secretion in your mouth, Merc Sol is the remedy to turn to. It is also effective wherein the headache has spread all around the head.

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms experienced by most people. While a headache is not a disease per se, it is a manifestation of some underlying disease and can affect the quality of life. The underlying cause could range from something as innocuous as a hunger headache to a slightly more severe one like migraines to underlying neurological and vascular conditions like temporal arteritis. Common forms including a sinus headache, tension headache, cluster headaches, and migraines.

Ayurveda believes that the body goes through disease if there is an imbalance in one of the key components of the body, Vata, pitta, and Kapha. Restoring the balance will take care of not just the symptom but restore overall body health. Relief, therefore, is longer lasting with Ayurvedic solutions. Depending on the type of a headache, the imbalance varies, and treatment would differ and is aimed at restoring the lost balance.

Massage: Using natural oils like peppermint oil, lavender oil, or castor oil to massage the forehead or the temples can produce great relief. This also causes improved circulation and nerve stimulation, leading to pain relief.

Add substances that produce cold like khus khus, buttermilk, ghee, and coconut water. Try castol oil and shikakai for hair wash and see a headache vanish.
A mixture of green tea with a lemon squeezed in is one of the quickest reliever for a headache.
A paste or lemon rind that is applied externally on the forehead and temples also provides relief from a headache and a soothing effect for the affected individual.
A paste of cinnamon mixed with any essential oil or plain water can also be applied on the forehead and/or temple region for relief from the pain.
Watermelon juice with sugar reduces the heat produced by the body and relieves a headache.
Crush some ginger, add it to water, and bring it to a boil. This contains a lot of oils from the ginger, which is very soothing for the stomach. This has pain relieving properties and helps in relieving headaches.
A glass of warm water with honey in the morning on a daily basis takes care of chronic headaches. It is advisable to drink this on an empty stomach daily.
In addition to the above remedies to relieve the headache, the following measures should be followed for prevention and/or reducing the frequency of headaches.

Diet: Eating right by avoiding headache-inducing substances like cheese, chocolates, eggs, etc. On the other hand, going hungry can lead to hunger headaches.
Exercise: The neck, shoulders, and scalp should be eased frequently through regular exercise. This also improves blood flow, thereby reducing headaches.
Try these measures and see your headache disappear.

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. 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.

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. Sometimes 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.

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.

Question 3 - 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. Graded Ksharsutra Treatment for Pilonidal Sinus as soon as possible.

Question 4 - 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.

1. Sensation of pain while sitting or standing in the low back region.

2. The cyst appears swollen

3. Pus and blood mixed watery discharge from the cyst

4. Reddened skin near the cyst

5. Cyst forming again and again

Pilonidal sinus disease results in the small tunnel formation in the skin. It occurs at the cleft on top of the buttocks. Such a sinus gets filled with dirt, hair and debris. It has a tendency of becoming infected and may ooze out pus as a result. Once this happens, the sinus may emit a rotten odor if not treated. People who spend the majority of their time seated are at a greater risk of suffering from pilonidal sinus.

Signs and Symptoms of Pilonidal Sinus
You need to be aware of certain signs and symptoms of such a disorder so that you can begin treatment as soon as the problem occurs. Here are some of them-

Extreme pain while sitting or standing
The reddened sore skin around the area
Swelling of the sinus growth
Pus and blood draining from the cyst, which causes a foul smell
Hair growth from the sinus
The appearance of more than just one hole or sinus on the skin.
In rare cases, a mild fever may also accompany the appearance of the cyst.
Ayurvedic Treatment for Pilonidal Sinus
Conventional forms of treatment for Pilonidal sinus are reliable, but they may cause a few side effects. This is why patients suffering from the condition often consider Ayurveda. The main objective of such treatment is to bring balance between the three doshas, namely, Kapha, Pitta and Vata.

Pilonidal sinus is also referred to as Nadi Vrana in Ayurveda. The best way to treat the condition is through Kshara Sutra Therapy. In this form of the treatment, the threads used are first smeared with beneficial herbs.



This thread is then placed inside the sinus. After 7 days the thread is changed with a new one. This procedure may take anywhere between 4 and 8 weeks. This treatment is not only used to treat the sinus but also helps with the formation of new tissues.

Apart from the medication, patients suffering from such a sinus will need to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle. For instance, ditching oily and greasy foods and incorporating fruits and green vegetables into the daily diet can be immensely helpful against Pilonidal sinus. Apart from the diet, patients should also lead an active life to minimize the risk of the disorder. Walking a couple of kilometers every day will also help you fight complications from the same.

Sinusitis is an irritation or swelling of the tissue covering the sinuses. Healthy sinuses are loaded with air. But there are times when they get blocked and loaded with fluid. In such cases, germs can develop and cause an infection. Due to this infection, your nose gets heavily blocked along with you sinuses and might make it difficult for you to breathe.

Conditions that can bring about sinus blockage include the following:

Common cold

Allergic rhinitis (swelling of the lining around the nose)

Little developments or growths in the covering of the nose called nasal polyps

A deviated septum (a shift in the nasal cavity)

Here are some of the ways you can get rid of sinusitis naturally:

Stay Hydrated: Drink a lot of water, soup or broth, along with juices with no added sugar and hot tea. These liquids will disperse bodily fluids and drain it from the disturbed sinuses.

Salt Water Rinse: In case you suffer from sinus infections often, invest in a neti pot. This helpful container makes it simple to hydrate your nasal tract, getting out undesirable bodily fluids and any contaminants you may have breathed, an which may have been caught in the nasal cavity.

Turmeric/Ginger Root: Turmeric root is an excellent fragrant spice found in most Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Turmeric not only contains the regular calming and anti-inflammatory curcumin, it is also an antioxidant. When it is mixed with hot ginger ale and blended with hot tea, this mixture can remove excess fluid from the clogged nasal sections, ease sinus pressure and make you feel better.

Spicy Food: Spicy ingredients such as mustard, hot peppers, curry, horseradish, and masala in one s food may help in clearing sinuses. In case you like spices, think about including some hot flavours to your food to open your nasal entries.

Apply Warm Packs: You can use a warm pack to keep the nasal tissues damp. Also, fill a round bowl or pot with steaming water and place your face over it with a towel around your head to inhale the steam in. This will open up your sinuses and make an easy path for fluid drainage.

Take a Steam: High temperature water vapour can saturate the sinuses. Sprinkle a couple drops of eucalyptus or menthol in the shower or bath and steam up your bathroom. A hot shower can also relax the bodily fluid as well as the mucus and debris that are stuck inside your nose.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is not only powerful in disposing off sinus issues; it can also be used for different skin and hair issues. What it does essentially for sinus infection is that it clears up the nose so that the bodily fluid can be removed quickly.

Awakening with a headache and on top of it a blocked nose is an unpleasant begins to the day. In the event that this turns into a standard event and even the face harms with general largeness in the head, it's a restorative condition called Sinusitis. Sinuses are air-filled depressions inside the skull bone. These empty spaces in the skull are arranged in cheek bones, brow, behind the scaffold of the nose and between the eyes. Another set is arranged in the upper area of the nose and behind the eyes. All the sinuses have the same coating that is available in the nose. This covering produces bodily fluid, which is depleted out of the sinuses through an opening in the nose. Homeopathy treatment can be a decent cure for Sinus of various sorts.

Top normal Homeopathic remedies for sinus infections

1. Silicea: One of the Best Homeopathic remedies for Sinus Infections with headache. Silicea happens to be one of the finest remedies in homeopathic for sinus disease. The headache caused by sinus fundamentally on right side happens to be treated best with Silicea. The patient requiring Silicea feels crisp and is extremely touchy to frosty air. Concealing warmly gives alleviation. One conspicuous sign for utilizing Homeopathic pharmaceutical Silicea as a part of cases of sinus happens to be stuffiness in the nasal parts. The discharges in the nasal areas get stopped up in hard coverings. On endeavoring to extricate these hulls, there is dying.

2. Belladonna: Top Homeopathic solution for sinus headache with smothered discharge: Normal Homeopathic prescription Belladona is one of the perfect homeopathic remedies for sinus diseases when sinus headache is because of smothered discharge. Belladonna is exceptionally useful when a Sinusitis patient grumbles of a brutal headache. The patient may get alleviation from the headache by restricting the head firmly or applying weight.

3. Kali Bichrome: Best Homeopathic solution for Sinusitis with discharge dropping once again into throat
Kali Bichrome is the top regular Homeopathic medication for Sinusitis where the discharge drops over into the throat regardless of leaving the nose. The discharge is thick and for the most part yellow.

Pilonidal sinus presents itself as a nodular swelling or an opening in lower spinal region. There might be intermittent pus discharge from this swelling. Hairs protruding out from this opening/ swelling may also be seen. Pilonidal Sinus mostly happens to people who have hairy skin. Hairs invade in the skin and become source of infection. As a result pus formation is there which intermittently gets discharged through a tract opening on the skin.

Treatment for Pilonidal Sinus:

Medicinal treatment - Homeopathic/ Allopathic/ Ayurvedic - Oral medicines are not of much use in treating Pilonidal Sinus. Problem keeps on appearing after some time of remission. So, just continuing oral medicine in hope of treatment will only complicate the problem. So, usually surgery is advised for Pilonidal sinus. But it is not a good choice as the chances of recurrence of problem are pretty high after surgery. However, Pilonidal Sinus can be conveniently treated by Graded Ksharsutra Treatment.

No hospitalization or bed rest is required in this treatment. Patient can continue his normal routine activities as usual during this treatment. In this treatment first of all; Sinus tract is defined with the help of MRI sinogram or carefully done manual probing. Once the tract is defined properly; Graded Ksharsutra - a specialized medicated thread is placed in sinus tract. Medicine present in this thread exerts strong debridement effect and thus induces healing by fresh and healthy granulation tissue.

With the introduction of Graded KsharsutraTM; Pilonidal Sinus treatment has become more convenient. Medicine present in Graded KsharsutraTM works for 5 to 7 day so old Ksharsutra needs to be replaced with a new Ksharsutra at a week or 10 days interval. No. of Graded Ksharsutra changes required for complete healing of sinus depends on length of Sinus tract. It is observed that sinus heals @ 0.5 to 1 cm per sitting i.e. to say that a 3 cm long sinus tract needs 4 to 5 Graded Ksharsutra changes at weekly interval.

Why Non Surgical treatment is better than Surgery for Pilonidal Sinus:

No hospitalization or bed Rest required

No chance of surgery related complications

Chances of recurrence are there in surgery while recurrence is not seen in Graded KsharsutraTM treatment

Graded KsharsutraTM is done under local anesthesia which is always safer than general anesthesia/ Spinal Anesthesia required during surgery

Normal routine activities can be continued as usual during Graded KsharsutraTM Treatment

Graded KsharsutraTM Treatment is more economical than surgery for Pilonidal Sinus.

So, we can conclude that non surgical Ksharsutra treatment is better than Surgery in case of Pilonidal Sinus.

Do you have a habit of secretly picking your nose? Sounds dirty? Yes! Although most of you secretly enjoy doing it, nobody likes to admit it and is a common bad habit. There is a certain amusement to it and people seem to enjoy picking their nose. However, on top of being a very unhealthy and unhygienic habit, it is harmful to the body as well. Not only does the habit looks gross, but it also leaves the door open for dangerous bacteria to enter your nose.

Why should you stop picking your nose?

Picking your nose is quite dangerous for your body, as your fingers contain many harmful germs, which are transmitted to your nostrils when you are digging into your nose. A specific germ known as Staphylococcus aureus lives in the front part of your nose and can make you seriously ill. Combining the habit of nose picking along with the germs may lead to the development of abrasions. These abrasions can bleed and become a breeding ground for even more germs. As a result, the crust and irritation increase, as you keep on picking your nose. Based on where you are and what you have touched with your hands, some seriously dangerous germs may enter your body, causing health hazards and complications.

Children are notorious by nature and it is very common among children to pick their nose resulting in nose bleeding. The blood supply to the nose is quite vigorous in nature and there are five arteries that reach to the front part of the nose or Kisselbach s plexus. When an abrasion takes place, there are chances of severe bleeding, due to damage to these fragile arteries.

Other reasons why you should not pick your nose

Picking your nose may lead to the development of pimples in the nose hair follicles.

In case a small pimple in the nose develops into a boil, the infection may travel to the brain through your bloodstream.

In case you are suffering from cold and your sinus is blocked, picking your nose may lead to the development of sinusitis. This happens because of the introduction of various bacteria present beneath your fingernails into the nose. They may proceed to the sinus cavity from your nose. And, due to insufficient drainage, the bacteria will multiply and cause a sinus infection.

Picking your nose on a regular basis makes your nose a breeding ground for dangerous germs. If you do not wash your hands after picking your nose, these germs may be transmitted to others.

If you feel some irritation in your nose or a constant stuffiness, you should use a tissue paper to soothe your nostrils. Avoid using your fingers for picking and if the irritation lasts even after cleaning it, you should consult a doctor.