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Are you prone to a problem with 'Sinus Infection'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Respiratory System by taking the
free respiratory health quiz:
TEMPERING SINUS INFECTION (from Ayurveda, Greek & Chinese Medicine)
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.
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.
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.
Hot baths move circulation. Heat up the room beforehand to avoid a chill when finished bathing.
Vibrations from humming can help phelgm to drain.
Keep the head upright to help the sinuses drain.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Disclaimer: 'Sinus Infection' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.
Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Sinus Infection'.
Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution.
Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
The term "bland taste" refers, in Chinese medicine, to food containing few macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. These may be compared to negative calorie foods.
Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body.
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care.
Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.
Balance Your Body with Diet, Herbs, & Lifestyles Having These Virtues (Biocharacteristics)
Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Personalized Medicine Systems (Ayurveda, Greek, Chinese Medicine)
categorize in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics.
Biocharacteristics are vital qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the metabolic effect a food or herb has on your body.
Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism.
Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism.
For 'Sinus Infection', consider foods with the following biocharacteristics.
Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.
BIOCHARACTERISTIC
FOODS TO FAVOR
MATCH WITH YOUR WELLNESS PROFILE
DRY
ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC
Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.
Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
SINUS INFECTION IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE #3 - ATTACKING TISSUE
If you have symptoms in this category it means that your imbalances are becoming stronger and weakening your body's resistance.
Most people have a weakness in one or more organs.
These areas of weakness are the 'weak link in the chain.'
They are first to succumb when an imbalance reaches a tipping point.
Repairing imbalances in this category often represent your last opportunity to prevent disease.
At any moment, these imbalances could overwhelm weakened tissue and develop into a disease.
You may feel pain or discomfort in the weakened area.
At this stage you will need to support the weakened tissue with specialized foods and herbs for the weakened tissue.
(See all disease stages on JB)
AVOID DIETS, LIFESTYLES & HERBS THAT AGGRAVATE THESE BIOCHARACTERISTICS
According to Personalized Medicine Systems (Ayurveda, Greek, Chinese medicine), aggravation of any of these
body types
and biocharacteristics may lead to 'Sinus Infection'.
Reduce the foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate these qualities (when dystempered).
Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and
lifestyle habits should be reduced.
Symptoms Tell A Story
The first step to healing is learning patterns from your symptoms.
Symptoms are clues that reveal underlying imbalances.
Symptoms show you where your body is weakened.
Ultimately, all disease has a root in tissues too weak to defend itself.
Ayurveda describes these patterns of weakness using doshas & biocharacteristics.
If you notice a biocharacteristic or dosha appears next to many of your symptoms,
it helps you establish a pattern that may be systemic.
Are you prone to a problem with 'Sinus Infection'?
Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Respiratory System by taking the
free respiratory health quiz:
The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Sinus Infection'.
See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type.
Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.
Risk Factor: 30% more often Complication: +1.3 times as often
Please login or create a free account to see statistics filtered on Sinus Infection and Clear mucus.
Biocharacteristics of 5,489 People Reporting Sinus Infection
On average the biocharacteristics
of people reporting Sinus Infection were more aggravated than 70% of other symptoms.
From the 5,489 people who reported Sinus Infection
average deviation in biocharacteristic levels were the following:
Please login or create a free account to see statistics filtered on Sinus Infection and Bitter.
14.9% avg client level
19.9% (1,094) of cases
8,626 have Bitter constitution
Risk Factors of Sinus Infection
Below you will see general risk factors as well as the greatest risk factors, i.e. those who were also more likely to report Sinus Infection.
Overall, 16.29% of people surveyed reported Sinus Infection.
Please login or create a free account to see statistics filtered on Sinus Infection and Seizures.
121 cases with both
+1.6 times more likely
2% of cases
1.25% (452 cases)
WHAT'S NEXT?
DISCOVER YOUR BODY WITH YOUR FREE INDIVIDUALIZED BODY MAP
Find ideal foods, herbs and lifestyle tips.
See your imbalances, and locate intervention points.
Your body map contains a complete analysis of your Ayurvedic imbalances, organ by organ.
Give your chart to your functional medical doctor or any alternative health practitioner.
Ayurveda strengthens the body while opposing disorders. It takes a holistic,
systemic approach that looks at the whole body. Ayurveda
shows how to interpret signs and symptoms of imbalance, and how to address them
using diet, lifestyle adjustments, and herbs. It shows a person how to optimize their health on a continual basis. You can't
take the doctor home with you, but you can take Ayurveda home with you.
Ayurveda is the most advanced and easy to use home system for self healing.
HOW DOES AYURVEDA WORK?
Ayurveda starts by identifying your body type,
which identifies certain tendencies in your body to get sick (as well as identifying your strengths).
It uses body type to determine the likely root causes of your disorders.
Next, Ayurveda analyzes the nature of your disorder.
It fits all your signs and symptoms into a pattern, expressed as a combination of biocharacteristics (gunas).
For example, you may have a heat disorder, a cold disorder, or an oily disorder, etc.
This simple categorical approach shows you how to correct systemic imbalances and strengthen your body as a whole.
On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalanced biocharacteristics.
By eating an optimal diet that balances your biocharacteristics, your whole body is strengthened
and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease
are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies -
such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance
your healing.
GET STARTED
To get started on your Ayurvedic journey, we first recommend that your find your body
type by taking our free quiz. In Ayurveda, every solution is based on your unique body type, so
by taking this quiz, you’ll get the best results.
5 WAYS TO HEAL YOUR BODY WITH AYURVEDA - FREE REPORT!
New to Ayurveda? Not sure how Ayurveda can help you?
This free report shows you 5 simple ways you can heal your body with Ayurveda.
It shows you simple, practical ways manage your health.
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a
healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda.
His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.
John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda,
offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.
John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy,
& botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John, his wife Natalie and their 7 kids live in Asheville, NC
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
Comments & Personal Experiences
How does 'sinus infection' affect your quality of life?
What aggravates it? What has helped you? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'sinus infection'?
“Wow! As always, an article full of rich, unique content!
I remember a remedy from childhood - when we had a headcold, we'd take a pinch of anise seeds (ajwain) wrapped in a soft hanky and sniff at it all day. It was comforting for sure, but I don't recollect if it helped with the symptoms."
“Tis is so beneficial right now as my students are all overly busy with kids and school and activities. And getting run down as the season and temperature changes so abruptly and we all get jammed in together at school and work...it's a tough time to get sick. So this info is timely to say the least.
Dawn Boys, West Kelowna, BC"
“Massage can help with drainage and relieve neck tension. If you don't have access, try laying on a tennis ball and gently rolling it around the tense areas."
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
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Ayurvedic Perspective on Sinus Infection
Stage of Imbalance (Samprapti)
Diet Remedies by Dosha, Biocharacteristics (Guna), Action, etc.
Herb Remedies by Dosha, Guna, Action, etc.
Biocharacteristics & Herb Actions to Favor
Biocharacteristics to Avoid
Related Symptoms
Live Report: Biocharacteristics
Live Report: Risk Factors
Live Report: Complications
Comments and reviews
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