Homeopathy can help treat sinusitis

Sinusitis is the inflammation of the cavities/open spaces around the nasal passages that become inflamed. Sinuses contain mucus-secreting cells whose secretions drain out of the passages in your nose. This drainage helps keep your nose clean and free of bacteria, allergens and other germs (pathogens). It is when these sinuses are blocked, infected, of inflamed, it leads to sinusitis.

Causes of sinusitis: The most common cause of sinusitis is a viral infection, but other factors such as bacterial infection, allergies, septal deviation, other anatomical obstructions/malformations and also autoimmune disorders such as kartageners syndrome, cystic fibrosis and others can lead to sinusitis.

Sinusitis usually has the following presentations:

♦ Sneezings

♦ Running nose - usually mucoid - thick, yellowish-green discharge

♦ Nose itching & Eyes itching, redness and watering

♦ Stuffy nose/nose blockage

♦ Post-nasal drip leading to Throat irritation with cough

♦ Pain in the face, particularly around the nose, eyes, and forehead

♦ Headache usually forehead and back of head

♦ Ear pain.

♦ Bad breath

♦ Fatigue

♦ Unrefreshed sleep

♦ Fever

Prevention and home treatment

To prevent allergic and acute sinusitis, triggers such as dust, pollution, strong odours, smoke, animal danader, and others should be avoided. Steam inhalation, jal-neti, saline nasal irrigation, and warm compresses over the sinuses will help alleviate the symptoms.

Role of Homoeopathy in treating sinusitis

Homeopathy has great scope in treating Sinusitis. These medicines will help to treat allergies and improve the immune system whose compromise leads to recurrent attacks of infection.

Arsenic album: This drug is indicated when a fluent running nose with midnight blockage prevents sleep. Highly effective in allergic sinsusitis and viral sinusitis.

Bryonia: Cold with pain and heaviness of the head. Swelling at the tip of the nose with blockage. Thick, tenacious mucus with constant throat irritation Kali iodide: remedy for blockage due to thick mucus and swelling of the tissues in the nostrils (turbinates).

Tuecrium mavum: a remedy wherein the mucus is in the form of clinkers and is helpful for nasal polyps and turbinate swelling. Various other medicines, such as Arsenic iodide, hydrates, kali bichrom, silicea, tuberculinum and others are helpful in the treatment of sinusitis.

(Dr N Ramaiah Home clinic, 1-230/2/A Chikkadpally Road Chikkadpally, Viveka Nagar, RTC Cross Road, Himayatnagar, 9885009059, drraghu.nar@gmail.com Drraghuram.in)