Sinusitis

Sinusitis

  • Inflammation of the sinuses
  • Bacterial infection in sinuses

Anti-bacterials

  • Goldenseal ~ Hydrastis canadensis
  • Increase Immune Function
    • Astragulus
    • Isatidis

Guduchi

  • Ayurvedic herb for Cold and flu remedy
  • Climbing vine
  • “Giloe” – North Indian is the common name
  • not always clear what part of the plant you are getting, could be vine, berries, etc.

Neem

  • Azadirachta Indica
  • Bittle, cold
  • KP not a big fan of Neem.
  • Bark, leaves, branches, seeds, latex, fruit, flower
  • “Village Pharmacy” – every part of tree is used
  • Bitter digestive, antipyretic, broadly antimicrobial.
  • Good for parasites
  • Antimicrobial Detox
    • Use the leaves
    • Can use as Tea or Powder.  Tea is extremely bitter.
    • Neem Oil comes from seeds from the big trees
    • Not a “home-run” remedy

Sinustitis

  • General (things that may work) (grom all 3 systems)
  • Chrysanthemum
  • Cubeb and other peppercorns
  • Ginger
  • Yerba Santa – Eriodictyon
  • Bibitaki
  • Xanthium
  • Asafoetida/camphor

 Peppercorns

  • Affinity for respiratory tract
  • Many species all over the world
  • mucus releasing
  • Tissue supportive – but different energetics

Pipali

  • Relative of Black Pepper
  • Standing bush
  • Mini cluster of peppercorns (one inch conde shaped)

  • Cubebe Pipali

    • Rounds.  Closely related botanically to Pipali

Black Pepper vs Pipali
Black Pepper Pipali
Drying and detoxifiying moisturizing and building
Also has an affinity for the Respiratory Tract.Excellent for releasing mucus from sinuses. Pipali not good at this
Common to see Black Pepper and Pipali in a formula

Black Pepper

  • Climbing Vine
  • needs to be cleaned and dried
  • Red when harvested, then black.  Green on the vine.

  • Peppercorns

    • Ayurveda peppercorns are boiled in milk.  Milk cools down the taste.  It releases congestion.

Isatidis

Schizandra ~ Schisandra

  • astringent / drying for membranes
  • good for Liver
  • Planetary Herbology under Schizandra pages 128,138, 141, 346, 410
    • Chinese Herb used as a tonic astringent

Peppercorn

Cubeb Berry

  • KP’s favorite cold and flu remedy
  • Cubeb berry is fantastic
  • Originally from Southeast Asia – Vietnam
  • It is a inor part of Chinese Medicine
  • Used minimally in Ayurveda as well
  • Cubeb became famous in the Middle Ages in Europe when the first peppercorn was brought back to Europe from asia
  • Now it grows in Jamaica and Trinidad
  • 100 years ago, it was ther #1 remedy for Asthma
  • Cubeb was smoked as cigarettes, used for Catarrh (respiratory congestion), also for cold in head, asthma, and hay fever
  • Today a dose would be 10 to 12 grams/day in capsules

Iodine

  • Strongly anti-microbial
  • K.P.’s favorite brand is Iodoral – High Potency Iodine/Potassium Iodide supplement
  • High doses can treat bacterial infections
  • Typical dose is 6 tablets to treat Respiratory infection

Sulfur

  • To Treat bacterial infections
  • strongly anti-bacterial
  • before antibiotics were available, “sulfur” drugs were based on sulfur and strongly antibacterial
  • Ayurveda uses it with clove
  • 1 gram/day of elemental sulfur
  • can use clove + honey + sulfur
  • beware of loose stool

  • Gandhak

    • mineral form of sulfur – pure sulfur
    • natural from India – from yellow rocks
    • grind into a powder and use with clove

Sinusitis continued

Topical Treatment – Ginger

  • Topical ginger paste over sore area
  • Mix ginger powder with Eucalyptus oil to make a paste (the consistency of pancake powder), if desired.
  • Brings circulation to the area
  • Good for short term treatment – leave on for 1/2 hour to 1 hour

Inhalant Treatments – Steam Bowl

  • Steam bowl – infusions or essential oils  * Head to Bowl

  • Eucalyptus Leaf

    • Has some antibacterial action by itself, so getting it into the respiratory tract,
    • Helps kill bacteria
    • Also acts as a bronchial dilator to open up lungs
    • Use a few drops to steam
  • * Start off carefully with Steam Bowl – essential oils are very volatile.  Start off slow with a couple of drops

Rubs – on chest

  • Mentholated
  • Camphor
  • Peppermint Oi
  • Eucalyptus globulus oil

Sniff

  • Salt water
  • Ghee (soothes tissues)
  • Ghee is the #1 main remedy for inflammation

  • Nasya Oil

    • Pouring liquid straight into the nose using Nasya Oil

 Neti Pot

  • Get in salt water (in U.S.)
  • In ayurveda, can use other things like Ghee
  • Filter herbal liquid through a strainer first to get our stems.

Sinusitis is a high Kapha situation. Avoid Ghee in the nose for inflammation, not high mucus.  sinuses are not sterile.  Don’t want to get extra water into the Eustachian tubes.

  • Decoctions, dilute oils liquids can go in the Neti Pot – usually with isotonic salt
    • Triphala
    • Ghee
    • Alum and Salt
      • Potassium alum is drastically astringent
      • Use the tiniest pinch
      • Will dry your nose out like a desert.

Neti Pot Inhalant Treatments

  • Thyme – (contains thymol) Steam vaporizer sniffing anti-septic
  • Eucalyptus
  • Yerba Santa
  • Peppermint (menthol)
  • White Pine – class – contnet of turpentine + phenolic substances, Lung opening
  • Oregano
  • Gum Benzoin
  • Natural Healing – pulls in all different things – poultices, foot soaks, etc.

 All Mints

Peppermint

  • Has confusing energetics.  Peppermint is both hot and cold

Spearmint

  • Leaf shaped like a spear – only cold energetics

Melissa

  • Melissa is also a mint

Mint have square stems.  There are hundreds of mints.

 

 

 

 

Leave a Reply