Yoga Asanas for Sinusitis

Introduction:

Yoga helps reduce sinusitis's signs and symptoms naturally by improving breathing capacity. It can help to restore the body's balance and relieve headaches, migraine attacks, and various allergic conditions. Yoga will help open up the nostrils and lung muscles, allowing easy breathing. It also helps in clearing the throat, which will improve the problems caused by sinusitis. Certain yoga asanas can help improve breathing difficulty by sinusitis or any allergic condition. This will help in opening up the air passage of the nasal cavity. Repeating each yoga pose three to five times each and holding the pose for more than 30 seconds can improve the result.

What Is Sinusitis?

It is also called rhinosinusitis. It is an inflammatory condition in the sinuses or spaces inside the nose and head. They will be swollen and inflamed for three to four months. The sputum will drain from the nose, causing excessive congestion and stuffing inside the nose creating difficulty in normal breathing. Sinusitis can be caused due to different reasons, for example, deviated nasal septum, presence of polyps in the nasal cavity, infections in the respiratory tract including viral bacterial or fungal infection, cystic fibrosis (inherited disease affecting the respiratory system), or due to any allergy or inflammation. The symptoms of sinusitis include inflammation in the nasal cavity, thick discharge (sputum) from the nose, breathing difficulty, swelling and pain around the eyes, decreased taste and smell sensation, sore throat, halitosis or bad breath, pain present in the teeth and jaws, weakness and fatigue.

Which Are the Yoga Poses That Are Used to Reduce Sinusitis?

Some of the yoga poses which provide relief from sinusitis or sinus inflammation are the following -

1. Adho mukha svanasana or downward-facing dog pose.

2. Salamba sarvangasana or shoulder stand pose.

3. Setubandhasana or bridge pose.

4. Matsya asana or fish pose.

5. Bhujangasana or cobra pose.

6. Gomukhasana or cow face pose.

7. Janu sirsasana or head-to-knee pose.

8. Ustrasana or camel pose.

What Are the Yoga Poses That Give Relief in Sinusitis Infection?

The yoga poses that reduce sinusitis infection include the following -

• Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward-Facing Dog Pose - Start from the tabletop position by keeping the hands and knees on the floor. Keep the hands and feet wide apart. Slowly raise the hip and pelvic region from the ground upwards, creating an inverted V shape. Keep the feet and palms on the floor. Look at the navel of the stomach while bending down. Hold in this position for eight breaths and return to the normal position. This download-facing dog pose improves the circulation of blood throughout the body and gives relief from overall stress and anxiety present in the body. It will stretch the muscles in the neck and back region. It will strengthen the spine and decongest the nasal cavity and will provide immediate relief from sinusitis infection for inflammations.

• Salamba Sarvangasana or Shoulder Stand Pose - Lie down straight on the floor in a supine position. Keep the arms resting beside the body on both sides. Slowly raise the legs and hip from the ground to the air upwards by supporting with the elbows on the ground. Keep the legs and spines straight in the air while keeping the body's weight on the shoulder and the elbows of the hand supported on the back of the body. Hold in this position for 40 seconds and breathe normally. Relax, return to the original position, and repeat these steps four to five times. This shoulder stand pose helps in calming the mind and relaxing the nerves. It will give relaxation from a sinus infection and various other allergic conditions. This pose also helps in decreasing insomnia or sleeplessness. In addition, this pose helps increase blood supply to the lungs, thereby preventing infections.

• Setubandhasana or Bridge Pose - Lie on the floor prone and keep the hands beside the body on both sides. Slowly bend the knees keeping the feet parallel to the floor, and raise the body from the ground while keeping both the hands and legs on the floor. Make an arch with the body and contact palms, hold this position for 30 seconds, and relax and return to normal. Repeat these steps three to five times. This bridge pose helps reduce pain due to arthritis and reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. Lifting the heart and chest helps stimulate the chest by increasing oxygen and blood circulation and helps in reducing sinus inflammation or infection. In addition, it helps in reducing allergy and pressure present in the sinus cavities.

• Matsya Asana or Fish Pose - Lie straight on the back in the supine position on the floor. Keep the knees bent and fold the arms beneath or under the body. Lift the head and chest upwards and inhale. Keep the top of the head on the ground while arching the back. The weight of the body should be balanced using the elbows. Breathe deeply till the chest opens up. Continue in this position for ten to fifteen seconds, return to the normal position, and repeat these steps five times. This fish helps in deep breathing, which promotes the strengthening and stretching of the lung muscles. It will relieve sinus infection and allergic conditions by providing blood and oxygen supply overall to the body and also increases immunity.

• Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose - Lie straight by keeping the stomach facing the floor. Place both hands beside the body on both sides at the level of the shoulders. Slowly lift the body by stretching the back and stomach muscles while putting the weight on the palms of the hand. Keep the hand straight and the shoulder blade against the back. Look at the ceiling and hold in this position for 30 seconds. Exhale, return to normal position and repeat these steps five to ten times. This Cobra pose helps to reduce the belly or stomach fat and opens the lungs and heart muscles. It helps in reducing stress. This pose relieves sinus infections due to stretching the lung muscles, making breathing easy.

Conclusion:

Chronic sinusitis is treated by administering oral or systemic corticosteroids and irrigation through the nasal septum. Yoga is a natural way of treating sinusitis. Yoga will increase the tone of muscles in the lung, improve breathing capacity, and improve the mental state and overall health. Thus reducing the symptoms caused due to sinus infections and various allergic reactions.