Does yoga help sinus problems?
Yoga offers the many benefits of exercise, the only difference is that this is ‘mental’ and ‘physical’ exercise. This can be done by anyone and everyone, regardless of gender, age, weight and other factors. This is a discipline from India which is almost 5000 years old and can help in uniting the mind and the body. There are different types of yoga’s; some of these are relaxing and meditative while the others are vigorous and intense. Besides the different benefits of yoga, you can avail the relief from sinus with the yoga practice.
Sinus:
When the tissue lining the sinuses get inflamed, you suffer from extreme pain in the nasal area or go through unbearable headaches. Practicing specific yoga with different breathing techniques offers relief to a large extent to those suffering from this pain.
- Kapalbhati:
Kapalbhati done on a regular basis can increase the levels of energy and also open up the nasal passage, helping you to breathe in a comfortable manner. Kapalbhati is also ideal for improving the circulation of blood.
This yoga needs to be performed with the eyes closed and after each round you need to ensure you relax for around 15 seconds, observing the exhalation and the inhalation. People who suffer from high blood pressure, glaucoma, liver ailments, lungs cancer, diarrhea and hernia cannot perform Kapalbhati.
- Ujjayi breath:
Ujjayi is another word for victory. This yoga helps the lungs in flushing out the toxins from your body and can calm your mind to a large extent.
There is a possibility of you feeling dryness in your throat when or after you perform ujjayi breath. Ensure your intake of water is around 4 to 5 liters every day. It is advisable to consult your doctor before practicing ujjayi breath, especially if you have undergone some surgery.
- Bhastrika:
This technique also known as bellows breath, tends to unblock the nostrils, improve the circulation of blood and provide instant energy.
It is advisable not to perform Bhastrika if you have any liver ailments, hernia, during menstrual cycles, heart ailments, glaucoma and high or even low blood pressure.
- Nadishodan:
Performing Nadishodan can help in cleansing the left and right nostrils and bring relief from Sinus. A few minutes of meditation after nadishodan can offer relief from different mental and physical pain.
Yoga Poses:
*Surya namaskar which flushes the toxins, balances the fire, water and air elements in the body, improves the circulation of blood and offer relief from Sinus pain. You can start Surya namaskar by doing 3 sets.
Surya namaskar need to be done either at sunset or sunrise and ensure you do not suffer from back ache, heart ailments, obesity, high or even low blood pressure, glaucoma and during periods and pregnancy.
*Dhanurasan pose opens up the shoulders, chest and the neck. This tends to encourage deep breathing.
Any liver ailments and back pain needs treatment from a qualified professional.
Besides the above, you also have Sethu Bandhasan and Matyasan. It is advisable to consult a qualified yoga teacher before choosing a specific asanas or pose.
