MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC SINUSITIS THROUGH ALTERNATE RECHANA AND SNEHANA NASYA - REPORT FROM A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Chronic sinusitis is the chronic inflammatory condition affecting the paranasal sinuses. It may be correlated to Dushta pratisyāya in Ayurveda, which is a Kapha predominant disease affecting jatṟuṛdhva bhāgā which needs teekshna virecana nasya for its management. Vāgbhaṭācārya opines that except for vātika rogas, nasya should be done as ekāhāntara (alternate day) i.e., with a gap of one day in between. But according to Cakṟadatta commentary, ekāhāntara nasya is to be done with virecana nasya and snehana nasya on alternate days. For virecana nasya, Tuḷasi patṟa svarasa (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) and for snehana nasya, Aṇutaila were selected. A patient aged 43 years diagnosed with adult rhinosinusitis diagnostic criteria was taken for the study and was given ekāhāntara nasya with Tuḷasi patṟa svarasa and Aṇutaila for 7 days. During follow up period Pathyākṣadhātṟyādi kaṣāya was given for 15 days. Samyak nasya lakṣaṇa and Event evaluation scales were assessed on each day of nasya and Scale for scoring of symptoms, Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and Visual Analogue Scale were assessed before trial, after trial and after follow up. After the course of treatment 100% improvement was found in the Scale for scoring of symptoms, Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and Visual Analogue Scale. Keywords: Case report, Ekāhāntara (alternate day) nasya, Tuḷasipatṟasvarasa, Aṇutaila, Chronic sinusitis