Breathing is necessary for life;it maintains the balance of the body and mind. However, conditions like sleep apnea, asthma and chronic sinusitis can disturb this balance. These disorders not only affect breathing but also lead to reduced oxygen supply, weakened immunity & mental confusion.
While modern medicines often provide temporary symptomatic relief through medicines, ayurveda takes a deeper approach by treating the root cause by balancing doshas, clearing ama and strengthening the respiratory system to restore harmony and vitality.
AYURVEDIC VIEW OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH:
According to ayurveda, Pranavayu, one among the five divisions of vata, is responsible for respiration and flow of oxygen. When it is blocked by kapha dosha (which causes mucus, heaviness), it leads to congestion, breathing difficulty & poor oxygenation.
Accumulated ama (toxins) further blocks the srotas, weakening the lungs .
Main causes of these conditions include:
- Intake of too much cold, oily ,heavy foods
- Irregular sleep and late night habits
- Exposure to dust, pollution and allergens
- Poor digestion & toxic build up
- Emotional stress & anxiety
SLEEP APNEA:
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often leading to loud snoring and daytime tiredness. Ayurveda views this as a Kapha–Vata imbalance in the head and neck region and focuses on holistic treatment for sleep apnea through balancing doshas, improving airway function, and strengthening overall respiratory health.
AYURVEDIC APPROACH:
- Nasya: Application of medicated oils like Anutailam or Shadbindhu tailam lubricates nasal passage, reduces snoring, and clear blockages.
- Uro abhyanga & swedana: Massage with karpuradi tailam followed by mild steam therapy enhances circulation and improves lung expansion.
- Vata pacifying diet: Warm, light meals with ginger, cumin and garlic, avoid curd, cold milks and heavy dinners.
Medications:
- Brahmi, Jatamamsi and Tagara: Improve sleep quality
- Saraswatharishtam/Aswagandharishtam: Promote calm sleep & stress relief.
- Brahmidrakshadi kashayam: Helps in reducing anxiety and stress
- Pranayama: Practices like Bhramari, Nadi sodhana and Ujjayi help in strengthening the respiratory rhythm and calm the nervous system.
ASTHMA(TAMAKA SWASA):
Asthma is a classic Kapha–Vata disorder where the airway constricts, mucus accumulates and breathing becomes difficult and Ayurveda emphasizes a holistic treatment for asthma by balancing Kapha and Vata.
Samprathi:
- Vata & Kapha block the pranavaha srotas.
- That is, Kapha blocks the airway while Vata increases breathlessness.
- Low digestion (agni) leads to toxins (ama) formation causing recurring attack.
- Triggers: dust, cold, allergens, stress and heavy food
Treatment approach:
In acute phase:
1.Medications like sitopaladi choornam,talisadi choornam, vasarishtam, pushkaramoolarishtam etc can be used under medical guidance.
2 Steam inhalation: Tulsi leaves, ajwain and eucalyptus
3 Nasya: (only if there is no fever/cold)
Apply 2 drops of Anutailam in each nostrils after steam inhalation.
Long Term management:
- For high kapha (Phlegm dominant): Trikatu choornam, kanakasavam,Haridrakhandam, Vyoshadi vatakam
- For high vata(dry cough,chest tightness): Dasamoola kashayam,Yashtimadhu choornam
- For low immunity, Indukantham kashayam, Chyvanaprash, Guduchi, daily consumption of Turmeric+black pepper.
- Panchakarma Treatment plan:
- Deepana-Pachana: Use Trikatu,Panchakola choornam to boost digestion.
- Snehapana: Internal administration of medicated ghee
- Swedana: Nadi swedana and patrapindasweda helps liquefy and clear kapha from the lungs ,opening airways and easing breathlessness ,reducing chest congestion and vata kapha blockage ,improving breathing comfort and lung health.
- Ksheeradhooma is a treatment where warm medicated milk vapor is applied to its affected area.
- Vamana:(Therapeutic emesis)
- Removes deep seated kapha
- Reduce recurrence significantly
Virechana( therapeutic purgation): Removes excess pitta and kapha from the body,cleanses the digestive and respiratory channels, and helps reduce inflammation and mucus accumulation, improving breathing. Mostly, avipathi choornam,trivrit choornam are used as virechana medicines.
Basti: Dasamoola vasti reduces vata kapha imbalance and inflammation in lungs,easing cough and wheezing. Anuvasana vasti (medicated oil enema) pacifies vata,strengthens respiratory functions and helps relieve chronic asthma symptoms.
- SUPPORTIVE THERAPY
- Dhoomapana with medicated herbs(post vamana)
- Pranayama,yoga
Diet plan:
Include warm milk, turmeric water, ginger+ blackpepper, tea, soups, rasam, barley water, pippali in small quantity
Avoid the intake of curd, cold drinks, ice cream, oily fried foods, bakery items, heavy sweet items
Home remedies:
- Intake of Tulsi+ginger+ black pepper tea
- Applying hot potails of ajwain on the chest.
- Consumption of turmeric & honey daily
- Steam inhalation with eucalyptus.
SINUS TROUBLE: Sinusitis is the inflammation of sinus which shows symptoms like blocked nose, facial heaviness, headache and constant post nasal drip Understanding Sinusitis in ayurveda.
Peensa/dushta pratishaya can be correlated to sinusitis in modern medicine.
PATHOGENISIS: Weak digestion and cold exposure increases kapha which gets mixed with kapha and blocks the sinus channel; disturbed vata dosha further dries and obstructs them causing congestion and headache.
SYMPTOMS:
- Ama (toxins) accumulates in head &neck region leads to:
- Nasal blockage
- Head ache& heaviness
- Post nasal drip
- Loss of smell
- Recurrent cold & throat infection
- Facial pressure
Treatments:
Treating sinusitis involves eliminating ama(toxins), balancing kapha, opening channels and strengthening immunity.
1 NASYA: Nasya is a classical Panchakarma treatment where medicated oils are instilled into both nostrils.
Benefits:
- Clears blocked sinus channels
- Reduce inflammation
- Prevent recurrence
- Improves breathing & sleep
Commonly used: Anutailam, shadbindhutailam, ksheerabala tailam
Pratimarsha nasya: 2 drops of sesame oil/cow ghee in each nostrils
Prevents dryness, reduces sinus pressure and improves breathing.
- STEAM INHALATION:
Herbal steam liquefies thick mucus and relieves congestion.
Use herbs like tulsi, ajwain, eucalyptus, dasamoola etc.
Do it for 10 minutes daily during flare ups.
- KSHEERADHOOMA:
Ksheeradhooma is an ayurvedic milk steam therapy that helps to relieve sinusitis, nasal blockage and facial heaviness. In this treatment, medicated milk (milk boiled with herbs like dasamoola, bala, turmeric, vacha ) is heated and its gentle steam is made to expose into the face and nose.
Benefits:
- Opens blocked sinus
- Liquefies kapha
- Reduces headache and facial pressure
- Eases breathing
- Lowers inflammation in nasal passages
- Prevents recurrent sinus attacks
Best combined with nasya, steam inhalation, anti kapha diet
WARM AYURVEDIC DECOCTIONS:
- Dasamoolakatutrayam kashyam
- Tulsi,dry ginger& black pepper warm decoctions
- Vyaghryadi kashyam
- Dasamoola kashayam
Ayurvedic diet for sinus relief:
Include: Warm water, turmeric+ black pepper, dry ginger tea, steamed vegetables.
Exclude: Curd,cold drinks, excess milk, icecreams, oily/fried foods
YOGA &PRANAYAMA:
Breathing practices open sinus channels and strengthen lung capacity.
Recommended:Nadishodana pranayama, Bhramari, Marma stimulation around sinuses
HOME REMEDIES:
Turmeric+black pepper+honey: anti-inflammatory
Garlic & Ajwain, rocksalt steam: removes congestions
STRENGTHENING IMMUNITY:
Sinus problems often occur due to lowered immunity. Ayurveda boosts ojas through
- Adequate sleep
- Warm nourishing foods
- Daily oil massages(abhyanga)
- Intake of Chywanaprasham
- Regular practises of pranayama
PANCHAKARMA THERAPIES FOR ALL RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS:
Ayurveda treats respiratory disorders by cleansing and strengthening immunity.
Effective panchakarma:
- Vamana(Kapha disorders-asthma, allergies)
- Virechana: (Inflammation &removes toxins)
- Nasya(Most effective for sinus & sleep apnea)
- Dhoomapana: (chronic kapha accumulation)
These therapies give long term relief when combined with diet & lifestyle changes.
Strengthening lung health (Pranavahasrotas shuddhi)
Daily practices:
- Intake of warm water.
- Pranavahasrotas cleansing herbs such as Vasa, pippali, haridra etc
- Intake of Chywanaprasham on a daily basis.
- Regular practice of pranayama
- Daily massaging with oil.
- Maintaining healthy weight
- Avoid exposure to allergens & pollutants
Ayurveda provides natural, holistic and long term solutions for respiratory problems like sleep apnea, asthma and sinusitis. Instead of merely suppressing symptoms , ayurveda works by
- Clearing the blocked channels
- Balancing doshas
- Strengthening immunity
- Restoring breath and vitality
With regular therapies, right herbal medications and adopting healthy foods & lifestyles, breathing becomes easy and respiratory health is restored.
Let’s build good respiratory health!
Dr Ardhra Prabhan
