6 Yoga Poses & Asanas for Sinusitis

Sinusitis is caused by excess mucus and inflammation of the sinuses. It’s characterized by nasal congestion, nasal discharge, and facial pain.

Fortunately, there are yoga poses that can alleviate that irritation.

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Yoga Poses for Sinusitis

Here's a look at six such yoga poses:

#1 Sun Breathing (Surya Bhedana)

Sun Breathing (Surya Bhedana) can help open up the nasal tract and help airflow, relieving congestion almost instantly.

Here's how it's done:

• Sit in an easy pose, with a straight spine and relaxed shoulders.
• Close the right nostril with your thumb, and breathe in through the left nostril.
• Hold for a few seconds; close both nostrils, and hold for a few seconds.
• Open your mouth slightly so that you can breathe through it as well as through your nose.
• Breathe out slowly.
• Once you have finished exhaling, close both nostrils again for 1-2 seconds before opening the left one to inhale deeply into your lungs.
• Do not use any force of inhalation either, simply let yourself relax into the process so that all parts of the body are involved in breathing calmly together at once rather than separately or unevenly.

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#2 Deep Breathing (Pranayama)

Deep breathing is a common practice in yoga. It helps calm the mind, relieve tension and stress, and bring about a state of relaxation.

In addition to deep breathing, you can also try alternate nostril breathing, which is also known as nadi shodhana or anuloma viloma pranayama. It's done as follows:

• Alternate nostril breathing involves closing one nostril at a time while inhaling or exhaling through the other one.
• When you're starting out, focus on inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left one.
• Switch to inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right one till both are closed at once (known as 'completion').

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#3 Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

Here's how you do it:

• Place the thumb of your right hand on your right nostril, and inhale through the left nostril.
• Close the right nostril with your ring finger; release the thumb, and exhale through the right side.
• Repeat this cycle 5-7 times. Switch over to alternate-nostril breathing by placing your ring finger on the left nostril and exhaling through it while closing both eyes gently as if you are trying to sleep peacefully without any disturbance from outside lights or sounds.

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#4 Kapalbhati Pranayam

It's a breathing technique that involves rapid and forceful exhalation through the nostrils.

It improves overall health by stimulating the respiratory system, increasing oxygen level in the blood, and detoxifying and cleansing organs like the liver and kidney. It's done as follows:

• Sit in a meditative pose with your back straight and chest out.
• Breathe in slowly before you exhale as swiftly as you can.

This asana can be performed sitting down or standing up, depending on your comfort level. You may have to modify some of the steps if you're pregnant, have high blood pressure, or suffer from any condition that prevents you from doing this pose without discomfort.

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#5 Anulom Vilom

Anulom vilom is a combination of two Sanskrit terms. Anuloma means 'to inhale', and viloma means 'to exhale'. This technique involves breathing in and out through alternate nostrils, one at a time, while keeping the other nostril closed.

The following steps will guide you through the process:

• Take a deep breath in through your nose, and breathe out through the same nostril (left).
• Take a deep breath in again, and breathe out from the other nostril (right). You have now completed one set of anulom-vilom pranayama.
• Repeat for about 5-10 minutes every day for the best results.

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#6 Halasana Pose

This pose is also known as the plow pose.

Here's how you can do it:

• Lie flat on your back, and straighten your legs over your head with your knees bent.
• Clasp your hands under the thighs, and pull them up towards the ceiling till they're at a 90-degree angle from the floor.
• If that's uncomfortable, use a yoga strap to help you pull them closer together.
• The forehead should rest on the floor, while the hands reach towards the feet or hug into the armpits, if they feel more comfortable there.

Halasana can be done for up to five minutes, but only if you're able to do so without pain in your neck or lower back while maintaining correct alignment of body parts throughout all stages of the pose (i.e., when you lift legs).

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Takeaway

Yoga is a great way to treat sinusitis and get relief. You can do the aforementioned yoga poses by following the step-by-step instructions given above or by using online videos.

It's important to practice these yoga poses regularly and follow a healthy diet to keep the body in good shape.