NASAVARODHA AND ITS AYURVEDIC UNDERSTANDING WITH CORRELATION TO MODERN NASAL BLOCKAGE

Abstract

Blocked or congested nasal passages are one of the most common complications with varying patterns of blockage. The blockage may be bilateral, unilateral, partial, temporary and complete or chronic and may have other associated symptoms. Treatment for a blocked nose can be as simple as changing behaviors related to an identified trigger, use of oral or topical medications, or even surgery depending on the cause and nature of the blockage. Therefore, treatments may be either medical or surgical in origin. From an anatomical standpoint, Nasavarodha refers to a state of impaired air flow in the nasal passages that result from obstruction of the nasal passages. Based on Ayurvedic theory, the condition of Nasavarodha occurs when the airway in the nose is blocked as a result of Kapha becoming disordered and causing structural narrowing, along with Vata affecting the ability of the respiratory system to function normally. Therefore, Nasavarodha, demonstrates both the functional and structural/anatomical changes associated with the nasal cavity.