Imagine not being able to smell the breeze or enjoy a crispy palak pakoda because your nose is blocked, or your tonsils got swollen!
Don’t let your senses miss out on the joys of monsoon. ENT specialist Dr Champavathi shares her wisdom about making the most of the monsoon with healthy ears, nose and throat.
Protection during the Monsoon – ENT Care with Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, Varsha ritu is the time when vata and pitta elements of our body go out of balance, causing the immunity and strength of the body to tip towards the weak side. The high moisture content in the air enables harmful microorganisms to thrive, resulting in the transmission of a number of diseases.
This is where early diagnosis and a few basic preventive and hygiene measures become an important aspect of prevention and protection for the three major organs through which ear, nose and throat infections are a common occurrence.
What Are the Most Common Monsoon Diseases in India?
The most common diseases during monsoons are transmitted through 4 major mediums: mosquitoes, water, air, and contaminated food.
When it comes to ENT issues, infections are common during this season as there is more humidity in the air – cold, cough, allergic rhinitis, ear infection, pharyngitis, laryngitis, and headaches due to sinus, to mention a few.
| Symptoms of ear infection | Symptoms of nasal / sinus infection | Symptoms of throat infection | Others |
| Ear pain | Headaches | Sore throat | Fever |
| Headache | Running nose | Difficulty in swallowing | Loss of appetite |
| Itching in ear | Nasal blocks | Change in voice | Malaise |
| Drainage of fluid from the ear | Continuous sneeze | Malaise | |
| Trouble hearing | Heaviness in head | Fever | |
| Imbalance | Difficulty breathing | Headache | |
| Tinnitus | Throat dryness |
Dos and Don’ts
| Do | Don’t | |
| 1. | steam inhalation | swim in chlorinated pools |
| 2. | drink warm fluids | allow water to enter the ears |
| 3. | add antibacterial foods like garlic, ginger, turmeric and black pepper your meals. | have direct exposure to air conditioner or fan with wet hair or damp clothes. |
| 4. | keep the feet dry | have exposure to dust, rain and breeze, as the body is susceptible to diseases and flu in this season. |
| 5. | drink ginger tea to reawaken your digestive fire, boost immunity and help in fighting common cold and flu. | bathe with cold water |
| 6. | relieve sinus or upper respiratory infections, by using eucalyptus oil externally on the temples or chest, or inhaled via a diffuser when the oil is added to boiling water.
|
eat refrigerated foods, cold foods, ice creams, cold drinks |
| 7. | cover ears with cotton during exposure to cold | eat curd and fruits after 5 pm |
| 8. | have bath with cold water | |
| 9. | avoid stale food. | drink excess fluids at this time as this further slows down the metabolism. |
| 10. | Food that is light and fresh, which includes preparations made from barley, rice and wheat.
|
eat uncooked vegetables and salads; don’t eat a lot of junk and fried food during the rainy season. This can lead to weight-gain and lethargy. |
Lifestyle during Monsoons
Follow this lifestyle to stay healthy and protect your body in Varsha Ritu:
- Getting an oil massage before a warm water bath helps in exfoliating and removing toxins from the body.
- Always wear dry clothes. Dampness breeds fungal and bacterial infections.
- Include ghee from cow’s milk, lentils, green gram, rice and wheat in your daily diet.
- Also include raw honey – stir it into your herbal tea, or mix it in milk or oatmeal as a natural sweetener. Honey is packed with antioxidants and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Avoiding sleep in the daytime as it hampers digestion and slows down metabolism.
- Get ayurvedic Panchakarma or detoxification done to balance doshas and nourish the body.
- Practice breathing exercises and yoga poses like Bhramari Pranayama, Simhasana and Kapalbhati for unclogging sinuses, relief from sore throat, cold, cough and other respiratory problems.