Rhinorrhoea, as the name implies is the excess drainage from nose, ranging from clear watery fluid to thick mucus. It can be a part of an acute infection like common cold or a chronic condition like tuberculosis. In severe cases, even a blood tinted mucus may be present. It can happen due to a lot of reasons. So, the severity and prognosis vary vividly.
Signs and symptoms
- Runny Nose – which may be clear, Yellowish, Greenish or brownish
- Nasal Congestion
- Sinusitis
- Sneezing
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Loss of Conciousness
- Confused mind
- Sore Throat
- Chills
- Pain in the Ear and Face
- Weariness
- Bleeding by Nose
- Breathing problems
- Diarrhea
- Cough
- Erythema
- Malaise
Causes
Causes of a runny nose include:
- Coryza
- Hay fever
- Perennial rhinitis
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea from a head injury.
- Acute sinusitis (nasal and sinus infection)
- Allergies
- Common cold
- Chronic sinusitis
- Decongestant nasal spray overuse
- Deviated nasal septum
- Hormonal changes
- Influenza
- Lodged object
- Medicines, such as those used to treat high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, depression, seizures and other conditions
- Nasal polyps
- (chronic congestion or sneezing not related to allergies)
- asthma
- Pregnancy
- Spinal fluid leak
- Tobacco smoke
Pathophysiology
The process of allergen sensitization involves the participation of antigen-presenting cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes and depends on environmental allergen exposure. Sensitization results in the generation of allergen-specific IgE that circulates in the peripheral blood and attaches itself on the surface of all mast cells and basophils including those that home to the nasal mucosa. Subsequent nasal exposure to allergen activates these cells and, through the release of the classic mediators of the allergic reaction, produces acute nasal symptoms. Over a short period of time, these symptoms become indolent, whereas inflammatory and immune cell infiltrate, including eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, and monocytes, characterizes the late stages of the allergic response. In parallel, and probably as a result of the development of mucosal inflammation, the nose becomes primed to allergen and reacts more vigorously to subsequent allergen exposure but also becomes hyperresponsive to irritants and to changes in atmospheric conditions.
Diagnosis
- Clinical examination
- Culture will guide any antibiotic therapy.
- X-ray of sinuses may show clouding from infection.
- Nasal discharge cytology is sometimes used to diagnose allergic fungal sinusitis
- Specialist investigation (eg, CT scanning and screening tests for cystic fibrosis) may be required to rule out the rarer causes.
Treatments
broad-spectrum antiviral drugs
Nasal douching with saline, topical and oral antihistamines and topical and oral corticosteroids
Prognosis
Mostly self-limiting
Complications
Upper respiratory tract infections
meningitis
Disease & Ayurveda
Naasaaparisraava
Nidana
Causative factors for the vitiation of Kapha and Vaata
Purvaaroopa
Not mentioned
Samprapti
Not mentioned
Lakshana
Clear watery fluid discharge from nose
No discolouration
Excess at night time
Divisions
Not mentioned
Prognosis
Saadhya in new cases
Asaadhya in chronic & complicated cases
Chikithsa
Samana
Aamapaachanam
Agnideepanam
Lepanam with Rookshana dravyas
Swedanam
Sodhana
Vamanam
Virechanam
Nasyam – with choorna
Avapeeda-theekshna nasyam
Dhoomapanam
Commonly used medicines
Dasamoolakadutrayam kashayam
Elakanadi kashayam
Thaaleesapathradi vatakam
Brands available
AVS Kottakal
AVP Coimbatore
SNA oushadhasala
Vaidyaratnam oushadhasala
Home remedies
No home remedy is proven cure. But inhalation with basil leaves, ginger, lemon etc are beneficial in relieving discomfort.
Diet
- To be avoided
Heavy meals and difficult to digest foods – cause indigestion.
Junk foods- cause disturbance in digestion and reduces the bioavailability of the medicine
Carbonated drinks – makes the stomach more acidic and disturbed digestion
Refrigerated and frozen foods – causes weak and sluggish digestion by weakening Agni (digestive fire)
Milk and milk products – increase kapha, cause obstruction in channels and obesity
Curd – causes vidaaha and thereby many other diseases
- To be added
Light meals and easily digestible foods
Green gram, soups, honey
Freshly cooked and warm food processed with cumin seeds, ginger, black pepper, ajwain etc
Behaviour:
Protect yourself from cold climate.
Better to avoid exposure to excessive sunlight wind rain or dust.
Maintain a regular food and sleep schedule.
Avoid holding or forcing the urges like urine, faeces, cough, sneeze etc.
Avoid sedentary lifestyle.
Yoga
Regular stretching and mild cardio exercises are advised. Also, specific yogacharya including naadisuddhi pranayama, bhujangaasana, pavanamuktasana is recommended.
Regular exercise helps improve bioavailability of the medicine and food ingested and leads to positive health.
Yoga can maintain harmony within the body and with the surrounding system.
Pavanamuktasana
Nadisudhi pranayama
Bhujangasana
Simple exercises for lungs and heart health
All the exercises and physical exertions must be decided and done under the supervision of a medical expert only.
Research articles
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4896656
- PMID: 28687232
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was done to assess the efficacy and safety of mepolizumab versus placebo for severe bilateral nasal polyposis. Patients aged 18 to 70 years with recurrent nasal polyposis requiring surgery were chosen. Patients received 750 mg of intravenous mepolizumab or placebo every 4 weeks for a total of 6 doses in addition to daily topical corticosteroid treatment.
A significantly greater proportion of patients in the mepolizumab group compared with the placebo group no longer required surgery at Week 25. There was a significant improvement in nasal polyposis severity VAS score, endoscopic nasal polyp score, all individual VAS symptom scores, and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test patient-reported outcome score in the mepolizumab compared with placebo groups.
In patients with recurrent nasal polyposis receiving topical corticosteroids who required surgery, mepolizumab treatment led to a greater reduction in the need for surgery and a greater improvement in symptoms than placebo.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, United States. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your GP before the intake.
Writer:
Dr. Rajesh Nair, the co-founder and chief consultant of Ayurvedaforall.Com, is a graduate of prestigious Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College (affiliated with the University of Calicut), Kerala, India. Additionally, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University.
Dr. Nair offers consultation at two busy clinics in and around Haripad, Alleppey, Kerala, the southern state famous worldwide for authentic ayurvedic treatment and physicians. While offering consultation on all aspects of ayurvedic treatments Dr. Nair has a special interest in Panchkarma, Yoga, and Massage.
Through Ayurvedaforall Dr. Nair offers online consultation to patients worldwide and has served hundreds of patients over the last 20 years. In addition to his Ayurvedic practice, he is the chief editor of ayurveda-amai.org, the online portal of Ayurveda Medical Association of India, and the state committee member of Ayurveda Medical Association of India.
Dr. Nair is a regular speaker at Ayurveda-related conferences and has visited Germany to propagate Ayurveda. You can write directly to him-
rajesh@ayurvedaforall.com
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