Nasal Medication: Nasya

Nasya: Nasal Medication

The nasal route is the doorway to the brain and consciousness. The nasal administration of medication is called nasya. An excess of bodily humors accumulated in the sinus, throat, nose or head areas is eliminated by means of the nearest possible opening, the nose.

Prana, life force as nerve energy, enters the body through the breath taken in through the nose. Prana is in the brain and maintains sensory and motor functions. Prana also governs mental activities, memory, concentration and intellectual activities. Deranged prana creates defective functioning of all these activities and produces headaches, convulsions, loss of memory and reduced sensory perception. Thus nasal administration, nasya is indicated for prana disorders, sinus congestion, migraine headaches, convulsions and certain eye and ear problems.

There are six main types of nasya, as listed below.

• Pradhamana (Virechan) Nasya (cleansing nasya) uses dry powders (rather than oils) that are blown into the nose with a tube. Pradhamananasya is mainly used for kapha types of diseases involving headaches, heaviness in the head, cold, nasal congestion, sticky eyes, hoarseness of voice due to sticky kapha, sinusitis, cervical lymph adenitis, tumors, worms, some skin diseases, epilepsy, drowsiness, Parkinsonism, inflammation of the nasal mucosa, attachment, greed and lust. Traditionally, powders such as brahmi are used.
• Bruhana Nasya (nutrition nasya) uses ghee, oils, salt, shatavari ghee, ashwagandha ghee and medicated milk and is used mainly for vata disorders. It is said to benefit conditions resulting from vata imbalances such as vata-type headaches, migraine headache, dryness of voice, dry nose, nervousness, anxiety, fear, dizziness, emptiness, negativity, heaviness of eyelids, bursitis, stiffness in the neck, dry sinuses and loss of sense of smell.
• Shaman Nasya (sedative nasya) is used according to which dosha is aggravated but mainly for pitta-type disorders such as thinning of hair, conjunctivitis and ringing in the ears. Generally certain herbal medicated decoctions, teas and medicated oils are used.
• NavanaNasya (decoction nasya) is used in vata-pitta or kapha-pitta disorders and is made from decoctions and oils together.
• Marshya Nasya (ghee or oil nasya) which can be used on daily basis as a preventive measure.
• PratiMarshya (daily oil nasya) This helps to open deep tissues and can be done every day and at any time to release stress.

Substances Used in Nasya:

Brahmi, ginger, ghee oils, decoctions, onion, garlic, Piper longum, black pepper, curry pepper, rose, jasmine, mogra flowers and henna.

Indications for Nasya:

Stress, emotional imbalances, stiffness in the neck & shoulders, dryness of the nose, sinus congestion, hoarseness, migraine, headache, convulsions, etc.

Contra-Indications for Nasya:

Sinus infections, pregnancy, menstruation, after sex, bathing, after eating or consuming alcohol and not to be used below 7 years or over 80 years of age.