BASIC INFO

Kachooradi Choornam

Kerala Ayurveda’s Kachooradi Choornam is an Ayurvedic solution to help find relief from sneezing, runny nose and headaches. It is a blend of potent herbs like Shati, Yashti, Dhatri, Bala and many more which are described in the classical text Sahasrayogam.  Kachooradi Choornam is one of the prescriptions to aid in rhinorrhea treatment. It is also a versatile external application medicine to help provide relief from anomalies like severe and recurrent headaches, insomnia, runny nose, sneezing, and giddiness.
 

Additional benefits of Kachooradi Choornam include: 

• It is one of the prescriptions for ear infection treatment for adults

• It is the best medicine to dry up a runny nose and is popular as a runny nose medicine for kids. 

• It helps relieve headaches.

• Aids in the treatment of insomnia. 

• It provides relief from dizziness.
   

Ingredients

• Kachora – Curcuma zedoaria

• Dhatri – Emblica officinalis

• Manjishta – Rubia cordifolia

• Yashti – Glycyrrhiza glabra

• Daru – Cedrus deodara

• Silajitu – Asphaltum

• Vedhi – Ferula foetida

• Rohini – Andrographis paniculata

• Tintrinisira – Tamarindus indicus

• Kumkuma – Crocus sativus

• Indu – Camphor

• Varivaha – Cyperus rotundus

• Rochanam – Mallotus phillippenensis

• Bala – Sida cordifolia

• Laja – Oryza sativa

• Jala – Coleus zeylanicus

• Usira – Vetiveria zizanioides

• Pushkaramoola – Inula racemosa

Rhinorrhea - An Overview

Runny nose with fluid discharge is often referred to as Rhinorrhea. It is a condition in which the nostrils continuously discharge nasal fluid, and it is often accompanied by sneezing. It most commonly occurs due to congestion and inflammation of the linings in the nasal passages and sinuses, mostly caused by a viral infection which we know as the common cold. However, there are other causes that can lead to the swelling of inner linings of nose and sinus such as an allergy, flu, or sinus infection.  When a person has Rhinorrhea, mucus is continually produced by the glands in the nose and sinuses. 

Rhinorrhea or a runny nose is classified on the basis of the nature of the condition and the causes. However, Rhinorrhea is a condition that cannot be attributed to a single cause but multiple ones. 

• Rhinitis caused due to an allergy is known as ‘allergic rhinitis’ and the ones caused due to some other reason are referred to as ‘non-allergic rhinitis’. 

• Gustatory rhinorrhea is a kind of runny nose that is caused after eating. 

• Purulent rhinorrhea is caused due to the side-effects of antibiotics.

• When the nasal flow is associated with the discharge of cerebrospinal fluids, which takes place in case of basal skull fracture, it may be referred to as ‘Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea’ or ‘CSF rhinorrhea’.

An Ayurvedic Perspective 

• Ayurveda is the oldest medical system in India, more than 5000 years old and is believed to possess the secrets to cure almost every disease. According to Ayurveda, good health and wellbeing can be achieved by maintaining a balance between body, mind, and soul. Ayurveda believes that attaining good health is the primary goal and fighting infections is the secondary one. 

• According to Ayurveda, substances and energies move throughout the body via distinct channels known as srotamsi. The respiratory tract which comprises the nose, nasal passages, sinuses, trachea, and lungs are part of a single channel known as prana vaha srotas which means ‘the channel that receives prana’.

• The most essential function of prana vaha srotas is to circulate prana throughout the body. It is the channel that is responsible for nourishing every cell and tissue with prana, oxygen, and vitality. In Ayurveda, blockage in the respiratory channel is thought to be caused due to the hypersensitivity of the nervous system. From an Ayurvedic perspective, sneezing, runny nose, and headaches are caused due to ama (toxins) present in the body and due to low immunity. Accumulated ama aggravates the levels of Kapha (Water) in the body, giving rise to different symptoms of allergies.

• Kapha Allergy Symptoms

• If an individual has Kapha dominant dosha, then they are most likely to experience typical allergy symptoms in the spring season, ie. congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing. This often leads to the feeling of “heaviness” and excessive mucus in the head and sinuses. Other symptoms are a general feeling of sluggishness and tiredness.

Main causes of Rhinorrhea

• Allergies: Rhinorrhea may primarily be triggered by an allergy such as hay fever, or the intrusion of foreign materials into nostrils through air and dust. 

• Infections: Infections by viral and bacterial agents like common cold and influenza may also trigger a runny nose and sneezing. These viral and bacterial agents are often responsible for many kinds of upper respiratory infections.

• Bronchiolitis: Bronchiolitis is also caused by a viral infection and is a significant cause of rhinorrhea in children. Infants are the most common sufferers of rhinorrhea that are caused by bronchiolitis. 

• Lacrimation: Shedding of tears occurring due to eye irritation or some emotional event may bring about rhinorrhea. With excess tears being released, it may cause the fluid to drain through the inner corners of an individual’s eyelids to reach the nasal cavities. The buildup of the fluid may be expelled through nostrils.

• Sinusitis: Sinusitis may manifest itself in both acute and chronic forms. The acute form comes into force when one suffers from cold and flu wherein the sinuses or the nasal passages swell. The chronic form is seen in cases where an individual suffers from nasal growths triggered due to an infection or a deviated nasal septum.

• Head Trauma: An injury to the brain and other traumatic experiences may significantly cause rhinorrhea, and a basilar skull fracture may be cited as the primary reason for causing cerebrospinal rhinorrhea.

• Other Causes: Some of the other reasons for the occurrence of severe rhinorrhea include cystic fibrosis, whooping cough, nasal tumours, hormonal changes, cluster headaches, measles, chickenpox, and some other serious genetic and respiratory disorders like Kartagener syndrome, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Symptoms of Rhinorrhea

Rhinorrhea is itself a symptom of infectious diseases, allergies, irritation, or any kind of nasal inflammation. However, an individual may experience a few more symptoms. Besides the discharge of mucosa from the nose which may be clear, yellowish, greenish or even brownish by nature, an individual may exhibit other signs which include nasal congestion caused due to sinusitis, sneezing, headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness or a confused mind, sore throat, chills, pain in the ear and the face, weariness, nose bleeds, breathing problems and even diarrhoea.