Nasya Karma - Nasal Medication

Nasya Karma - Nasal Medication
Nasya is the procedure in which medications are administered through the nostrils in order to purify the head and neck region.

The medicines which are used for this procedure include oil, pastes, powders, plant juices, decoctions, infusions, and even smoke.

“Nasa hi shiraso dwarum” means the nose is the doorway to the head. Being gateway to the head, is considered to be effective in diseases of head including five sense organs (Indriyas). In this procedure vitiated doshas above the region of clavicle – In the head and neck – are eliminated through the nose. Hence this therapy is specifically advised for head and neck diseases.

Types of Nasal Medication
There are three ways of differentiating the various forms of nasal medication.
1. According to action
· Shodhana (Purification) or Virechana – for the elimination of aggravated doshas

· Shamana (Palliation) – for subsiding the aggravated doshas
· Brimhana (Nourishing) – for subsidence of Vata
2. According to the substance used
· Avapeeda – Fresh herbs are squeezed and the juice is put into the nose
· Navana – Instilling liquids into the nose like milk and oils
· Dhooma – Inhaling the smoke of various dry herbs
· Virechana dhumapana – Employing medicinal powders into the nose with a special apparatus.

3.According to the dose
· Pratimarsha – a dose of only 2 drops in each nostril
· Marsha – 8 to 32 drops in each nostril.
Here are some of the other types of nasya which have been described over the centuries in the ancient texts:

Tarpana - nourishing
Karshana - depleting
Sneha nasya - oil nasya
Dhooma - using medicinal smoke or vapours
Virechana - blowing the herbal powder into the nose by tube
Prayogika - frequent
Stambhana - for stopping the bleeding from nose – astringent herbs
Raktastambhana – Haemostatic

Indications for Nasal medication

Headache, migraine, stiffness in head, neck, shoulders, lock jaw, dental pain, ear pain, nasal pain, eye pain, sinusitis, facial paralysis, epilepsy, sleeplessness, loss of speech, stammering, diseases of shoulder, hysteria. In short this can be given for any disease of eye, nose, ear or throat .

Contraindications for Nasal medication
Pregnancy, menstruation, exhaustion due to any of the physical exercises, sex, hard labour, extreme thirst, extreme hunger, immediately following purgation or Vasti and during fasting, bleeding disorders, patients who are below 8 years of age and above 80 years, shortness of breath, suffering from acute anger or grief.

In short, nasya should not be administered directly following a meal, a bath, an alcoholic drink, sex, or exercise.

Common herbs and other substances used for Nasal medication:-
Apamarga seeds- Achyranthus aspera, Pippali – Piper longum, Marich – Black pepper, Shunthi – Zinziber officinale, Vidanga – Embelia ribes, Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum, Haridra – Curcuma longa, Brahmi – Centella asiatica, Madana Phala – Randia dumatorum, Devdara – Cedrus deodara, Til oil – Sesame oil, Ghee, Milk, Honey, Medicated oils – Anu taila, Vacha taila, Panchaguna taila, Padmakadi taila.

Some commonly used preparations for Nasal medications:

Anu tailum, Shadbindu taila, Padmakadi taila, Jatyadi taila, Cow-ghee, Shatavari ghrita, Brahmi ghrita, Shunthi guda, Trikatu, Katphala churna, Nirgundi oil and vapourof Nirgundi leaves, smoke of Kantakari.

Method of administration
Preliminary procedure
Nasal medication usually follows Vamana, Virechana and/or Vasti. There is a one day rest period between the completion of these procedures and nasya.

· The patient is first asked to empty the bladder and/or the bowels.
· Then a light meal can be taken, if the patient is hungry
· The teeth must be then cleaned.

Then follow the next steps.
1. First apply suitable oil on head, face, forehead, shoulder and nasal region for 10 minutes.

2. Then carry out hot water fomentation by rubber bag, or cloths for another 10 minutes leaving the eyes.


Main Procedure:

1. Allow patient to lie down on straight bed, keeping pillow below his neck to bring nose in front and face in little lower position. Or patient can sit in a special chair like dental chair and neck can be rested on cushion to keep face in lower level and nose up.

2. Anu taila, shadbindu taila, or juice or any liquid medicine should be warmed and taken into the special container or dropper. Close left nostril by thumb, and put 4 to 8 drops in right nostril and ask the patient to inhale the same. Repeat the same in left nostril by closing right nostril. Advice the patient to inhale it by inspiration.


1. Powder nasya – a pinch (125 mgm) can be administered by inspiration inhalation.


2. Pradhamana nasya – It is specific type in which powder is filled in metal or wooden tube or paper tube and enter one end of it into the nostril of the patient. Then blow the powder in the nostril. Other devices such as rubber balloon with tubing can also be used for this purpose.


3. Vapour nasya – Leaves of medicine or decoction is kept on boiling.
Patient is advised to cover with towel his head and face and inhale the
vapour as per his tolerance.

Signs of optimum purification of Nasya

Lightness in head and body, good sleep, proper functioning of sense organs and mind, elimination of vitiated doshas from nasal sinuses and nose, relieves signs and symptoms of disease for which it is given.

Signs of inadequate Nasya


Signs of vata aggravation like dryness in the nose with itching occurs. In this condition administer again the proper nasya medicine in the nostrils.



Signs of excessive purification due to Nasya

Due to shodhana or prdhamana nasya there may be excessive secretions not only from nose but also from eyes with severe burning. Some times there might be bleeding from the nose. In such case always instill few drops of ghee in the nostrils.

Post Nasya procedure

Give mild fomentation on forehead, face, throat and neck., wash face and neck, ask the patient to gargle with hot water. Once the optimum symptoms of purification are found, allow the patient to take complete rest. After purification type of nasya, always instill some ghee drops in the nostrils.

Benefits of Nasya
1. Regular use can prevent disease of ear, nose, throat and that of head
2. It is also very effective for treating diseases like falling of hairs, baldness and use of nasya can improve the quality of hairs.

3. Nasya controls all doshas in the region of head as well as all the centres of sense organs and motor organs situated in the head, hence it is also useful in the treatment of various disorders like headache, migraine facial paralysis, hemiplegia, aphasis etc.

Signs of optimum purification of Nasya
Lightness in head and body, good sleep, proper functioning of sense organs and mind, elimination of vitiated doshas from nasal sinuses and nostrils, relieves signs and symptoms of disease for which it is given.