Cold (Pratishaya)

Cold (Pratishaya) — Responsible Dosha: Vata, Pitta, Kapha

According to Ayurveda common cold or seasonal cold is known as ‘Pratishayaya’. Common old is caused due to aggravated vata, pitta & kapha (body humors). All three body doshas are equally responsible for common cold. A person can be affected at any time throughout the year but it is more common in late winter and fall. Five types of patishayaya have been specified in Ayurveda:

Caused by vitiation of air humor
Caused by fire humor
Caused by phlegm humor
Caused by all 3 body humors
Caused by the disorder of blood

Characteristic Symptom

Common cold symptoms are according to aggravated body dosha. In vataj pratishayaya have hoarse voice, dry cough, breathlessness, headache. In pittaj pratishayaya people will have fever, yellowish expectorant, running nose. In kaphaj pratishayaya people have thick expectorant, heaviness head, mild fever etc. Generally a cold starts with sore throat and the symptoms start within two days after infection. More then 200 viruses causing common cold, so symptoms vary person to person, some early symptoms are:

Abrupt onset along with tickling sensation in nasal tract
Running nose, sneezing and obstruction of nasal passage
Pharyngeal and conjunctiva itching
Malaise, headache, dryness and soreness of throat
Spread of the infection may result in earache, bronchitis or pneumonia

Essential Oils

Calamus, Tulasi, Sage, Clove, Ajowan, Black Pepper, Tumeric, Peppermint, Cardamon, Ginger Root, Cinnamon

Useful Herbs

Cumin Seed, Ginger, Holy Basil, Cinnamon

Management by Home Cure

Steam inhalation by burning piece of turmeric can provide instant relief from running nose
Gargle with saline water or warm water with a pinch of phitkari 3-4 times a day
For relief from nasal block, make a powder by pounding together black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and black cumin seeds in equal parts and sniff it
Put 2-3 drops of ghee in the nostril as nasal drop once or twice daily
External massage of hing paste on chest
Pound approx. 6gm of garlic with an equal quantity of jaggery. Take this at bed time
Pound some fresh leaves of bilva to extract their juice and take approax. 10-20ml 2-3 times
Prepare decoction with ginger basil and pepper. Take it warm twice a day mixed with 1/2 tsp honey