After doing the Daily Home Oil Massage, lubricate your ears, cervical lymph, and nasal passages as described below.

Karna Purana (Ear Oiling)

Use an eyedropper or tincture dropper to place a few drops of body temperature oil in the ears before bed for a straightforward way to keep the sinuses, Eustachian tube, and cervical lymph lubricated, clear, healthy, and functional this winter. Use the Nasya Oil, Tri-Doshic Massage Oil, or a high-quality ear oil from the health food store.

You can warm the oil by filling the dropper with oil, then holding that under a faucet of hot running water. After placing a few drops in each ear, insert a bit of cotton for a few minutes.

Additional Notes:

• By giving your children ear oil each week, you can keep them healthy even when all their classmates are sick.
• At the onset of symptoms, you can place oil in your ears every 15 minutes for an hour and a half to thoroughly drain the cervical lymph.
• Before going outside if it is cold, windy, or dusty, place oil in your ears to protect them from the elements, this is very helpful if you will be out skiing, jogging, hiking, or doing other activities.

See also Karna Purana: Ayurvedic Ear Oiling for Hearing & Cognitive Function

Lubricate the Sinuses

Use a Q-tip to swab both sinuses with warmed Nasya Oil, Tri-Doshic Massage Oil, or cold-pressed sesame oil. After you liberally apply the oil, sniff deeply and quickly two to three times until all the oil is absorbed. Repeat this procedure two to three times until you feel yourself tasting the oil in the back of your mouth. Do this morning, evening, and during travel throughout this fall and winter. You can even use a dropper to place a few warmed drops in each nostril.

It is particularly important to lubricate your sinuses with oil after performing neti (irrigating them with warm salt water), as neti can be very drying to the sinuses. When our sinuses dry out, they produce excess reactive mucous to compensate, breed infections and create congestion.