How To Use Ginger For Sinus Headaches: Ginger Poultice | Sukku Pathu

Ginger has so many medical properties and especially this remedy using dry ginger for treating headaches is very famous here in Tamil Nadu. We always have dry ginger (Sukku in Tamil) at home and we use it extensively in home remedies. My paternal grandfather always used to apply this paste/ poultice on his forehead, whenever he had a headache. We call the paste "Sukku Pathu" in Tamil. Dry ginger is rubbed on a sandalwood stone (sandanakal), which is nothing but a large round smooth stone. If you don't have a sandalwood stone, you can rub it on any smooth stone. Make sure that the stone is smooth or it will be difficult to collect the paste from the stone. When you apply this paste on the forehead, it stings for some time. But then after some time the stinging vanishes and the paste dries to a thick coat on the forehead. It feels very good if you have a headache, especially headache due to cold or sinus infection. As this paste stings initially when applied, don't apply this paste for children. But when I was younger, whenever my grandfather applied this paste on his forehead, I used to playfully apply it on my forehead too! My grandfather passed away last year, writing this post brings back fond memories of him. Please don't be afraid of the initial stinging you experience when you apply this paste. This paste can rival any store bought medicines we get in the market for headaches.

 

METHOD:

1.This sandalwood stone is ages old and it belongs to my mother-in-law. Wash and dry the sandalwood stone or the stone that you are going to use. Pour little milk on the sandalwood stone. Use little milk or it will flow down from the stone when you rub the dry ginger.

2.Take a piece of dry ginger (Sukku) and start rubbing on the stone in circular motion making sure the milk doesn't flow down. Dry ginger rubs easily into a paste very soon.

3.Apply it into a thin coat on your forehead. Initially it stings but soon as it gets dry the stinging disappears. The paste can either be left on the forehead for some time or can be washed off once the paste gets dry.

 NOTES:

• The paste has to applied immediately on the forehead once it is made, as the paste dries fast.
• Wait for the paste to dry completely before washing off.
• Make sure the paste doesn't enter your eyes while washing it off.