- Shirodhara is a form of Ayurveda therapy that involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead. The name comes from the Sanskrit words shiro(head) and dhara (flow).
- The liquids used in shirodhara depend on what is being treated, but can include oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water.
DURATION – 30 – 90 minutes
INDICATION
- Eye diseases, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, greying of hair, neurological disorders, memory loss, insomnia, hearing impairment, tinnitus, vertigo, Meniere’s disease and certain types of skin diseases like psoriasis.
- It is also used non-medicinally at spas for its relaxing properties and improve sleep quality among people who have sleep problems.
- It is also effective in treating mental conditions such as anxiety, and mental stress.
- The calming effect produced by Shirodhara is similar to that obtained with meditation.
- There are specialized forms of shirodhara called ksheeradhara, thakradhara, taildhara and jaladhara.
- Shirodhara also involves a head massage. Shirodhara is thought to work by relaxing the hypothalamus in the brain. It can also normalize the functions of hormones that regulate sleep and emotions.