Amritdhara: A home remedy for headaches, cold, that works

Our moms seem to have a home remedy for almost all issues we face in our day to day lives. Whether it be a headache or a cold, you can trust their ghar ke nuskhe. Well, you can guess that it was no surprise when I went to my mom complaining about a killer headache and she yet again presented me with a magical home remedy: amritdhara! It was this liquid that smelled strongly of camphor and she massaged it into my forehead and that was it. Half an hour later I was all better! Amazed by this medicine, I reached out to an expert to find out more about amritdhara. Let’s take a look at the benefits of amritdhara and how to use it for various ailments.

As Health Shots spoke to the well known Ayurvedic expert, Dr Chaitali Deshmukh, she told us that amritdhara or amrut dhara is made of three components, namely ajwain (carrom seeds), mint, and camphor. Amritdhara is an ayurvedic solution that has been used as a home remedy for a variety of ailments, such as colds, stomach aches, vomiting, bug bites, and more!

What are the benefits of amritdhara and how to use it?

1. Good for stomach ailments

Amritdhara has carminative properties, which means it can help relieve stomach pain and bloating caused by gas or indigestion. It may also have antispasmodic properties, which can help relax the muscles in the digestive tract and ease abdominal cramps.

Dr Deshmukh advises that for stomach aches, indigestion, lack of appetite, heartburn, and gas one can take 3-4 drops of amritdhara mixed with water or sugar three times a day or every hour until relief is obtained. For infants, one drop in (saunf water) or lukewarm water will do the trick.

2. Cures diarrhea

Amritdhara has antibacterial and antiviral properties, which may help fight the infection that is causing diarrhea. It may also help reduce inflammation in the gut and improve digestion, which can help reduce diarrhea symptoms.

The doctor recommends taking 5-7 drops of amritdhara in onion juice or water after every half hour till relief is attained.

3. Reduces headache and joint pain

Amritdhara contains menthol, which has a cooling effect and can help reduce inflammation and pain. Applying amritdhara to the forehead or temples may help relieve headache symptoms.

Apply on the forehead repeatedly, but avoid the eyes and brows as amritdhara can lead to a stinging sensation in the eyes. For backache, knee discomfort, or any muscular ache, combine amritdhara with ten times the amount of coconut or sesame oil and apply on the affected area.

4. Heals cuts, wounds, insect bites and toothache

Amritdhara has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, which can help prevent infection and promote healing. Applying Amritdhara to minor cuts, scrapes, or burns may help reduce the risk of infection and speed up the healing process. “ Amritdhara is an effective germicide, antimicrobial, and pain reliever,” says Dr Deshmukh.

Apply with a cotton wool pad to cuts, wounds, or teeth. Apply promptly to wasp stings to reduce pain, swelling, and discomfort.

5. Helps deal with cold, cough and tonsillitis

Amritdhara has decongestant properties, which can help clear the sinuses and relieve nasal congestion. It may also have expectorant properties, which can help loosen phlegm and make it easier to cough up.

It would be sufficient to inhale amritdhara by dabbing a few drops on a cloth. You can also gargle, three times a day, with warm water with 5-6 drops of amritdhara and a pinch of salt mixed in it. You can also add 5-6 drops in your steamer and inhale to get relief from nasal congestion.

How to make amritdhara at home?

Now that we know how many effective uses there are of amritdhara, let’s take a look at how we can make this at home with 3 ingredients.

Take 10 grams each of edible camphor (desi kapur), menthol crystal (a form of mint flower) and thymol crystal (a form of ajwain flower). These all are in solid form and need to be mixed together in a small bottle and closed immediately or it will evaporate. After a few hours you will notice that this solid mixture will completely liquify and your amritdhara is ready to use!

While it is a natural remedy, make sure to talk to a doctor or ayurvedic expert first to avoid complications.