How to Prevent and Treat Colds in Winter
With the chilly autumn winds bringing cold, we enter the season prone to colds. Colds are common illnesses, though not serious, they weaken the body's resistance, making it easier to develop other diseases—such as acute otitis media, acute sinusitis, acute myocarditis, rheumatic fever, nephritis, etc. For chronic disease patients, a cold may worsen their condition, so cold prevention and treatment should be taken seriously.
Traditional Chinese Medicine views colds as caused by external invasion of wind pathogens, resulting in impaired lung function. Generally categorized into two types: wind-cold and wind-heat. Wind-cold type presents with headache, limb soreness, fever with aversion to cold, no sweating, nasal congestion, runny nose, thin white coating on the tongue, floating-tight pulse. Wind-heat type falls into two categories: ordinary wind-heat cold and viral cold (known as "epidemic disease" in TCM). Wind-heat cold shows symptoms such as head distension and pain, sore throat, yellow phlegm, fever with aversion to cold, dry mouth, little sweating, thin yellow tongue coating, floating-rapid pulse. Viral cold, i.e., influenza, typically starts abruptly with high fever (up to 39°C), intense chills, severe headache, orbital pain, generalized muscle and joint pain, nasal congestion with clear runny nose, cough, usually lasting about 7 days. Infants, elderly, and weak individuals are prone to complications such as pneumonia.
Prevention and treatment of colds focus on strengthening the body. During flu outbreaks, try to avoid crowded places, especially important for the elderly and children. Flu viruses spread via contact, so avoid handshakes; upon returning home, wash hands; ventilate rooms daily. Eat more light fruits and vegetables, avoid overeating to prevent digestive stagnation and susceptibility to wind pathogens. During high-risk seasons, fumigate indoors with mugwort or vinegar to prevent colds; decoct white radish, green fruit, and white grass roots to prevent colds and offer some therapeutic effect; also, take moderate doses of Banlangen granules or prepare a decoction with equal parts Banlangen and Polygonum to prevent colds. If you catch a cold, rest properly, keep indoor air fresh, and drink plenty of water.
For wind-cold type colds, drink ginger-sugar water, cover up and induce sweating. Alternatively, decoct ginger and green onion heads for oral use.
For wind-heat type colds, use 15 grams each of large blue leaf and Banlangen, 10 grams of light bamboo leaf, decoct and take once daily for three days.
Supplementary therapy includes massage: press and rub Fengchi point nine times. Add Lieque and Waiguan for wind-cold; add Hegu, Quchi, and Dazhui for wind-heat; add Yingxiang and Bitong for nasal congestion; add Yintang and Taiyang for headache; add Fenglong for excessive phlegm.
Commonly used traditional Chinese patent medicines include Zhengchaihu Yin Granules for wind-cold colds, and Kanggan Granules for wind-heat colds. Currently, flu vaccines target specific flu viruses, highly effective but limited in scope. Traditional Chinese medicine uniquely excels in treating viral colds, not only effectively relieving or alleviating symptoms but also enhancing the body's immunity.
<Cold Prevention and Treatment>