In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are four types of common colds: Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat, Summer-Damp, and Epidemic (i.e., influenza).
- The characteristic of influenza is a sudden high fever.
- Wind-Heat colds also present with high fever, but there is a progression.
- Wind-Cold and Summer-Damp colds may also cause fever, but the temperature is generally not too high, usually not exceeding 39 °C.
Other colds, aside from influenza, will have a process of alternating hot and cold symptoms. TCM does not have specific antipyretic medications. Xiao Chai Hu Granules and others have certain antipyretic effects.
Wind-Cold Cold
Symptoms:Commonly seen in the early stages of various acute febrile diseases, characterized by fever, chills, clear nasal discharge, thin white tongue coating, and floating pulse.Representative Medications:
| Wind-Cold | Functions and Indications | Dosage |
| Gan Mao Qing Re Granules | Disperse wind and scatter cold, relieve exterior and clear heat. Used for Wind-Cold colds, headache, fever, chills, body aches, clear nasal discharge, cough, and dry throat. | Dissolve in hot water, 1 bag per dose, 2 times a day. |
| Gan Mao Soft Capsules | Disperse wind and relieve heat. Used for headaches and fever caused by external Wind-Cold, nasal congestion, chills without sweating, joint pain, and sore throat. | Oral, 2-4 capsules per dose, 2 times a day. |
| Wind-Cold Cold Granules | Relieve exterior and induce sweating, disperse wind and scatter cold. Used for Wind-Cold colds with fever, headache, chills, no sweating, cough, nasal congestion, and clear nasal discharge. | Oral, 3 times a day, 1 bag per dose, reduce for children. |
| Tong Xuan Li Fei Wan | Relieve exterior and scatter cold, clear the lungs and stop cough. Used for Wind-Cold colds with cough, phlegm obstruction, fever, chills, clear nasal discharge, headache without sweating, and body aches. | Large honey pills, oral, 2 pills per dose, 2-3 times a day. Water pills, oral, 7 grams per dose, 2-3 times a day. |
Contraindications: Not suitable for Wind-Heat colds. It is not advisable to take nourishing TCM formulas simultaneously during medication.
Distinguishing Medications:
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The first two are mainly used for exterior cold syndrome with severe chills and mild fever, along with interior heat syndrome with sore throat. Among them, Gan Mao Qing Re Granules have a stronger heat-clearing effect.
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The latter two are mainly used for typical Wind-Cold colds. Tong Xuan Li Fei Wan is more suitable for Wind-Cold colds with cough.
Wind-Heat Cold
Symptoms: Severe fever, slight aversion to wind, headache, sweating, red and swollen sore throat, cough, sticky or yellow phlegm, nasal congestion with yellow discharge, thirst, red tongue tip and edges, thin white with slight yellow coating.
Representative Medications:
| Epidemic | Functions and Indications | Dosage |
| Shuang Huang Lian Oral Liquid | Clear heat and detoxify. Used for cold with fever, cough, and sore throat. | Oral, 20ml per dose, 3 times a day, reduce for children. |
| Mulberry and Chrysanthemum Cold Granules | Disperse wind and clear heat, clear the lungs and stop cough. Used for the initial stage of Wind-Heat colds, headache, cough, dry mouth, and sore throat. | Dissolve in hot water, 11-22g per dose, 2-3 times a day. |
| Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan | Warm and cool the exterior, clear heat and detoxify. Used for Wind-Heat colds, fever, headache, cough, dry mouth, and sore throat. | Take with Lu Gen decoction or warm water, 1 pill per dose, 2-3 times a day. |
| Ling Qiao Jie Du Wan | Disperse wind, clear heat, and detoxify. Used for Wind-Heat colds, chills and fever, dizziness, cough, and sore throat. | Large honey pills, oral, 1 pill per dose, 2-3 times a day. Water pills, oral, 1 bag per dose, 2-3 times a day. |
| Peppermint Tablets | Disperse wind and release heat. Used for headache due to colds. | Inhale or apply to the affected area, cover tightly after use. |
Contraindications: Not suitable for Wind-Cold colds. It is not advisable to take nourishing TCM formulas simultaneously during medication.
Distinguishing Medications:
- Mulberry and Chrysanthemum Cold Granules, Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan: Used for patients with exterior Wind-Heat syndrome, along with lung qi not being smooth, meaning mild chills and severe fever, dry or painful throat, and noticeable cough.
- Ling Qiao Jie Du Wan: Has a stronger heat-clearing effect, especially suitable for patients with severe fever in the early stage of Wind-Heat colds and a history of high fever convulsions.
- Shuang Huang Lian Oral Liquid: Has a strong heat-clearing effect, suitable for patients with obvious heat syndrome due to external Wind-Heat. It has a wide range of applications, also suitable for symptoms of sore throat and other heat manifestations.
- Peppermint Tablets: Can be combined with the above internal medications to relieve headache and eye swelling.
Epidemic Cold
Also known as influenza, it is a viral infection. It is often caused by highly contagious pathogenic evil qi, also known as harmful qi that causes disease, with seasonal characteristics.This type of cold has a rapid onset and severe symptoms, with high fever being a major characteristic at the onset, along with all other cold symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and headache.Representative Medications:
| Epidemic | Functions and Indications | Dosage |
| Qing Re Jie Du Oral Liquid | Clear heat and detoxify. Used for heat toxin accumulation causing fever, red face, irritability, thirst, sore throat, etc.; for influenza and upper respiratory infections with the above symptoms. | Oral, 10-20ml per dose, 3 times a day. |
| Ban Lan Gen Granules | Clear heat and detoxify, cool blood and benefit the throat. Used for sore throat caused by lung and stomach heat, dry mouth, and acute tonsillitis with the above symptoms. | Dissolve in hot water. 5-10 grams per dose (with sugar), or 3-6 grams per dose (without sugar), 3-4 times a day. |
| Qing Wen Jie Du Pian | Clear epidemic and detoxify. Used for epidemic colds, fever, chills, no sweating, headache, thirst, dry throat, body aches, and mumps. | Oral. 6 tablets per dose, 2-3 times a day. (Reduce for children) |
| Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan (Tablets, Mixture) | Warm and cool the exterior, clear heat and detoxify. Used for Wind-Heat colds, fever, headache, cough, dry mouth, and sore throat. | Honey pills: oral, 1 pill per dose, 2-3 times a day. Tablets: take with Lu Gen decoction or warm water, 4 tablets per dose, 2 times a day. |
| Ling Qiao Jie Du Wan (Tablets, Granules) | Disperse wind, clear heat, and detoxify. Used for Wind-Heat colds, chills and fever, dizziness, cough, sore throat, and facial swelling. | Honey pills: oral, 1 pill per dose, 2-3 times a day. Tablets: take with Lu Gen decoction or warm water, 4 tablets per dose, 2 times a day. |
Additionally, some practitioners may prescribe Ribavirin spray and Amantadine hydrochloride tablets as antiviral medications. However, it should be noted that these two medications are contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and for newborns and infants under one year old.
Distinguishing Medications:
- Ban Lan Gen Granules: Not very potent, mainly used for the prevention of epidemic colds and treatment of heat toxin sore throat.
- Qing Wen Jie Du Pian and Qing Re Jie Du Oral Liquid: Very suitable for epidemic heat toxin colds.
- Yin Qiao Jie Du Wan and Ling Qiao Jie Du Wan can both be used for the initial stage of epidemic colds, with good dispersing power, but their ability to clear interior heat is weak. If the disease progresses rapidly and the heat is intense, other medications should be combined or changed. Ling Qiao Jie Du Wan is more suitable for those with severe heat evil.
Summer-Damp Cold
Also known as heat-induced cold, the main difference between Summer-Damp Cold and Wind-Heat Cold is that Summer-Damp Cold has both heat and damp heat.
Characteristics: Nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, chills, low fever, and other cold symptoms.
For those with Summer-Damp Cold, it is recommended to take TCM formulas that clear summer heat and relieve exterior or dispel dampness: Bao Ji Wan, Chai Lian Oral Liquid, New Xiang Huo Drink (Yin Hua Lian Qiao), or Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Water (which is much faster than capsules). If high fever persists, TCM decoctions such as Hao Qin Qing Dan Tang can be used.
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