Wind-Cold Cold is caused by the invasion of wind-cold evil and the failure of lung qi to disperse. Symptoms include: severe chills, mild fever, absence of sweating, headache, body aches, nasal congestion with clear discharge, cough with thin white phlegm, no thirst or preference for warm drinks, and a thin white tongue coating. The treatment principle should focus on expelling the exterior with warm acrid herbs. Commonly used herbs include Ma Huang (Ephedra), Jing Jie (Schizonepeta), Fang Feng (Siler), and Su Ye (Perilla Leaf). Representative formulas are Cong Chi Tang (Scallion and Prepared Soybean Decoction) and Jing Fang Bai Du San (Schizonepeta and Siler Powder).
Wind-Heat Cold is caused by the invasion of wind-heat evil and the disharmony of lung qi. Symptoms manifest as: high fever, slight aversion to wind, headache with a feeling of fullness, sweating, red and swollen throat, cough with sticky or yellow phlegm, nasal congestion with yellow discharge, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, red tips and edges of the tongue, and a thin white tongue coating with slight yellow. The treatment principle should focus on expelling the exterior with cool acrid herbs. Commonly used herbs include Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum), Bo He (Peppermint), and Sang Ye (Mulberry Leaf). Representative formulas are Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder) and Sang Ju Yin (Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Drink).
Both wind and heat are classified as one of the six excesses (liu yin), which often invade the body through the skin or the mouth and nose. The wind-heat evil invades the body’s surface through the skin, where wind is characterized by its ability to disperse, while heat causes rapid qi movement and accelerated blood flow. The lungs govern the skin, and through the skin, they affect the lung’s function of governing qi, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath and coarse breathing.
The Specific Differences Between Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat Colds
1. Sweating
No sweating indicates wind-cold; sweating indicates wind-heat. Wind-cold cold presents with no sweating: high fever, headache, joint pain, and body aches. Wind-heat cold presents with sweating: moderate fever (not very high), sweating, aversion to wind, and aversion to cold.
2. Phlegm
Clear and thin phlegm indicates wind-cold; thick and turbid phlegm indicates wind-heat. Clear and thin phlegm is generally associated with wind-cold, while thick and turbid phlegm is generally associated with wind-heat.
3. Nasal Discharge
Clear nasal discharge indicates wind-cold; yellow nasal discharge indicates wind-heat.
4. Causes
Fatigue indicates wind-cold; constipation indicates wind-heat. Wind-cold colds are usually caused by fatigue, lack of rest, and exposure to wind or cold. Wind-heat colds are typically caused by constipation; usually, after two days of constipation, a sore throat develops for one or two days, followed by cold symptoms. This is wind-heat cold (it can also be due to external heat evil first attacking the lungs). Why does constipation lead to a cold? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that the lungs and large intestine are interrelated; if bowel movements are not smooth, the large intestine affects the lungs, leading to cold symptoms. Conversely, if wind-cold colds are not treated promptly or appropriately, they can lead to internal issues such as constipation or diarrhea. In TCM, diarrhea following a wind-cold cold is considered a transformation of symptoms, indicating that the disease has moved from the exterior to the interior. Therefore, one should not casually use anti-diarrheal medications.
Source: Internet
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