Wind-cold colds are a very common pattern in TCM diagnosis, primarily caused by the invasion of wind and cold pathogens into the body. This condition is typically seen in the autumn and winter seasons, with main symptoms including:“chills, no sweating, mild fever, body aches, severe pain, headache, nasal congestion, clear nasal discharge, sneezing, throat itchiness, cough, and thin white phlegm. The tongue coating is thin and white, and the pulse is floating or tight.”For wind-cold colds, the main treatment principle is “spicy-warm exterior-releasing and lung-dispersing”. There are many available medications, such as Wind-Cold Cold Granules, Cold Relief Granules, Chuanxiong Cha Tiao Wan, Four Seasons Cold Tablets, and Cold Wind Dispelling Tablets. However, due to differences in their compositions, their specific applications also vary. Below, we list eight commonly used medications for treating wind-cold colds, along with their unique characteristics for your reference.01
Wind-Cold Cold Granules
Indications: Releases the exterior and induces sweating, disperses wind and cold. Used for wind-cold colds, fever, headache, chills, no sweating, cough, nasal congestion, and clear nasal discharge.Characteristics: One of the most commonly used patent medicines for wind-cold colds, it can release the exterior and disperse cold, treating symptoms such as fever, body aches, and clear nasal discharge caused by wind-cold colds. It is also effective for coughs caused by external wind-cold (wind-cold cough), characterized by a heavy cough, shortness of breath, throat itchiness, and thin white phlegm.02
Cold Relief Granules
Indications: Disperses wind and cold, releases the exterior and clears heat. Used for wind-cold colds, headache, fever, chills, body aches, clear nasal discharge, cough, and dry throat.Characteristics: Another commonly used medication for wind-cold colds. Compared to Wind-Cold Cold Granules, Cold Relief Granules have a stronger heat-clearing ability, making them more suitable for individuals with pronounced fever symptoms in wind-cold colds. However, it is important to note that its name can be misleading; despite having “clearing heat” in its name, it is indeed a medication for treating wind-cold colds.03
Chuanxiong Cha Tiao Wan
Indications: Disperses wind and alleviates pain. Used for wind-evoked headaches, or with chills, fever, and nasal congestion.Characteristics: Chuanxiong Cha Tiao Wan is suitable for those experiencing headaches and nasal congestion after being exposed to wind-cold. It is also appropriate for headaches classified as wind-cold (wind-cold headache), characterized by headaches that may extend to the neck and back, aversion to wind and cold, joint aches, and clear nasal discharge. Notably, Chuanxiong Cha Tiao Wan should be taken with clear tea after meals.04
Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Granules
Indications: Releases the exterior, disperses cold, and eliminates dampness. Used for external wind-cold with dampness causing chills, fever, no sweating, and heavy headaches with body aches.Characteristics: In addition to releasing the exterior and dispersing cold, Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Granules also have the effect of eliminating dampness. It is commonly used for treating external wind-cold dampness combined with internal heat symptoms, characterized by chills, fever, no sweating, heavy headaches, bitter mouth, slight thirst, and a white or slightly yellow tongue coating, especially effective for alleviating symptoms of body aches and heaviness caused by dampness.05
Cold Wind Dispelling Tablets
Indications: Spicy-warm exterior-releasing, lung-harmonizing. Used for wind-cold colds, fever, cough, headache, aversion to cold, clear nasal discharge, joint aches, and fatigue.Characteristics: Unlike typical wind-cold cold medications, Cold Wind Dispelling Tablets include fried barley sprouts, jujube, and ginger, which not only help to release the exterior and disperse cold but also enhance the “harmonizing” effect, making it more suitable for individuals with wind-cold colds accompanied by poor appetite, nausea, and vomiting due to spleen and stomach discomfort.06
Four Seasons Cold Tablets
Indications: Clears heat and releases the exterior. Used for seasonal wind-cold colds causing fever, headache, clear nasal discharge, cough, dry mouth, sore throat, nausea, and loss of appetite.
Characteristics: The formula of Four Seasons Cold Tablets includes both exterior-releasing and cold-dispersing herbs (such as Perilla and Schizonepeta) and heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs (such as Isatis Leaf and Forsythia). Although it is indicated for seasonal wind-cold colds, it is actually more suitable for cases of external wind-cold with internal heat, known as “cold with fire,” where symptoms include chills, difficulty sweating, nasal congestion with clear discharge, as well as fever, dry mouth, thirst, and sore throat.
07
Ren Su Wan
Indications: Tonifies Qi and releases the exterior, disperses wind and cold, and resolves phlegm and stops cough. Used for individuals with weak constitution experiencing colds due to wind-cold, with symptoms of chills, fever, headache, nasal congestion, cough with abundant phlegm, chest tightness, nausea, and fatigue.Characteristics: Ren Su Wan contains both Qi-tonifying and spleen-lung-benefiting herbs such as Codonopsis, as well as phlegm-resolving ingredients from the Er Chen Tang formula, along with exterior-releasing and stomach-harmonizing herbs like ginger and Perilla, and cough-stopping and phlegm-resolving herbs like Fritillaria and Platycodon. It is particularly suitable for individuals with weak constitutions who experience cough with abundant phlegm after exposure to wind-cold, along with spleen and stomach discomfort.08
Zheng Chai Hu Yin Granules
Indications: Disperses wind and cold, relieves heat and alleviates pain. Used for the initial onset of external wind-cold: fever, chills, no sweating, headache, nasal congestion, sneezing, throat itchiness, cough, and body aches. Also applicable for the initial onset of influenza and mild upper respiratory infections with the above symptoms.Characteristics: Zheng Chai Hu Yin Granules are less commonly recommended for treating wind-cold colds, but in addition to dispersing wind and cold and relieving heat, they are also effective for alleviating pain and nausea, helping to relieve body aches and accompanying nausea and vomiting caused by wind-cold colds.In summary, there are many patent medicines for treating wind-cold colds, but due to differences in their compositions, their therapeutic focuses may vary. Therefore, it is essential to use the appropriate medication based on the symptoms!
(This article is for professional reference only; please purchase and use medications according to the instructions or under the guidance of a pharmacist.)
