Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Cold
The common cold is a frequently occurring clinical condition. Mild cases may resolve without medication, while severe cases can lead to other illnesses and even threaten the lives of children and the elderly, especially during outbreaks of influenza, which can spread rapidly, infecting many and causing severe symptoms, potentially leading to death and serious consequences. Colds can occur in all seasons, with a higher incidence in winter and spring. Generally, colds are classified into common colds and influenza.
In the Huangdi Neijing, there is no specific term for the common cold; it is primarily regarded as an external invasion of wind pathogens. The Suwen states: “Wind enters from the outside, causing chills, sweating, headache, body heaviness, and aversion to cold.” The term ‘common cold’ was first mentioned in the Jingyue Quanshu, which states: “If a person is affected by external pathogens, they should be treated promptly.” Later, the Yifang Kao reiterated: “The six qi invade people; the severe cases are classified as ‘zhong’, the moderate as ‘shang’, and the mild as ‘ganmao’ (common cold).” This indicates that diseases caused by external pathogens are referred to as ‘ganmao’.
The common cold refers to the invasion of wind pathogens into the body, causing lung and defensive qi imbalance, leading to clinical manifestations such as headache, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, aversion to cold, fever, and general discomfort. It often coexists with the four seasonal pathogenic qi (such as cold, dampness, dryness, and heat), presenting clinically as wind-cold, wind-heat, summer-damp, and wind-dry. Additionally, children, the elderly, and those with insufficient righteous qi are more susceptible to external pathogens penetrating deeper, leading to severe conditions or transformation into other diseases. Therefore, accurately distinguishing between cold and heat, assessing deficiency and excess, and examining the season are crucial for effective treatment.
1. Inquiry about Cold, Differentiating Pathogenic Factors
Clinically, asking patients about their cold and heat symptoms helps differentiate wind-cold. Severe aversion to cold, requiring thick clothing and heavy blankets, with mild fever or primarily cold symptoms, indicates wind-cold;
2. Inquiry about Headache, Differentiating Cold
Headaches are often located in the forehead and temples, commonly accompanied by body aches and neck stiffness, worsening with cold exposure, indicating wind-cold;
A heavy sensation in the head is often due to wind-cold with dampness;
3. Examine Secretions and Excretions, Differentiating Cold
Secretions include nasal mucus and phlegm; excretions include urine and stool.
Nasal congestion with clear discharge indicates wind-cold;
Coughing with white, thin, or frothy phlegm indicates wind-cold;
Clear urine indicates wind-cold;
Loose stools are often due to wind-cold.
4. Examine the Throat, Differentiating Cold
Generally, a scratchy throat indicates wind-cold;
5. Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis, Differentiating Cold
Typically, a pale red tongue with thin white coating and a floating pulse, or a floating tight pulse, indicates wind-cold.
Dialectical Diagnosis and Treatment
Wind-Cold Common Cold
Symptoms: Severe aversion to cold, mild fever, no sweating, headache, body aches, nasal congestion, runny clear mucus, cough with thin or white phlegm, thin white tongue coating, floating or tight pulse.
Recommended Medication: Wind-Cold Common Cold Granules
Wind-Cold Common Cold Granules have the effect of releasing the exterior and inducing sweating, dispersing wind and eliminating cold.
Indications: This product is used for wind-cold common cold, fever, headache, aversion to cold, no sweating, cough, nasal congestion, and runny clear mucus.
Prescription Analysis:
Ma Huang (Ephedra): Induces sweating and disperses cold, opens the lungs and relieves wheezing, promotes urination and reduces swelling. Used for wind-cold common cold, chest tightness and cough, wind-water edema; bronchial asthma. Honey-fried Ma Huang moistens the lungs and stops cough. Often used when exterior symptoms have resolved, but wheezing and coughing persist.
Ge Gen (Kudzu Root): Releases the exterior and reduces fever, promotes rash eruption, generates fluids and quenches thirst, raises yang and stops diarrhea. Used for exterior syndrome with fever, stiffness in the neck and back, measles not erupting, febrile diseases with thirst, yin deficiency with thirst, heat diarrhea, and spleen deficiency diarrhea.
Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig): Induces sweating and releases the exterior, warms and unblocks the meridians, assists yang and transforms qi, harmonizes and descends qi. Used for wind-cold common cold, abdominal cold pain, blood cold with amenorrhea, joint pain, phlegm-dampness, edema, palpitations, and rebellious qi.
Fang Feng (Siler): Releases the exterior and expels wind, overcomes dampness, and stops spasms. Used for common cold with headache, wind-damp bi syndrome, wind rash and itching, and tetanus.
Zi Su Ye (Perilla Leaf): Releases the exterior and disperses cold, regulates qi and harmonizes the stomach. Used for wind-cold common cold, cough with nausea, pregnancy-related vomiting, and fish or crab poisoning.
Bai Zhi (Angelica Dahurica): Disperses wind and eliminates dampness, opens the orifices and relieves pain, reduces swelling and drains pus. Used for common cold with headache, pain in the brow ridge, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, toothache, leukorrhea, and painful swellings.
Jie Geng (Platycodon Root): Opens the lungs, benefits the throat, resolves phlegm, and drains pus. Used for cough with excessive phlegm, chest tightness, sore throat, hoarseness, lung abscess with pus, and abscesses that do not drain.
Ku Xing Ren (Bitter Apricot Seed): Descends qi, stops cough and relieves wheezing, moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements. Used for cough and wheezing, chest fullness with excessive phlegm, blood deficiency with dry fluids, and constipation.
Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine Peel): Regulates qi and strengthens the spleen, dries dampness and transforms phlegm. Used for chest and abdominal fullness, poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, and cough with excessive phlegm.
Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger): Warms the middle and disperses cold, restores yang and unblocks the meridians, dries dampness and transforms phlegm. Used for abdominal cold pain, vomiting and diarrhea, cold limbs with weak pulse, and phlegm-damp wheezing.
Gan Cao (Licorice): Tonifies the spleen and benefits qi, clears heat and detoxifies, resolves phlegm and stops cough, alleviates pain and harmonizes various herbs. Used for spleen and stomach deficiency, fatigue, palpitations, cough with excessive phlegm, abdominal and limb spasms and pain, carbuncles and toxic sores, and alleviating the toxicity of strong herbs.
Product Features:
1. First choice for wind-cold common cold;
2. Derived from the famous formula “Ma Huang Tang”, validated over a thousand years;
3. Differentiates cold types and prescribes accordingly, ensuring effective and efficient treatment;
4. Product name is highly targeted, with clear consumer recognition.
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