The COVID-19 pandemic has gradually faded from our view, but recently it has shown a slight resurgence. Therefore, I thought it would be a good opportunity to reorganize some content regarding exogenous diseases.
First, it is essential to understand that exogenous wind-cold, whether it is COVID-19, H1N1, other influenza viruses, or a common cold, is referred to as external pathogens (外邪, wài xié). When these pathogens invade the body, they first attack the surface, particularly the Taiyang (太阳, tàiyáng) level, which is why we refer to it as Taiyang syndrome (太阳证, tàiyáng zhèng) or exterior syndrome (表证, biǎo zhèng). At this stage, if there is a high fever, it is affecting the skin and hair, so there is no need to panic. Just ensure to drink rice porridge and consume food therapy to nourish the body’s fluids, and you will not suffer severe damage. Using Western antipyretics and anti-inflammatory medications actually regulates the central nervous system, leading to excessive sweating and depleting your vital energy (正气, zhèng qì). Without this vital energy to resist the pathogens, the temperature may temporarily drop, but the pathogens will invade further. The body’s vital energy will inevitably rise to resist again, leading to a situation where the fever returns after a few hours. Continuous use of these medications can completely damage the body’s vital energy, leading to a loss of resistance. The fever may subside, but the body will be compromised, leaving the pathogens still present, which can result in various sequelae. For these reasons, the first principle is to avoid any Western medicine or cold herbs that could damage the body’s vital energy. Similarly, do not use antipyretic patches or heed certain experts’ advice to consume popsicles. Remember! The body’s resistance comes from the transformation ability of the spleen and stomach (脾胃, pí wèi); do not use Western medicine or incorrect herbs that could damage the spleen yang (脾阳, pí yáng) and allow pathogens to enter!
Second, the clinical manifestations of a cold are numerous, and different medications should be chosen based on the specific situation. This article can only cover as many situations as possible.
For example:
If the main symptoms are fever, chills, no sweating, headache, neck pain, back pain, and body aches, you can choose either Ge Gen Tang (葛根汤, gě gēn tāng) or wind-cold cold granules (风寒感冒颗粒, fēng hán gǎn mào kè lì), but not both; more is not necessarily better.
If the main symptom is cough with phlegm (有痰, yǒu tán) (some phlegm may be deep, leading to a dry cough, which does not mean there is no phlegm), you can choose Xiao Qing Long Granules (小青龙颗粒, xiǎo qīng lóng kè lì).
If the main symptoms are dizziness, nausea, vomiting after drinking water, thirst, and difficulty urinating, you can choose Wu Ling San (五苓散, wǔ líng sǎn) (with ingredients: 桂枝 15g, 茯苓 20g, 猪苓 20g, 生白术 20g, 泽泻 40g), ground into powder, mixed with rice porridge, 3-5g each time, three times a day. You can contact us to prepare this medicine for you, or you can go to a nearby herbal pharmacy to prepare it, generally in a quantity of 3-5 doses (a smaller amount is not suitable for grinding). Store it in a sealed jar for long-term use. This medicine can also be used for motion sickness.
Other mild symptoms can generally be treated with exogenous food therapy (外感食疗, wài gǎn shí liáo), which is flexible in its combinations and adjustments, and while cooking, the aroma also helps to treat diseases and expel pathogens.
Exogenous Food Therapy
6-9 stalks of scallion white (葱白, cōng bái) (add in the last 5 minutes), 6 longan fruits (龙眼肉, lóng yǎn ròu), 20-30g of coix seed (薏苡仁, yì yǐ rén), 12g of dried tangerine peel (陈皮, chén pí) (in autumn and winter, you can replace it with half to one small white radish), 12g of lily (百合, bǎi hé), 12-15g of mung beans (绿豆, lǜ dòu), and 20-30g of ginger (生姜, shēng jiāng). Cook until the coix seed is soft. If it is too spicy, you can add a little brown sugar.
If the fever is severe, use 9-12 stalks of scallion white and 15-30g of mung beans.
If there is a cough, add 1g of Sichuan pepper (花椒, huā jiāo) (30-50 grains for children) and 2-3 walnut kernels (核桃仁, hé táo rén). After cooking the food therapy, if there is fresh bamboo juice, you can add 10-15ml.
If there are gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms, you can also add a packet of Bao He Granules (保和颗粒, bǎo hé kè lì).
Third, external treatment methods.
It is best to familiarize yourself with acupoints in advance, so you are not caught off guard when needed.
Use a hairdryer to blow hot air on Fengfu (风府, fēng fǔ) and Da Zhui (大椎, dà zhuī).
Pinch the spine (捏脊, niē jǐ) by pinching the skin on both sides of the spine, lifting it, and then releasing it, moving from top to bottom. Focus on the area from Da Zhu (大杼, dà zhù) to Xin Yu (心俞, xīn yú) (Gua Sha can also be used, but after the marks appear, it is not easy to continue scraping, and care must be taken to avoid wind and keep warm, so it has certain limitations; thus, pinching the spine is preferred).
Press on Yiji (鱼际, yú jì), Liexue (列缺, liè quē), Jingqu (经渠, jīng qú), Hegu (合谷, hé gǔ), and Quchi (曲池, qū chí).
Fei Long Zai Tian (飞龙在天, fēi lóng zài tiān) (ascending yang to attack pathogens) plus Dao Long Ru Hai (导龙入海, dǎo lóng rù hǎi) (guiding pathogens downward). (Link to hand massage techniques: click here).
Soak your feet in hot water and press on Yongquan (涌泉, yǒng quán), Taixi (太溪, tài xī), Jinggu (京骨, jīng gǔ), and Kunlun (昆仑, kūn lún) to treat both the exterior and interior, guiding fire back to the source.
If there is a cough with phlegm (小青龙汤证, xiǎo qīng lóng tāng zhèng), you can add pressing on Taibai (太白, tài bái) and Fenglong (丰隆, fēng lóng) to expel exterior pathogens and eliminate phlegm.
If there is vomiting after drinking water (五苓散证, wǔ líng sǎn zhèng), you can press on Jinggu, Zhongzhu (中渚, zhōng zhǔ), Zusanli (足三里, zú sān lǐ), and Zhongji (中极, zhōng jí) to release the exterior, alleviate anxiety, and promote urination.
If sleep is poor, you can press on Zhaohai (照海, zhào hǎi) and Shenmai (申脉, shēn mài), seeking yin in yang and yang in yin, drawing yin from yang and vice versa.
Additionally, if a woman catches a cold during her menstrual period, it is highly likely to be a Taiyang-Shaoyang combined disease (太阳少阳合病, tàiyáng shǎo yáng hé bìng), which may correspond to the Chai Hu Gui Zhi Tang (柴胡桂枝汤, chái hú guì zhī tāng) syndrome (this is just one possibility; specific situations need to be judged based on individual circumstances). The corresponding acupoint massage methods are Wangu (腕骨, wàn gǔ), Jinmen (金门, jīn mén), Zu Lin Qi (足临泣, zú lín qì), and Waiguan (外关, wài guān) to harmonize the exterior and interior.
If the exogenous food therapy is ineffective in this situation, you can come for a consultation, and we can prescribe a treatment based on your condition.
Fourth, regarding diet. It must be light! The body is busy fighting pathogens at this time, and do not mistakenly think that adding so-called nutrition will help; it will only increase the burden on the spleen and stomach. Rice porridge is the best choice at this time.
Fifth, get plenty of rest. The body can only fully exert itself to expel pathogens and recover when it is resting.
Sixth, maintain a relaxed mindset. The formulas of Traditional Chinese Medicine from two thousand years ago are still effective today, and they will still be effective in another two thousand years. Why is that? Because Traditional Chinese Medicine has long understood the principles behind it, allowing it to continuously safeguard our Chinese descendants and ensure the continuity of our Huaxia civilization!
For your convenience in finding related articles, we have compiled a collection of common articles, indexed as follows: Related to Traditional Chinese Medicine: Must-read series: click here; Classical worldview: click here; Differences between Chinese and Western medicine: click here; Responses to common questions in TCM: click here; TCM treatment and cases for exogenous diseases (COVID-19, H1N1, etc.): click here; Meridian series: click here; Hand massage series: click here; Chinese herbal medicine series: click here; Inflammation topic: click here. Others: Analects classroom: click here; University: click here; Child education: click here.