Having recently caught the latest cold winging it’s way around Bristol I thought it apt to have a article on how common Cold and Flu Symptoms can be treated with traditional Chinese medicine. The Chinese Medicine doctors categorise Cold and Flu Symptoms into two types. They call these Wind Heat and Wind Cold. The details of each of these aren’t really necessary to go into but it’s good know what approach the therapist is using. The aim of the therapist is to help clear the illness fast and to clear the pathogen.

Using Traditional Chinese Medicine for Cold and Flu Symptoms can include many things, this is including herbal Medicine, Chinese Nutrition, Acupuncture and Moxibustion and possibly Tai Chi and Qi Gong.

The use of herbal Medicine can include pescribing Ephedra (ma huang), a powerful stimulant that opens the bronchial passages, warms the body, and stimulates sweating. Cinnamon twig (gui zhi) assists the Ephedra in warming the body and promoting a sweat, while apricot seeds (xing ren) help relieve the wheezing. Licorice (gan cao) acts as a harmonizing herb, modulating the harsh nature of the Ephedra, preventing too much sweating and toxicity.

Chinese Nutrition might involve miso soup with the white part of spring onion (cong bai) and fresh ginger (sheng jiang).

Acupuncture and moxibustion can provide some immediate relief from cold symptoms and help the body expel the pathogen much faster. Needles are typically inserted into points along the lung and large intestine meridians, which have demonstrated the ability to activate immune function. Patients frequently experience quick relief when the point is needled or massaged.

Typically, one or two acupuncture treatments and a week’s course of herbal medicine are all that are required for colds. If the symptoms are recognized and treated early, it is possible to fight off a cold in a day or two with acupuncture treatment and herbs.

Original article on Traditional Chinese medicine for treating Cold and Flu Symptoms was found here