Flu & Cold

 

Chinese medicine doctors use Acupuncture and Herbs to treat colds and flu. Over the course of 2000 years Chinese medicine has developed effective herbal formulas and acupuncture protocols to prevent and treat the common cold. Moxibustion and Cupping are also used to treat and prevent colds and flu’s. Natural herbal medicines can greatly reduce the severity and length of a cold or flu and have very few side effects. There are several excellent herbal formulas that can be taken during cold season to boost immunity and prevent colds. Regular acupuncture “tune-ups” also strengthen natural resistance to colds and flu.

 What are the types of colds & flus?

Chinese Medicine classifies colds based on symptoms. The two primary types of colds are “Wind-Cold” and “Wind-Heat.” Wind-Heat colds are the most common type of cold.

Chinese medicine practitioners will use different types of herbs, acupuncture and massage techniques to treat the specific type of cold pattern. Western medicine rarely distinguishes the type of cold in its treatment.

Wind-Heat Cold Symptoms Include:

• Fever
• Sore inflamed throat
• Headache
• Light sweating
• Nasal congestion with thick yellow phlegm
• Reddish tongue with yellow coating
• Cough

Wind-Cold Cold Symptoms Include:

• Headache
• Nasal congestion and runny nose with clear phlegm
• Neck and shoulder aches
• Body aches and pains
• Aversion to cold
• White tongue coating

What’s Acupuncture’s Role In Treating Colds & Flus?

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to help enhance the immune system and ward off illness. Its immune-stimulating functions treat all types of cold and flu effectively, achieving a quick recovery without side effects.

Acupuncture can also provide immediate relief for any symptoms like coughs, headaches, post-nasal drip, body aches, and fatigue.

Consistent preventative acupuncture can also decrease your risk of getting colds and flus.

Acupuncture Points to Treat Flu and Colds

You can use acupressure on these points to help avoid a cold.

• Large Intestine 4 & Lung 7
• Liver 3 & Stomach 36
• Gall Bladder 20 & Governing Vessel 16

Treating Colds & Flus with Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal formulas contain herbal ingredients that are very effective at treating the common cold and its associated symptoms. There are many formulas that have been used for over a thousand years.

Formulas like Dispel Invasion, Bi Yan Pian, and Gan Mao Ling are highly effective.

There are formulas for every stage of a cold. The most effective way to use herbal medicine is to begin taking the herbs at the first sign of any symptoms. It is helpful to have these formulas in your medicine cupboard or at work so you can take them proactively. The sooner you can stop the cold, the shorter the duration and severity of the symptoms. Your Chinese medicine practitioner can provide you with these formulated herb combinations.