Common Cold  Gan Mao

-Gan Mao deals with lung system disorders resembling the common cold which include sudden onset, sore throat, fever, head ache and nasal discharge.

Western medicine

- common cold or flu due to external pathogen/ acute viral, bacterial infection. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine

- invasion blocking Lung Qi, superficial syndrome

Function of the Lungs:

descending and dispersing \ governing Qi \ regulating temperature \ controlling breathing \ controlling open/close of pores \ regulate water passage \ controls vessels

Etiology (causes) of the Common Cold:

1. Cold on top of Fire -patient usually hot but catches cold Gan Mao

2. Wind Heat- impairs lung descending function

3. Summer Heat -usually appears in summer, commonly accompanied with dampness

4. Qi Deficiency -patient usually catchs colds throughout the year, has general fatigue shortness of breath and a weak voice.

5. Yang Deficiency -all Qi deficient symptoms but feels more cold

6. Blood Deficiency -general blood deficient symptoms

7. Yin Deficiency -general yin deficient symptoms

When Diagnosing the Common Cold Distinguish between:

Wind cold or Wind heat, Dryness or Dampness, Deficiency or Excess

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment for the Common Cold

Wind-Cold

Principle of Treatment - Expel Wind cold, disperse, promote LUQI, relieve superficial area.

Acupuncture points

Rx - Hand Yang Ming, Hand Taiyin, Lung 7 + Large Intestine 20 ( nose disorders, cough), Large Intestine 4 (reinforce LUs function to expel cold), Bladder 12, Small Intestine 7 (relieve aversion to cold + headache), Gall bladder 20, Yang Wei (Pond of wind)

- Headache  Yin Tang and Tai Yang

- Wind Cold - complicated damp heavy body, nausea = Spleen 10, Lung 5, - Qi Stagnation - SJ 6, Gall bladder 34

- Wind Cold + Qi def - Stomach 36, Bladder 11, Bladder 43, Bladder 13

- Body ache - Cupping. From Bladder 11 ~ Bladder 13 ~ Lumber region. Then stop at Bladder 13 for 15min.

Cold on top of Fire

Fever, aversion to cold, no perspiration, H/A, body ache, stuffy nose, sore throat, cough with white/yellow phlegm.

Principle of Treatment:: promote lung function, expel wind cold, to relieve superficial symptoms.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Cong chi tang With Damp - Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San With Heat - Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang

Wind Heat Fever, sweating, aversion to wind, cough, sore throat, H/A, yellow phlegm T - thin yellow coat P - floating, rapid

Principle of Treatment:: promote lung function, expel wind heat, and relieve superficial area

Acupuncture points Rx - Hand TaiYin, Hand Yang Ming, DU/ sedate, Lung 10, Lung 5 (clear, descend, soar throat, fever, cough, Phlegm), Large Intestine 11, Stomach 44 (Ying-spring, clear heat, relieve thirst, fever, dry), DU 14, SJ 5 (reduce fever, superficial area), Lung 11, Large Intestine 11( bleed), Stomach 9, Xi Chuan ( high fever), Ren 22 (cough)

- Complicated blood def  Spleen 10, Spleen 6, Bladder 13 - Yin def  Kidney 6, Kidney 7

Herbal Medicine Formula: Sang Ju Yin, Yin Qiao San

Summer Heat Similar to wind heat symptoms but hotter. Thirst, nausea, dizzy, heavy head, high fever. Tongue - yellow greasy coat Pulse - rapid soft, floating

Principle of Treatment:: Clear summer heat and dampness and relieve superficial area.

Acupuncture points Rx - Hand Taiyin, Foot Yangming, with neutral stimulation, Lung 6, Large Intestine 4 (promote Large Intestine function, clear summer heat, transform damp), Stomach 36, Ren 12 (middle jiao dampness), SJ 6 (regulate 3 jiao,transform dampness, expel summer heat) - High fever - Du 14 - more damp - Spleen 9 - Irregularbowl, soft, or sticky BM - Stomach 25 - Qi + Yang def - Stomach 36, Bladder 43 - Yin or blood def - Bladder 13, Spleen 10, Kidney 7

Herbal Medicine Formula: Xin Jia Xiang Ru Yin

Qi Deficiency Easily feels cold, spontaneous sweating, general wind cold superficial symptoms. Tongue - white coating Pulse - floating, weak

Principle of Treatment: Nourish Qi, harmonize defensive Qi and relieve superficial area.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang, Shen Su Yin

Yang Deficiency Spontaneous sweating, (more cold after sweat), aching muscle/joint with cold sensation, pale complexion, puffy face. Tongue - pale swollen with white coating P - deep, thin, weak

Principle of Treatment:: warm up yang, relieve superficial area

Herbal Medicine Formula: Fu Zi Gui Zhi Tang

Blood Deficiency: Aversion to wind, fever, H/A, dizziness, floaters, lips/fingers pale, poor memory, insomnia Tongue - pale Pulse - thin

Principle of Treatment: nourish blood, relieve superficial area

Herbal Medicine Formula: Cong Bai Qi Wei Yin

Yin Deficiency low grade fever in evening, 5-centre heat sensation, night sweat, emaciation, dry mouth/skin and throat, aversion to wind, H/A Tongue - red, peeled Pulse - thin, rapid

Principle of Treatment:: nourish yin, relieve superficial area

Herbal Medicine Formula: Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang

Alternative Treatment Methods auricular  LU, trachea, nose, throat, SJ, ear apex, *strong stimulation cupping and 7 star needle  Bladder meridian self massage  Large Intestine 4, 20