Common cold

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to treat colds and flu

Wind-cold common cold is often caused by the invasion of pathogenic wind-cold. Sometimes it can also occur due to fatigue, coupled with exposure to wind and chill, and it usually happens more often in autumn and winter. In fact, it may sometimes be accompanied by body aches, runny nose, nasal congestion, and cough with phlegm. If not treated timely, it might lead to infections such as acute sinusitis. If the condition is severe, it is best to visit a hospital for face-to-face consultation with a doctor for timely treatment to avoid delaying the illness. It is important to rest regularly, engage in more physical activities to boost the immune system, and get some sunlight to also enhance immunity. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, consuming less greasy and fried foods, abstaining from smoking and alcohol, and developing good dietary habits can effectively prevent such conditions.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Is a cold contagious?

Typhoid fever is an acute intestinal infectious disease caused by Salmonella typhi, which is contagious. Therefore, it is essential to maintain protection at all times. The symptoms of typhoid fever often include high fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, so timely treatment is necessary. Effective treatment can be achieved by taking medication. During treatment, it is also important to avoid consuming irritating, greasy, and raw or cold foods. It is recommended to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and to drink more water and urinate frequently to help improve symptoms.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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What foods should you eat when you have a cold or flu?

For patients with typhoid and common cold, their diet should mainly consist of light and easily digestible foods, and they can eat more millet, rice, fish, chicken, and shrimp, which can promote the absorption of calcium and help speed up the healing of typhoid and common cold. It is advised to avoid raw and irritating foods to prevent worsening the condition. It's recommended to drink more water and urinate frequently to effectively speed up the healing of the cold. If the condition is serious, it is essential to go to a standard hospital promptly. Follow the doctor's guidance for symptomatic treatment and pay attention to rest, avoid overworking, and do not stay up late.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Methods to stop coughing from a cold

During a cold, if you have symptoms of a cough, then it is appropriate to drink some rock sugar and pear water at this time. Pears have the effect of moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and transforming phlegm, which can alleviate some symptoms of a cold cough. At the same time, it is also necessary to take some corresponding sensitive antibiotics to fight the infection for better treatment effects. Additionally, you can take some cough and phlegm relief medication to ease the symptoms. It is also important to note that the diet should include more fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C to supplement vitamins, which can enhance one’s resistance and also alleviate some symptoms of a cold. It is advised that during the coughing period, one should rest more, avoid over-exertion, and also refrain from heavy physical labor, engage in moderate exercise, and avoid intense physical activities. Intense exercise can potentially reduce resistance, worsening the symptoms of a cold, and this should be noted.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Symptoms of cold include weakness in the limbs.

If you experience weakness in your limbs during a cold, it is important to consider that this may be caused by the invasion of bacteria or viruses, leading to muscle soreness and weakness. There may also be accompanying symptoms such as mild fever, chills, or fatigue. It is advised to pay attention to these signs and visit a hospital for a routine blood test to identify the cause of infection. Subsequently, take the appropriate anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications to treat and alleviate symptoms. During this period, it is crucial to rest adequately, avoid overexertion, maintain a positive mood without too much stress, avoid staying up late, and cooperate actively with medical treatment to ease symptoms. If you notice an increase in body temperature, you should use physical cooling methods or take fever-reducing medication to lower your temperature.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Differences between air conditioning cold and common cold

Using air conditioning set too low, or staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time, can easily cause a cold due to the lack of air circulation. When a person's immune function is low, it is easy for viruses or bacteria to invade the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, headache, and dizziness. In the case of a common cold, it might be a heat-type cold or it could be a cold-type cold. Common colds are usually caused by viral infections of the respiratory tract, leading to clinical symptoms of discomfort. On the other hand, air conditioning colds often occur due to the air conditioning being set too cold, leading to cold-induced symptoms. Thus, there is a distinct difference between air conditioning colds and common colds, with the systemic symptoms caused by air conditioning colds being relatively more severe.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Where to apply moxibustion for gastroenteritis?

Patients with gastroenteritis can undergo moxibustion at acupoints such as Zusanli (ST36), Shenshu (BL23), Feishu (BL13), and Quchi (LI11) for effective improvement. However, it is crucial to perform moxibustion under the guidance of a qualified physician to achieve the therapeutic goals based on the individual's condition. Do not attempt to perform moxibustion on yourself blindly, as it may worsen the condition or cause other adverse reactions. Additionally, it is important to take medication promptly for gastroenteritis to achieve effective treatment. It is generally advisable to consume a light diet to avoid further burdening the digestive system.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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What water should be boiled for drinking when having a cold with heat symptoms?

Heat colds are one of the very common types of colds seen clinically, often occurring in the hot summer months. Typically, patients with this type of cold exhibit symptoms such as fever, headache, and dizziness. During a fever, they may also experience varying degrees of chills. Additionally, they may suffer from sore throat and cough, often producing yellow sputum. For patients with this type of heat cold, it is generally recommended to drink plenty of plain water. They can also appropriately consume beverages like rock sugar pear water, as well as drinks made from fat sea and honeysuckle. If the patient exhibits different degrees of cough and yellow sputum, drinking monk fruit water could also be beneficial. These can help alleviate some of the patient's clinical discomforts. Overall, it is advisable for patients with a heat cold to drink more plain water, as this tends to be more beneficial.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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What is the difference between viral cold and wind-heat cold?

The distinction between viral influenza and wind-heat cold is mainly the different naming conventions used by two different medical systems for the common cold. Viral influenza is a term used in modern medicine to describe a viral infection. In contrast, wind-heat cold is a term used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for a type of cold that occurs after being affected by a pathogenic heat. These two terms are completely different. The pathogen of viral influenza is primarily caused by a viral infection. On the other hand, wind-heat cold is diagnosed based on symptoms, suggesting that the individual might have been affected by pathogenic heat, or has internal heat, leading to the condition. Therefore, generally, viral influenza is not treated with traditional Chinese medicine. Wind-heat cold, conversely, is not treated with Western medicine. So, if diagnosed with viral influenza, one would typically take some antiviral medications along with Western cold medicines. If diagnosed with wind-heat cold by a TCM practitioner, some appropriate heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese medicines would be prescribed. These represent two distinct medical systems with their unique diagnostic labels for the illness.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Can you eat grapefruit when you have a cold?

If you have a common cold, you can eat grapefruit. Grapefruit is rich in vitamins and can enhance the body's immunity and its ability to resist viral colds. You can eat some grapefruit in moderation during a cold, but it is not recommended to consume too much as it can burden the gastrointestinal tract. During a cold, the body is relatively weak, so it is important to eat a light and reasonable diet, consume more light fruits and vegetables, and avoid overly greasy, spicy, and irritating foods.