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Colds and Influenza

Typical symptoms:

cold and flu, cough, fatigue, fever, headache, loss of energy, muscle ache, sore throat, sweating

Disease description:

The real flu (influenza) is a severe acute illness of the respiratory tract, caused by influenza viruses, which are constantly changing. Less dangerous are colds or “flu-like infections” caused by other pathogens. While influenza begins with a sudden feeling of illness – with fever (high, often above 40°C), sore throat and dry cough, accompanied by severe muscle, limb, back or headaches – a cold develops slowly and is less severe. Typically, exhaustion and fatigue are much more pronounced in influenza.

Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:

Chinese medicine believed that the common cold and influenza are caused by the Invasion of Foreign Evils. The Foreign Evils can only enter the body when its constitution is weak, that is when there is Wei Qi Deficiency. Evil may be a Wind, Cold, Heat, Dampness or Dryness or Fire, so there are many types of syndromes and different treatments.

Possible syndromes causing these problems:

Exterior Wind-Heat

If Wei Qi is weak in relation to the pathogenic factor, Exterior Wind-Heat give rise to fever with chills and sweating, yellow nasal discharge, sore throat and thirst, slight aversion to wind and cold.

Recommended formulas to use:

Exterior Heat

Wind-Heat Cough

Hoarse cough with or without yellow sputum, yellow nasal discharge, dry, sore throat, slight fever and slight aversion to wind and cold.

Recommended formulas to use:

Wind Heat Cough

Exterior Wind-Cold

If Wei Qi is weak in relation to the pathogenic factor, Exterior Wind-Cold manifests with:

sudden onset of chills or fever without sweating, body aches, sneezing, clear nasal discharge, occipital headache.

if additionally symptoms like easy sweating, not easily getting better, take: Cinnamon Formula

Recommended formulas to use:

Exterior Cold, Cinnamon Formula

Exterior Wind-Cold Invasion with Qi Deficiency

Weak bodily Defence Qi and an Invasion of External Pathogens cause: prolonged duration of colds and flu or fatigue in menstruating women, alternating attacks of chills and fever, sore throat, blurred vision, bitter taste.