The common cold is a viral infection of the lining of the nose, sinuses, throat and large airways. Rhinoviruses cause most spring, summer and fall colds. Influenza (Flu) viruses and respiratory syncytial viruses cause colds in the late fall and winter. Rhinoviruses and respiratory syncytial viruses are air-borne, but most likely by direct contact with infected secretions carried on the fingers.
Usually, the first symptoms of the common cold are discomfort in the nose or throat. Later the following symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, sore throat, dry cough, headache, general body aches and some times a slight fever. During the first day or two, the nasal discharge is watery and clear but can be annoyingly plentiful. As the cold progresses, the nasal mucus may become thicker, opaque, yellow-green and less abundant. Symptoms usually disappear in 4 or 10 days. Many people also develop a cough with or without sputum that often lasts up to 2 weeks. A bacterial infection of the ears, the sinuses, airways and lungs may follow the cold and need antibiotics.
Prevention:
1. Eat well, drink water, and get plenty of sleep and exercise to keep up the
immune resistance.
2. Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth, cover your mouth
when you cough or sneeze, and consistently wash your hands.
3. Humidify your bedroom or whole house if possible.
4. Don’t smoke, because it will irritate the airways and break up the membrane
resistance so germs are easily going into your blood stream.
5. During the common cold season, don’t eat too spicy of foods, which can burn
the throat membrane this result in germs having a chance to attack you.
6. During the flu season, you can take Garlic, Echinacea and Vitamin C as
supplements to help your immune system work more efficiently.
Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine
1. Acupuncture and cupping can reduce the fever, congestion, headaches,
body aches and ease the symptoms.
2. Chinese herbs can comfort the sore throat, runny nose, coughing, relieve fever,
aching, etc. and speed up the recovering process.
3. Herbal nasal spray and rinse: to clear the nasal congestion, clean local inflammation and infection, wash off the excessive mucus or allergens, moisturize and subside the irritation of inflamed membranes in the nose and sinuses.
For more information please call Dr. Liyan Lu with Ping’s Acupuncture and Herbs Center at 661-513-9265.