Common Cold

Common Cold (Gan Mao)
Invasion of Wind Cold
Invasion of Wind Heat
Invasion of Summer Heat Dampness
Colds due to Qi Vacuity
Colds due to Yin Vacuity
Overview
Notes:
Points:
The Common Cold: The Common Cold is an external illness that
San Jiao 2 is an empirical
may be contracted in any of the four seasons, mainly winter and
point for the common cold
spring. Mild cases of the common cold are known as Shang Feng.
Severe cases of the common cold are known as Zhong Shang
Li4 for wei qi
Feng. Epidemic colds (flu) are known as Shi Xing Gan Mao.
Ren12 to tonify
Gb20 for wind
Symptoms of the Common Cold: Symptoms often include stuffy
nose, runny nose, cough, sore throat, joint pain, aversion to cold
For dampness:
(chills - wu han), heat effusion, and headaches. Symptoms gen-
Sj5, Sp9
erally last for five to seven days.
For cold dampness:
Causes for the Common Cold: The main cause of the common
Sp6, Sp9, Li4
cold is external wind. This external wind is regularly combined
with cold, heat, summer heat, or dampness.
Wind cold invasion is most prevalent in autumn and winter.
Wind heat is most prevalent in the spring and summer.
Summer heat dampness is mostly commonly seen in the
late summer.
Common cold due to Cold Dampness: For patterns of Cold
Dampness use the formula Jiu wei qiang huo tang.
Pathologies and Patterns by John Wahnish, D.Ac., L.Ac.
Internal Medicine - Common Cold

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C o m m o n C o l d ( G a n M a o )
Pathologies
Indications
Tongue/Pulse
Tx Method
Formulas
Points
E x t e r i o r P a t t e r n s
Invasion of
Strong aversion to cold,
T- thin white
Dispel wind,
Jing fang bai
- Lu7, Li20
Wind-Cold
slight fever, chills predomi-
moist coating
Dissipate
du san
Si7, Ub12
nant, no perspiration,
P- floating, tight
cold, Resolve
Gb20, Li4
headache, aching joints and
the exterior
For Cold
limbs, stuffy nose, runny
damp Sp6,
nose, scratchy throat,
Li4
cough with thin with
phlegm, without sensations
of excessive thirst
Invasion of
Slight Aversion to cold, pre-
T- thin yellow
Dispel wind,
Yin Qiao San
- Lu5, Gb20
Wind-Heat
dominant fever, perspira-
coat
clear heat and
Li11, Li4,
tion, headache, cough with
P- floating and
resolve the
Du14, Sj5
thick yellow phlegm, dry or
rapid
exterior
sore swollen throat, stuffy
nose with turbid yellow
mucous, thirst
Invasion of
Unsurfaced fever, slight
T- yellow, slimy
Clear summer
Xin jia xiang ru
- Lu6, Li4,
Summerheat-
aversion to cold, little per-
coat
heat, trans-
yin
Ren12, St36,
Dampness
spiration, aching and heavi-
P- soft and
forms damp-
Sj6, Sj5 or
ness of the limbs and joints,
rapid
ness and
Sp9, Liv13
headache with a sensation
resolve the
of heaviness, coughing with
exterior
sticky phlegm, greasy feel-
ing in the mouth, nausea,
dark scanty urine, oppres-
sion in the chest, distention
and fullness of the epigas-
trium and abdomen, loose
stools, no thirst
I n t e r i o r P a t t e r n s
Qi Vacuity
Strong aversion to cold,
T- pale with
Dispel wind,
Shen su yin
Wind-Cold
fever, chills are predomi-
white coat
dissipate cold,
points St36,
nant, headache, nasal con-
P- floating and
boost qi, and
Ub13, 43
gestion, cough with white
forceless
resolve the
phlegm, fatigue, shortness
exterior
To protect
of breath and a disinclina-
wei qi Li4,
tion to speak. This is due to
Du14 Si14,
depleted defense qi allow-
St36
ing external invasion of
wind-cold evil
Yin Vacuity
Fever, slight aversion to
T- red with thin
Dispel wind,
Jia jian wei rui
Wind heat
wind or cold, no perspira-
coat
clear heat,
tang
points Lu5,
tion or little sweat,
P- rapid and
nourish yin,
Gb20, Li11,
headache, dizziness, vexa-
thready
and resolve
Li4, Du14,
tion of the heart, heat in the
the exterior
Sj5
palms or soles, thirst, dry
mouth and a dry cough with
Supplement
scanty phlegm. Chronic yin
Sp6, Ki7
vacuity has weakened the
constitution allowing exter-
nal invasion of wind-heat
evil
Pathologies and Patterns by John Wahnish, D.Ac., L.Ac.
Internal Medicine - Common Cold

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