What are the medicines for relieving cold?

Generally speaking, most colds are caused by wind and cold. The symptoms shown by patients are fever, dizziness, runny nose, cough, thirst, etc. So what are the medicines for dispelling cold?

Ma Huang Tang

[Prescription] Ephedra 99% cinnamon twig 69% almond 69% roasted licorice 39%

【Functions and indications】Induces sweat and relieves exterior symptoms, promotes lung function and relieves asthma. Exogenous wind-cold syndrome. Chills and fever, headache and body aches, no sweat and wheezing, thin white tongue coating, and floating and tight pulse.

This prescription can be used for colds, influenza, acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma, lung infections and other symptoms of wind-cold exterior syndrome.

[Meaning of the formula] Ephedra is the main drug, which can induce sweating and relieve exterior symptoms, open up the lungs and relieve asthma, so as to relieve exterior symptoms; cinnamon twig is the assistant drug, which can penetrate the Ying and Wei, and when combined with ephedra, it can enhance the ability to relieve exterior symptoms, so that the pathogens can be removed and the Ying and Wei can be harmonized; apricot kernel is the adjuvant drug, which can descend and benefit the lungs, and when combined with ephedra, it can enhance the effect of opening up the lungs and relieving asthma; roasted liquorice is the guiding drug and also serves as an adjuvant, which can harmonize the various drugs and moderate the harsh nature of ephedra and cinnamon, so that sweating will not be too severe. The four medicines are used together to dispel cold by releasing the exterior, and to promote lung function and lower the qi to relieve asthma.

[Usage and Dosage] Decoction in water, divided into 3 doses, once every 2 hours.

[Precautions] ① After taking the medicine, keep warm and rest, avoid wind and cold. If you sweat slightly and all symptoms are relieved after taking the medicine once or twice, stop taking the medicine to avoid excessive sweating and damaging your vital energy. ②This prescription cannot be used for exogenous wind-heat, wind-cold deficiency syndrome, and exogenous infection due to physical weakness. ③ People from the south should reduce the dosage of ephedra in this prescription.

Contraindications for cold medication

Guizhi Decoction

[Prescription] 99 cinnamon twigs, 99 white peony root, 99 ginger, 4 jujubes, 69 roasted licorice root

【Function and indications】Relax muscles and release exterior, harmonize Ying and Wei. Exogenous wind-cold with deficiency syndrome. Headache and fever, sweating, aversion to wind, clear nasal discharge, or sneezing and dry retching, no thirst, thin white tongue coating, and floating and slow pulse.

This prescription is used with modifications in modern times to treat colds, influenza, unexplained low-grade fever, vomiting during pregnancy, frostbite, urticaria, skin itching, and other symptoms associated with the above.

[Meaning of the prescription] The pathogenesis of this syndrome is wind-cold binding the exterior, disharmony between the Ying and Wei, and strong Wei and weak Ying. Cinnamon twig is the main medicine, which can relax muscles and release exterior, and drain excess Wei Qi; white peony root is the auxiliary medicine, which can nourish Yin and stop sweating, and restrain insufficient Ying Qi. Cinnamon twig and white peony root are used together in equal amounts, one to treat strong Wei Qi, while the other to treat weak Ying Qi, so as to harmonize the Ying and Wei. Ginger helps cinnamon twig to disperse and relieve exterior symptoms, and can also stop vomiting; jujube helps white peony root to nourish yin and replenish qi; ginger and jujube can also harmonize the Ying and Wei, and together they serve as adjuvant medicines. Roasted licorice root is a guiding drug to harmonize the properties of the drugs. The prescription has a rigorous structure, with tonification while releasing, astringence while dispersing, taking into account both the evil and the righteous, and regulating the yin and yang, so that the external symptoms can be relieved, the Ying and Wei can be harmonized, and all symptoms can be cured.

[Usage and Dosage] Decoction in water and take it in 3 doses, once every 2 hours. About 10 minutes after taking the medicine, drink a small bowl of hot porridge and keep warm and rest. If symptoms persist after taking one dose, take 1 to 3 more doses until the symptoms are relieved.

[Precautions] It is not suitable for use in patients with wind-cold exterior syndrome, initial stage of febrile disease and wind-heat exterior syndrome.