Most people take the wrong medicine for colds in summer

Colds are common diseases and are more common in summer. Through popular science dissemination by the media, people already know that colds are divided into wind-cold colds and wind-heat colds. They can also roughly infer the type of cold they have based on secretions and other conditions, and are more accurate in using medications. However, in addition to wind-heat and wind-cold, there are other types of colds, and we do not have a comprehensive understanding of them.

A few days ago, a 42-year-old female patient in the outpatient clinic, a white-collar worker, was very interested in Chinese medicine health knowledge. She recently caught a cold and thought she had a wind-heat cold based on symptoms such as yellow sputum, yellow urine, and yellow and greasy tongue coating. She took VC Yinqiao tablets on her own for 5-6 days, but did not recover, so she came to the outpatient clinic with doubts. This is a common situation encountered in the outpatient clinic recently. The woman misjudged the type of cold she had.

When catching a cold in the summer, most people take the wrong medicine. It turns out that they have done one thing wrong. In fact, among the types of colds, in addition to the common wind-cold colds and wind-heat colds, there are also summer-heat colds and deficiency colds. Everyone is familiar with the difference between wind-cold and wind-heat. The main symptoms of a wind-cold cold are severe aversion to cold, mild fever, no sweating, clear runny nose, thin white sputum, and a thin white tongue coating; the main symptoms of a wind-heat cold are severe fever, slight aversion to wind, sticky or yellow sputum, runny yellow and turbid sputum, and a thin yellow tongue coating.

The two types are not difficult to distinguish. In terms of the selection of Chinese patent medicines, for wind-cold colds, you can choose cold granules, Tongxuan Lifei, Xiao Chaihu tablets, etc.; for wind-heat colds, you can choose Yinqiao Jiedu Pills, Sangju Cold Tablets, Lingyang Cold Tablets or cold and heat-clearing granules, etc. But what this lady actually suffered from was a summer-heat cold.

When catching a cold in the summer, most people take the wrong medicine. It turns out that they are doing one thing wrong. Summer-heat cold is also called summer cold, commonly known as heat cold. Because summer is hot and humid, people like to use air conditioners, fans, etc., which can cause them to be affected by wind and cold and become ill.

Summer-heat and dampness cold also has clinical manifestations such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and fever. However, because the summer heat evil is characterized by heat, ascending and dispersing, damaging body fluids and consuming qi, and carrying dampness, people with summer-heat and dampness cold also have symptoms such as soreness and heaviness of limbs, dizziness, heaviness and pain in the head, loose stools, sticky mouth, and greasy yellow tongue coating. It is certainly inappropriate for such people to take wind-cold or wind-heat medicines. Prescriptions and medicines that can clear away heat and dampness should be used. Chinese patent medicines include Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Qingshu Yiqi Pills, etc.

The lady mentioned above felt greatly relieved of her symptoms after taking Huoxiang Zhengqi Water for one day, and recovered after two days.

Summer-heat and dampness colds are more common in summer. We can pay attention to the following aspects: Do not set the air conditioner to too low a temperature. Too large a temperature difference between indoor and outdoor can easily cause a cold. Generally, a 4°C difference between the air conditioner temperature and the outdoor temperature is most appropriate. Wash your hands frequently. Cold viruses are mostly transmitted through the hands. Therefore, the most effective way to prevent colds is to wash your hands frequently and try to avoid touching your eyes and nose with your hands.

Finally, eat a light diet and avoid raw, cold and spicy foods. At the same time, maintain a good attitude and enhance your own resistance.