Can Chinese medicine be taken cold?

Chinese medicine is a medicine used in traditional Chinese medicine. Many diseases can be cured by drinking Chinese medicine. The treatment of Chinese medicine is a systemic conditioning and can play a preventive and therapeutic role. Therefore, even if there is no disease, you can drink Chinese medicine to prevent illness. The culture of Chinese medicine is profound and each kind of medicinal material has different uses. There are also taboos when drinking Chinese medicine. So can you drink cold Chinese medicine?

It should be said that whether Chinese herbal decoctions are taken cold or hot should be determined based on the condition, medicinal properties, season, and physical constitution, and should not be generalized.

Generally speaking, medicines that warm the middle and dispel cold, and replenish weakness (i.e. warming and hot medicines and tonics used to treat coldness of internal organs and weak constitution) should be taken while hot or after being warmed. For example, Ai Fu Nuan Gong Decoction, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Decoction, Li Zhong Decoction, Sini Decoction, Xiao Jian Zhong Decoction and Chinese medicines such as aconite, ginger, cinnamon, fennel, ginseng, Eucommia, deer antler, and Cibotium barometz should all be taken when warm, which can better enhance the therapeutic effects of these prescriptions.

Some medicines for clearing heat, detoxifying and reducing fire (i.e. medicines for treating internal heat, heat entering the blood, high fever convulsions and heatstroke) such as Qingying Decoction, Baihu Decoction, Qingwei Powder, Daochi Powder, Qingwen Baidu Yin, Huaban Decoction, Liuyi Powder, etc. and Chinese medicines such as gypsum, Anemarrhena, Gardenia, Gentiana, Rhubarb, Glauber's Salt, Hanshui Stone, Borneol, Paeonia Suffruticosa, Phellodendron, etc. should be taken cold, which can enhance the functions of clearing heat and reducing fire, detoxifying and promoting the flow of qi. However, for some patients with high fever leading to fluid depletion, extreme weakness and shock, warm Chinese herbal decoctions should be taken according to the situation.

In addition, it should also be decided based on the medication season and the patient's physical condition. In cold seasons, the elderly, children, pregnant women and patients with long-term illness should take the medicine warm. Otherwise the impact is not significant. For some prescriptions for regulating blood circulation, soothing the liver and relieving depression, expelling dampness and wind, unblocking meridians, expelling parasites, and removing accumulation, taking them cold or warm has no obvious effect on the efficacy. You can choose according to your condition.