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Acupuncture treatment for Common Cold
Common cold or also just referred as a cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the nose. However, many other parts are affected as well including the throat and sinuses. Its signs and symptoms are expected to begin less than two days following exposure. There is no vaccine for the common cold. However, the most important methods of prevention are hand washing, not touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands and staying away from other sick people. In this sense, the common cold is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. On average an adult gets two to four colds a year, while the average child gets between six to eight, they tend to occur more during the winter.1
CONTENTS
SYMPTOMS
CAUSES
TREATMENTS
SYMPTOMS
Common colds include coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache and fever. Normally, people recover from it in no more than ten days. However, other symptoms remain up to three weeks. It is the case that for those with other health conditions, pneumonia could develop. Sometimes symptoms are accompanied by muscle ache, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite. In detail, a cold usually begins with fatigue, sneezing and a headache, followed in a couple of days by a runny nose and cough. These symptoms peak two to four days after exposure. In some cases people develop a post-viral cough which can stay after the infection is gone. In children, the cough lasts for more than 10 or even 25 days.2
CAUSES
There are over 200 virus strains associated to the cause of the common cold being the rhinoviruses the most common. They are known to spread through the air during close contact with infected people and indirectly through contact with objects in the environment, followed by transfer to the mouth or nose. There are many risk factors including going to daycare, not geting enough sleeping and psychological stress. The Symptoms are clearly due to the body’s immune response to the infection itself rather than to tissue destruction by the viruses.3
In detail, the common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract commonly involving viruses such as rhinovirus (30%–80%), human coronavirus (≈15%), influenza viruses (10%–15%), adenoviruses (5%), human respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza viruses and metapneumovirus. It is the case that more than one virus is present, since in total over 200 different viral types are associated with colds.4
The common cold virus is typically transmitted via airborne droplets, direct contact with infected nasal secretions and contaminated objects. Hand-to-hand and hand-to-surface-to-hand contact is the most common way of transmission of cold, since, the viruses survive for prolonged periods in the environment, over 18 hours for rhinoviruses, and therefore can be easily picked up by people’s hands and subsequently carried to their eyes or nose for infection to occur. Thus, transmission is common in daycare and at school due to proximity of many children with little immunity and poor hygiene. Immediatey therafter these infections are brought home to other members of the family.5
TREATMENTS
Based on TCM, an invasion of wind-cold is more likely to occur when the defensive qi (Wei Qi) of the person is weaker than the force of the pathogen. It is known that a weakened defensive qi (Wei Qi) can be the result of emotional stress, overwork, poor diet or many other factors. Whereas, strong and/or frequent changes in environment also play a role (i.e. the effects of going outside on a cold winter day from a heated home). Therefore, to expel the wind and dissipate the cold, it is required to restore the function of the LU Qi. The recommended acupoints are LI-4 & LU-7, the main point for wind disorders is BL-12. The secondary points are GB-20 and GV-16.6 Now, the following acupoints ST-36 and/or GV-14 generally strenghten the wei qi; While KD-7 and LI-4 induce sweat. The main acupoints recommended to expel the wind-heat are LI-4 & LI-11, whereas, GV-14 is known to be the main point for reducing fevers, it works well with LI-11 listed above. In addition, LU-11 is known to be the bleed point for severe sore throat with high fever. In addition, the following points LI-4, ST-36 and SP-6, if used together is very effective to boost the immune system during a common cold. However, using these three points are not recommended for pregnant woman. Moreover, TH-5 and P-6 are two acupoints quite important for both immune system and vital resistence.7
Footnotes
- Understanding the Common Cold: the Basics – webmd.com – 2017, http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/understanding-common-cold-basics
- Common cold – wikipedia.org – 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold
- Common Cold and Runny Nose – cdc.gov – 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/for-patients/common-illnesses/colds.html
- Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza – thelancet.com – 2005, http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(05)70270-X/fulltext
- Diseases and Conditions: Common cold – mayoclinic.org – 2017, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/dxc-20199808
- Acupuncture for the Common Cold: Treatment Protocols – yinyanghouse.com – 2017, https://theory.yinyanghouse.com/treatments/acupuncture_for_common_cold
- An Extremely Effective, Simple Treatment for Colds and Flu – acupuncturetoday.com – 2017, http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=28457