Etiology and Pathogenesis of Common Cold According to Modern Medicine

Coryza also known as “Common Cold” or simply “Catch Cold” is an acute upper respiratory infectious disease that affects nasal passage, throat and bronchial tubes. It is caused by viruses, contagious and transmitted by direct contact or by breathe in virus particles that are spread through the air by sneezing or coughing from someone infected. Touching the mouth or nose after touching the skin or another surface contaminated with virus can spread and transmitted. There are more than hundreds of known viruses; rhinovirus and coronavirus are implicated more often. The incubation period is about 1-3 days. Initial symptoms are sore throat and sneezing then followed by symptoms such as chilliness, running nose, stuffy nose, mild fever, body ache, headache, feeling weak, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, constipation or diarrhea. The most typical symptoms of Common Cold are cough and nasal discharge. The nasal discharge during the onset period is watery and clear then becoming thick, yellowish and sticky onward which will last for 4 to 5 days. Examination showed nasal and pharyngeal membrane congestion, edema, mild membrane damage, Infiltration of some monocytes, serous and mucinous exudates. After further infection caused by bacteria and infiltration of neutrophils, appeared large quantity of purulent secretions. Common Cold normally last for 5 days to a week for mild cases if there are no complications. Colds may prolong and lead to other more serious complications such as sinus infections, inflammation of the eyes, asthma attacks, bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, ear infections that need further medication. Common Cold happens all throughout the year and with higher rate during winter and spring, affects all age groups, males and females alike, and sometimes can be an outbreak in certain area. Practicing good hygiene by washing of hands and good ventilation could limit the spread of the cold viruses. In most cases, leucocytes and heterophil granulocytes count decreases. Diagnosis through nasal smear examination and Direct Fluorescent Antibody examination during early stage could rapidly detect the disease.

Characteristics and Diagnosis of Common Cold in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Chinese Medicine theory, the change in weather and climate conditions is a major factor that causes “Common Cold”. Winter is supposed to be cold then shift to be warmer. Spring time should be warmer then it turned cold. Humid and hot during summer then changed cooler, and autumn should be cooler then sometimes become hot. The 6 exogenous pathogenic factors are wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and fire. Those whose bodies are well-maintained and vigorous will not get attacked easily by these exogenous pathogens, If ever, easy to recover compares to those whose bodies are poorly maintained and have weak immune system, or deficient. Those who abused their body are easy to get inflicted by the 6 exogenous pathogenic factors that cause Common Cold.

The cause of Common Cold in Chinese Medicine theory is often classified into 3 major categories:

1.       The exogenous wind–cold which attacks primarily through the outer skin that causes symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, clear and watery nasal discharge, chilliness, may or may not have mild fever, no perspiration, headache and body ache, cough with white phlegm. Coldness felt at the middle back portion is often classified as wind and cold syndrome. Thin white coating on tongue could be seen. Pulse characteristics are tight with strength and superficial. The method ofeliminating the cold is to warmth the body by inducing perspiration.

2.       The exogenous wind-heat which will penetrate from the nose or mouth to the throat and then the tracheal down to the lungs through breathing. Symptoms are runny nose, sneezing, fever or high fever, mouth dryness with perspiration, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough with thick phlegm, yellowish nasal discharge. It is also known as “Heat Common Cold”. Thin yellowish coating on tongue could be seen with rapid and superficial pulse. Aside from inducing perspiration, methods to relief the throat and clear away the heat pathogen is required.

3.       The exogenous damp-heat or summer heat. It occurs during summer and invades the exterior of the body. Symptoms are fever, perspiration but heat still within, thirstiness, running nose, stuffy nose, chest distress, dyspnea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and gas pain. Thin yellowish coating on tongue could be seen with rapid, slippery and superficial pulse.

Treatments for Common Cold

A good effective vaccine against so many cold viruses is still not easy to produce for virus changes and mutates continually over short period of time. Available western medicine for antiviral are said to be ineffective against cold, and neither antibiotics could help. Drugs that are sold could only help to suppress some of the symptoms, but not to cure the infection. Most of the cold medicinesinthe market contain substances such as phenylpropanolomine (PPA), pseudoephedrine, chlorphenamine maleate, and others will cause side effects. Medicines containing phenylpropanolomine (PPA) will increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke and already banned in many countries. Pseudoephedrine has the function of shrinking blood vessels and is not suitable for those patients suffering with hypertension, heart disease, hyperthyreosis or glaucoma. Chlorphenamine maleate may lead to lethargy which will disturb the study, work and life of patients. Because there are a wide variety of rare, serious adverse events reported with cough and cold products that include death, convulsions, rapid heart rates, and decreased levels of consciousness received and mentioned by US FDA, several cough and cold medicine need to be recalled and others should be used under the guidance of doctor. Questions have been raised about the safety of cold medicines and this really implies the severe problems of cold medicines in the market.

Zinc preparations and vitamin C have been suggested as treatment for Common Cold, but different scale of studies have shown different results of effectiveness. There is still no conclusive data showing large doses of vitamin C could prevent Common Cold, rather taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large amounts may be harmful. Too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, a particular danger for elderly people and small children. The recovery of Common Cold is still relied on our own self-inherent immune mechanism to fight against virus.

Although, there are Chinese herbal drugs that have its own advantages and good antivirus function such as Flos Lonicerae, Herba Schizonepetae and Radix Saposhnikoviae. But the effectiveness of these medicines when orally taken will be so slow and need longer time for patients to get well, and it causes indisposition. Therefore a safety and rapid method for Common Cold is needed such as“Coryza Moxibustion” of Chinese Moxibustion.

Coryza Moxibustion or Common Cold Moxibustion of Chinese Moxibustion is a revolutionary medicine for this new era. It is a safe product with fast effectiveness. Applying on Dazhui acupoint (Du14 or the point below C7 of cervical spine, back side) or Shenzhu acupoint (Du12 or the point below T3 of the thoracic spine, back side, for those with severe cough) could stimulate the yang-qi to disperse wind, cold and even heat. Stimulating the acupoint and meridian will regulate and enhance the immunologic system to get the effect of antivirus and treat diseases at its root cause. During the process, the heat from the automatic heating element of Chinese Moxiustion provides energy to boost the body immune system, increasing the volume of white blood cells or leucocytes for disease treatment, enhance the activity of Neutrophils and macrophages, and its phagocytosis function. Aside from that, there are also Chinese herbal ingredients that have the function of antivirus. It treats inner diseases externally and will not cause any toxic side effect. The combination of heat, moxa and herbal ingredients will facilitate the therapeutic effect and shorten the recovery time which has overwritten the belief that “antibiotic should be taken continuously for 7 days in order to treat diseases”. It is suitable for all ages, youth, elders, and small children.

[Ingredients]  Moxa, Radix Saposhnikoviac, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Fructus Xanthii, Herba Schizonepatae

Reminders:

Those patients suffering from Common Cold should pay more attention to self protection, the following are suggested:

1.       Exercise more regularly to enhance the body immunological ability, practice good hygiene environmentally and personally.

2.       Apply Coryza Moxibustion on Dazhui acupoint for protection during season that Common Cold is prevailing.

3.       More rest when have fever, drink more water, and do not take pungent, hot, dry and oily foods, just soft diet.

Introducing Chinese Moxibustion:

China (Chinese) Moxibustion is a set of world leading herbal medicine that bears the name of the state as its identification. The government has involved and invested heavily in the research and development of this product. It is an innovated Chinese herbal medicine with applied latest advanced technology that upholds the truth of ancient Chinese moxibustion therapeutic principles of more than 5,000 years combined with modern medical theory in treating diseases, a three-dimensional treatment modality that complements each other which consists of thermal therapy, moxibustion therapy and herbal therapy. A green medication without toxic side effect and efficacy is 20-30 times faster than the traditional moxibustion. When applied onto acupuncture point, the automatic heat produced with concentrated herbal medicine will enter rapidly in molecular form into the focal area to achieve significant therapeutic effect.

Introducing China Moxibustion Institute:

China Moxibustion Institute is also known as Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. It is currently the most authoritative, prestigious and biggest national comprehensive institution for scientific research, clinical medicine and medical education in China, and one of the World Health Organization collaborating centers for traditional medicine. Its main task is to carry out scientific clinical research by utilizing modern scientific methods and traditional Chinese medicine methods with acupuncture and moxibustion principles and theories; acupuncture and moxibustion literature, also to explore the essence of meridians, training local senior acupuncture and moxibustion professionals, bearing the responsibility on behalf of the state for international medical tasks, to accomplish specific scientific research work of World Health Organization, and to train foreign acupuncture and moxibustion professionals internationally.