How to treat a viral cold

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on January 27, 2025
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How to treat viral colds depends on whether it is an epidemic flu or a common cold. If it is just a common viral cold, special treatment is generally not needed. Pay attention to rest, ensure sufficient good sleep and appropriate indoor temperature and humidity. By drinking more boiled water and eating more vegetables, you can naturally recover. If it is epidemic flu, you can choose to take antipyretic analgesics and antiviral drugs to relieve symptoms. You can take Qingkailing, combined with acetaminophen, vitamin C, Yinqiao tablets, and other medications. Note: Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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What should I do if I have a cold and my ears are itchy?

Having a cold accompanied by itchy ears may be due to congestion of varying degrees in the nasal mucosa and the middle ear canal following an upper respiratory tract infection. This condition can worsen when the patient blows their nose or if there is a concurrent bacterial infection, sometimes even leading to otitis media. Therefore, in such cases, patients might experience varying degrees of discharge and itching in the ear canal. It is crucial first to identify the specific pathogen causing the cold and treat it with the appropriate anti-infection or antiviral medications. Once the inflammation is effectively controlled, the symptoms of itchy ears can also be alleviated promptly and effectively.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Cold and cough symptoms.

A cold is caused by the invasion of various pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, and chlamydia into our upper respiratory tract, leading to inflammation there. Due to the inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, a large amount of secretions such as nasal discharge and phlegm in the throat are produced, causing symptoms like coughing. Some patients may have a dry cough, while others might cough up phlegm, which can be white or yellow. Coughing during a cold is a common symptom, and it can generally be addressed by taking some cold medicines, which are available as both traditional Chinese and Western medicines. Choosing the right medicine that suits one's needs can help treat the symptoms of a cold cough. (The use of medicines should be carried out under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Is a cold the process of detoxing?

A cold is not about detoxing; it is a type of disease. It is caused by a viral infection leading to a respiratory infection, which can cause symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. It is important to properly understand that one should drink plenty of water during a cold, measure body temperature twice a day, and avoid eating spicy, overly greasy foods. The main treatment principle is to choose pain-relieving medications to alleviate symptoms like fever, headache, and body aches. For a runny nose and sneezing, antihistamine medications can be used for symptomatic treatment, and they can also be combined with antiviral medications.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Does a heat cold fear heat?

Colds are quite common in clinical settings, and from the perspective of Chinese medicine, colds are divided into heat-type colds and cold-type colds. Patients with a heat-type cold do not necessarily feel hot; this type of cold is most common in the summer. The primary symptoms include sore throat and cough, usually with yellow phlegm, runny nose, and nasal congestion, often caused by yellow nasal discharge. Therefore, such patients may not exhibit a clear aversion to cold. Thus, it is appropriate to administer treatments like antiviral and heat-clearing detoxifying medications to address these symptoms, which can provide relief. It is not the case that patients with a heat-type cold will always feel hot. Indeed, if a fever is present, patients with a heat-type cold may even experience feeling cold.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How to reduce a fever when having a cold and headache

Symptoms of a cold such as headache and fever can be treated by applying a cool towel or ice pack to the forehead, or by taking antipyretic analgesic drugs to alleviate the fever. Options include acetaminophen, naproxen, or sodium diclofenac, all of which effectively ease symptoms caused by a cold like headaches and fever. Additionally, drinking more ginger sugar water and using warm water or alcohol to wipe down the palms, soles, neck, and chest can help reduce fever physically.