Types and Symptoms of the Common Cold

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on March 26, 2025
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The types and symptoms of colds can generally be divided into influenza and the common cold based on their causes, and there are certain differences in their symptoms. Influenza typically occurs during epidemic periods and shows classic symptoms such as sore limbs, fatigue, headache, nausea, and drowsiness. In contrast, the common cold typically features symptoms like clear nasal discharge, watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, dry mouth, and sore throat, but lacks the sore limbs symptom seen in influenza.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How to treat a viral cold

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 Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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How to treat cold and cough with food therapy?

Colds and coughs can be treated through dietary therapy. For instance, you can stew pears with rock sugar or stew pears with Fritillaria and add some honey, both of which can help alleviate coughs. Additionally, if it's just a dry cough without phlegm, you can take an uncooked egg before going to bed at night, place it in a bowl, sprinkle a large spoonful of sugar on top without stirring, and steam it in a pot until cooked. Eating it hot, along with the soup and egg, can help relieve dry coughs. Also, it should be noted that using scallion whites and white radishes, boiled into a soup to drink like tea two to three times a day, can also be beneficial in alleviating coughs.

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Written by Wu Shu Jie
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to use moxibustion for wind-heat cold?

Patients with colds caused by wind-cold can choose moxibustion at the Fengchi point, located 1.5 cm lateral to the midline in the depression formed by the occipital bone and cervical spine at the back of the head. The Dazhui point is located on the neck, in the depression below the seventh cervical vertebra, and the Hegu point is located at the tiger's mouth on the back of the hand. Moxibustion uses the warmth of the moxa fire to stimulate the Dazhui, Hegu, and Fengchi points to accelerate local blood circulation, promote cell metabolism, invigorate blood to dissolve stasis, expel wind and disperse cold, accelerate the expulsion of cold from the body, regulate endocrine functions, harmonize qi and blood, improve body functions, and increase the patient's immunity. This can effectively alleviate the patient's cold symptoms caused by wind-cold. It is recommended to keep warm and rest after treatment.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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What cold is nasal congestion?

Nasal congestion is the most common clinical symptom of nasal diseases. Various disorders, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal foreign bodies, and even nasal tumors can cause nasal congestion. In terms of colds, clinically it mainly refers to an upper respiratory infection caused by a viral infection. Therefore, nasal congestion alone cannot determine which type of cold it is. The types of colds, in modern medicine, refer to upper respiratory infections. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are divided into colds caused by wind-heat and colds caused by wind-cold. Merely from the symptom of nasal congestion, it is impossible to determine the type of cold. Therefore, in clinical practice, the main focus for treating nasal congestion is symptomatic treatment, which may include the use of medications to constrict the nasal blood vessels and clear the nasal passages. (Please follow the doctor's prescription for medication use.)

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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Symptoms of a cold in children

The symptoms of a minor cold most commonly involve fever in children, accompanied by a runny nose, nasal congestion, and coughing. Some may also experience shortness of breath, wheezing, and even symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. The symptoms can vary for each child. Some babies with a cold may only show symptoms like a runny nose, mild cough, and nasal congestion. Others might present with recurrent high fever, lethargy, and even vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore, it is important to adopt appropriate treatment measures tailored to each specific cause of the illness.