Is sweating effective for a cold?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on May 11, 2025
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Heat colds are divided into heat colds and cold colds from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine. Heat colds generally occur more frequently in the hot summer. Patients with heat colds typically experience different degrees of fever, chills, as well as headache, dizziness, sore throat, and coughing. When coughing, there is often yellow phlegm, and there may also be varying degrees of nasal congestion. Therefore, for patients with heat colds in summer, we generally recommend using some heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines appropriately based on their body temperature. Typically, these patients will sweat to different extents after the fever subsides. In clinical practice, it is generally not recommended for patients with heat colds to use blankets or wear more clothes to induce sweating. This method should not be taken. It is generally advised to use some physical methods to reduce fever, or appropriate antipyretic drugs if the body temperature is quite high. This approach is relatively more scientific and safer.

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Written by Guo Xiao Yun
Pulmonology
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How to differentiate between Wind-Cold Common Cold and Wind-Heat Common Cold

The differences between colds caused by wind-cold and those caused by wind-heat mainly lie in the symptoms. Colds caused by wind-cold are due to the invasion of wind-cold into the body, often as a result of exposure to cold environments. Common symptoms include chills, cold limbs, dizziness, fatigue, and coughing up white phlegm. On the other hand, colds caused by wind-heat occur due to the invasion of wind-heat, which frequently happens in the summer. Clinically, they are characterized by symptoms such as dark urine, coughing up pus-filled phlegm, high fever, headaches, and sore, swollen throat. Whether it is a cold caused by wind-cold or wind-heat, both can lead to related discomfort in the body and need active treatment and management to prevent the condition from worsening.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How to control some signs of a cold?

To control early signs of a cold, first and foremost pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle and diet. Avoid staying up late and overworking, opt for bland, soft, and easily digestible foods, abstain from smoking and alcohol, and avoid eating meat. Consume more fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, ensure sufficient and good quality sleep, and drink more ginger sugar water or scallion white broth. These can warm the body and disperse cold, aiding in the recovery from a cold. Additionally, measure your temperature twice daily to check for any signs of fever, and treat the symptoms accordingly.

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Written by Zhang Shu Kun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can scraping (gua sha) cure a cold?

Gua sha cannot cure a cold, but it helps with recovery from a cold. This is because gua sha can reduce internal heat, promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and improve the body's metabolism. To cure a cold, it is still necessary to use cold medicines or anti-inflammatory drugs to achieve a healing effect. During treatment, it is also important to drink more water, urinate frequently, and engage in physical exercise to effectively promote sweating, which can improve the situation. After catching a cold, it is advisable to rest and avoid excessive fatigue. The diet should be light and easy to digest, avoiding stimulating and cold food. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Is it okay to drink ginger soup for a cold caused by excessive internal heat?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a cold caused by excessive internal heat is generally considered to occur when the body's resistance is low, and it is exposed to pathogenic wind-heat. At this time, it is necessary to take some pungent and cooling herbs to adjust the body. Ginger or ginger soup is not suitable in this case because its nature tends towards heat, and it has the effect of expelling wind and dispelling cold, which is suitable for colds caused by exposure to cold elements. For a cold caused by excessive internal heat, it is appropriate to drink some honeysuckle and chrysanthemum tea, as this can treat the condition. At the same time, attention should also be paid to diet, which should be as bland as possible, avoiding spicy, dry, irritating, and heat-inducing foods.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Sore throat without cold symptoms

Sore throat is a relatively common clinical symptom, with many causes. If the duration is short, it could be due to acute pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, or acute epiglottitis. If the condition lasts longer or recurs frequently, it may be caused by chronic pharyngitis or chronic tonsillitis. Therefore, after the onset, it is necessary to visit an otolaryngology department for diagnosis, where a laryngoscope examination and routine blood tests can be performed to clarify the specific cause, before targeted treatment can be administered. Regular follow-ups are also needed to monitor the treatment effects.