What is the difference between a hot cold and a cool cold?

Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
Updated on December 07, 2024
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Cold from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine is classified into two types: Wind-Heat Cold and Wind-Cold Cold. A Wind-Heat Cold may present symptoms such as coughing, coughing up yellow phlegm, yellow nasal discharge, sore throat, and fever. In contrast, a Wind-Cold Cold typically manifests as clear nasal discharge, dry cough or coughing up white phlegm, along with aversion to cold, headache, muscle soreness, and possibly a mild fever. Clinically, Wind-Cold Cold and Wind-Heat Cold are distinct and should be diagnosed under the guidance of a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who can prescribe specific herbal treatments based on the patient’s symptoms. From a Western medicine perspective, symptomatic treatment is generally recommended. However, it is crucial to assess if the patient exhibits symptoms such as purulent phlegm, high fever, or persistently unimproved cold symptoms, which may indicate the need for a hospital visit to investigate potential bacterial infections that might require antimicrobial treatments.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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Types and Symptoms of the Common Cold

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 Yao Li Qin
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What should I do if the baby has a cold and is vomiting milk?

Baby colds accompanied by vomiting of milk indicate that the child has an upper respiratory infection along with gastrointestinal symptoms. A cold can cause poor digestion or stomach discomfort, which might lead to vomiting of milk. First, ensure the child's diet is light and easy to digest. For babies who are formula-fed, you can give them probiotics or gastric protease granules, which can help alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort and are also beneficial for reducing vomiting. Additionally, after each feeding, it's important to hold the baby upright and pat their back to burp them, then hold them a bit longer. When sleeping, place the baby in a right-side lying position with the head of the cot elevated at a 15-degree angle. By managing this way, the vomiting in most children can be alleviated. (Note: The answer is for reference only. For medication, please consult a doctor under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Han Shun Li
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How long does it take to recover from a cold?

The common cold is one of the most frequently seen diseases in clinical settings, caused by viral infections. The most prevalent symptoms are nasal, such as sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion. Additionally, there can be discomfort in the throat, coughing, and some patients may experience mild fever, chills, and headaches. Generally, the natural course of a cold is about five to seven days, so it's possible to recover from a cold within a week. However, since there are currently no specific medications for treating the common cold, it is important to rest, avoid getting chilled, drink plenty of water, quit smoking, and ensure good ventilation in the room to aid recovery from a cold.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How many days does it take to recover from a cold caused by wind-cold?

Patients with a common cold due to wind-cold usually improve within about 3 to 7 days under normal conditions. The most severe period is the first 1 to 2 days, during which symptoms such as severe coughing and a runny nose are more pronounced. It is recommended to always pay attention to keeping warm and avoid getting chilled to prevent worsening the condition. If the cold is severe, it is crucial to go to a formal hospital in time and treat the symptoms based on the doctor's guidance. Additionally, one can use some anti-inflammatory and wind-cold fighting medicines for effective treatment, which can help improve the cold and hasten the healing process.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
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What medicine to take for a cold and headache?

During a cold with headache, you can appropriately massage the temples to relieve the symptom of headache. If the headache is severe during a cold, then it is necessary to take some pain relief medication to alleviate the symptoms. Usually, you should pay attention to your diet, opting for light meals and avoiding spicy, greasy, cold, and stimulating foods. Also, it is important to keep the diet light and consume more fresh fruits, vegetables, or porridge to enhance your body's resistance and alleviate symptoms. It is advised that if the cold with headache is severe, and accompanied by fever, it might be a viral cold. You can take some antiviral medications coupled with cold relief drugs for treatment to alleviate the symptoms. During treatment, it is essential to actively cooperate with the doctors' treatment, avoid smoking and drinking, drink plenty of water, and rest adequately.