Is a cold in the summer always a wind-heat cold?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on May 09, 2025
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Colds are also common in summer, and typically, conditions like wind-heat colds are more frequent during this season. However, not all summer colds are wind-heat colds; some patients may catch a cold due to prolonged exposure to air conditioning or getting caught in the rain, both of which can lead to colds in the summer. For such colds, they are generally more likely to be cold in nature, so not all summer cold patients necessarily have wind-heat colds. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis should be conducted based on each patient's specific circumstances. For a typical summer cold, if it is a wind-heat cold, the patient usually experiences fever, headaches, nasal congestion, and runny nose, with the discharge often being yellow. They also experience sore throat and cough, usually coughing up yellow phlegm, which is commonly considered in clinical practice to be due to wind-heat cold.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Differences between air conditioning cold and common cold

Using air conditioning set too low, or staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time, can easily cause a cold due to the lack of air circulation. When a person's immune function is low, it is easy for viruses or bacteria to invade the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, fever, headache, and dizziness. In the case of a common cold, it might be a heat-type cold or it could be a cold-type cold. Common colds are usually caused by viral infections of the respiratory tract, leading to clinical symptoms of discomfort. On the other hand, air conditioning colds often occur due to the air conditioning being set too cold, leading to cold-induced symptoms. Thus, there is a distinct difference between air conditioning colds and common colds, with the systemic symptoms caused by air conditioning colds being relatively more severe.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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How to determine if a full moon baby has a cold

Generally, a one-month-old baby cannot express discomfort, so it is difficult to determine whether they have caught a cold. To judge if a baby has a cold, you need to observe if there are any changes in their usual behavior such as obvious spit-ups, decreased milk intake, increased sleep duration, deeper sleep, inconsolable crying or restlessness, labored breathing, nasal congestion, phlegm sounds in the throat, or frequent bubbles at the corners of the mouth. If the baby's breathing appears faster than usual, it likely indicates sickness. If parents notice their one-month-old is uncomfortable, it is imperative to promptly take the baby to a hospital for a thorough examination and treatment guidance from a specialist doctor.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Is it good for pregnant women to use moxibustion for a cold?

When pregnant women experience cold symptoms, they can use moxa fumigation. For example, if a woman has a cold, cough, or nasal congestion, moxibustion can be used to help relieve some symptoms. Moxa is purely herbal and harmless to the human body, and it has little effect on the baby. Moxa sticks can purify the air and sterilize, and clinically, they are mainly used to treat some chronic gynecological diseases. During pregnancy, moxa fumigation is possible, but it is not recommended to use moxibustion on the Hegu acupoint, as this point can easily cause uterine contractions. Additionally, try to avoid using moxa sticks on acupoints.

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Written by Xia Min
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Can you eat mutton if you have a cold caused by wind-heat?

Wind-heat cold is a common clinical condition, its clinical manifestations include fever, slight aversion to wind, inhibited sweating, severe headache, cough, sticky or yellow phlegm, sore throat, thin white slightly yellow tongue coating, red tongue tip and sides, and a floating and rapid pulse. It is mainly caused by the evil of wind-heat. Generally, medicines that release the exterior with pungent and warm properties are used for treatment, and mutton is considered a strongly pungent and hot substance, used for nourishing kidney yang. Therefore, it is not suitable for patients with wind-heat cold to eat mutton.

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to get better from a cold caused by excessive internal heat?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a cold due to "internal heat" is considered to be caused by a decrease in the body's resistance and exposure to wind-heat. At this time, it is appropriate to take some mildly cool, exterior-releasing medicines to regulate the condition. If at home, one can choose to use Banlangen granules, or make a soup with pears, or drink water boiled with white radish. These can significantly improve the symptoms of a cold due to internal heat. It is also advisable to drink more hot porridge to induce a slight sweat, which can help treat the condition. (Note: Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)