What medicine should be taken for cough due to a cold?
Sep 22, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Guo Xiheng
Introduction
The symptoms of wind-cold cough typically include recurrent coughing, clear nasal discharge, sore or itchy throat, white and thin phlegm, fever, and headache. Therefore, treatment usually involves medications that dispel wind and cold, resolve exterior patterns, induce sweating, relieve wind and cold, alleviate coughing, and reduce phlegm and wheezing. Specific medications and dosages should be determined after a face-to-face consultation with a physician, and treatment should be conducted under medical guidance. Do not take any medication without professional advice.
Common symptoms of wind-cold cough include persistent coughing, clear nasal discharge, sore or itchy throat, white and thin phlegm, fever, and headache. Treatment typically involves medications that dispel wind and cold, relieve exterior syndromes through sweating,疏散 wind and cold, suppress cough caused by cold, and resolve phlegm to relieve wheezing. Specific medications and dosages must be determined after a face-to-face consultation with a physician; do not take any medication without medical guidance.
Wind-cold cough is usually caused by external contraction of wind and cold, leading to cough, shortness of breath, asthma, throat irritation, excessive sputum, and chest tightness. The recommended treatment approach focuses on dispersing cold to relieve cough and resolving phlegm to alleviate wheezing. Patients may take appropriate traditional Chinese patent medicines or herbal prescriptions under the guidance of a doctor.
Treatment for wind-cold cough generally aims to disperse wind and cold and warm the lungs to transform fluid retention. Ephedra (Mahuang), apricot seed (Xingren), and cinnamon twig (Guizhi) are used to dispel wind-cold, resolve exterior conditions, and transform fluid. Asarum (Xixin), Pinellia (Fabanxia), ginger (Shengjiang), and licorice (Gancao) help dry dampness, resolve phlegm, and promote lung function. If the cough persists for a prolonged period, white peony root (Baishao) and schisandra berry (Wuweizi) can be added to consolidate lung qi and stop coughing.
When symptoms of wind-cold cough appear, never misuse antibiotics arbitrarily, as this will not only fail to cure the illness but may also lead to drug resistance. Always follow a doctor's advice when taking medication. Additionally, it is recommended to rest well during illness, eat more vegetables and fruits, maintain a light diet, choose easily digestible foods, engage in moderate physical exercise, and actively prevent infections from other pathogens.
