What should I pay attention to when taking medicine for cold and stuffy nose

Nasal congestion caused by colds is not uncommon, and patients are prone to long-term nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, headaches, etc. These adverse symptoms seriously affect life and work, so sometimes drug treatment is also indispensable, but there are various types of colds, so we also need to pay attention to understand the different types of symptoms and use symptomatic medications.

1. Cold type cold:

In addition to general symptoms such as nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, and headache, patients also have chills, low fever, no sweating, muscle pain, clear runny nose, thin white sputum, red and swollen sore throat, no thirst or thirsty for hot drinks, and thin white tongue coating. They usually have to wear a lot of clothes or cover themselves with a big quilt to feel comfortable. This type of cold is related to the patient's exposure to wind and cold. The principle of treatment should be to use pungent and warm herbs to relieve the symptoms. Patients can choose from cold and flu granules, cold and heat-clearing granules, Jiuwei Qianghuo pills, Tongxuan Lifei pills, Wushicha granules and other medicines for treatment. If the patient also has symptoms of internal heat and constipation, he can take Fangfeng Tongsheng Pills for treatment. Patients with wind-cold type colds should avoid using medicines such as Sangju Cold Tablets, Yinqiao Jiedu Tablets, Lingqiao Jiedu Tablets, and Compound Cold Tablets. The key to treating a cold is to sweat a little (called "Xinwen Jiebiao" in traditional Chinese medicine). There are many ways to do this, including sauna, soaking your feet in hot water (preferably with some wine), covering yourself with two layers of quilts, drinking ginger and sugar water, drinking ginger porridge, etc. The main prescription for treating colds caused by wind and cold is Guizhi Decoction, the first prescription in Treatise on Febrile Diseases, also known as the king of harmonizing prescriptions (Mahuang Decoction is also the main prescription for treating colds caused by wind and cold, but it should be used with caution in the south). Summary: Pungent and warm, it can relieve exterior symptoms, clear the lungs and dispel cold.

2. Wind-heat type cold:

In addition to the general symptoms of a cold, such as a stuffy nose, runny nose, cough, and headache, the patient also has features such as high fever, thick yellow sputum, sore throat that usually precedes the onset of cold symptoms, sputum that is usually yellow or black, and constipation. The principle of treatment should be to relieve the exterior symptoms with pungent and cool properties. Patients can choose from Xiangxue antiviral oral liquid, cold and fever reducing granules, Isatis root granules, Yinqiao Jiedu pills, Lingyang Jiedu pills and other drugs for treatment. Patients with wind-heat type colds should avoid using medicines such as Jiuwei Qianghuo Pills and Lifei Pills.

3. Summer heat and dampness type cold:

The patient shows symptoms such as chills, fever, loss of taste in the mouth, headache, head swelling, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This type of cold often occurs in summer. Treatment should focus on clearing away heat, removing dampness and relieving exterior symptoms. Patients can choose to take drugs such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Water and Yinqiao Jiedu Pills for treatment. If the patient has severe gastrointestinal symptoms, it is not advisable to use drugs such as Baohe Pills, Shanzha Pills, and Xiangsha Yangwei Pills. 4. Epidemic colds: The patient's symptoms are similar to those of wind-heat colds. However, the symptoms of patients with epidemic colds are more severe than those of patients with wind-heat colds. Patients may experience sudden chills, high fever, headache, fear of cold, chills, severe headache, body aches, fatigue, nasal congestion, runny nose, dry cough, chest pain, nausea, and loss of appetite. Infants, young children, and the elderly may develop complications such as pneumonia or heart failure. Treatment should focus on clearing away heat, detoxifying, and dispersing wind and relieving the surface. Patients can choose to take drugs such as Xiangxue Antiviral Oral Liquid, Fangfeng Tongsheng Pills, Zhongganling Tablets, and Zhonggan Tablets for treatment. If patients with epidemic colds are treated with only Yinqiao Jiedu Tablets, Qiangli Yinqiao Tablets, Xiasangju Cold Tablets or Niuhuang Jiedu Tablets, the therapeutic effect will be poor.