Can I use moxibustion to treat colds in summer?

In fact, it is not only winter that is prone to catching a cold, summer is also a high-incidence season for patients to catch a cold. Compared with winter colds, summer cold symptoms can make patients feel more uncomfortable. The main cause of summer colds is heat colds and heatstroke, so the treatment methods used to treat summer colds are also different. So when a person catches a cold in summer, can he be treated with moxibustion?

1. Can I use moxibustion to treat a cold in summer?

In the early stages of a cold, moxibustion treatment is a very economical and effective method. Citizens who are skilled in using moxibustion can even complete the treatment independently at home. If you feel cold limbs, cold pain in shoulders and back, and physical weakness, you can apply moxibustion to the Dazhui point. For headache, heavy head, light feet, eyestrain, neck pain, stiff neck, and insomnia, you can apply moxibustion to the Fengchi point. For headache and dizziness, you can apply moxibustion to the Fengfu point. In addition, moxibustion on the Hegu point (commonly known as the tiger's mouth) is mainly used to treat nasal congestion and clear runny nose. If the left side of the nose is congested, moxibustion is applied to the right Hegu point, and if the right side of the nose is congested, moxibustion is applied to the left Hegu point. Each moxibustion lasts for 5 minutes.

2. Situations where moxibustion is not suitable

Do not directly apply moxibustion to exposed parts, such as the face, to prevent the formation of scars and affect the appearance. Do not apply moxibustion to areas with thin skin, little muscle, tendon aggregation, lumbar sacral area, and lower abdomen of pregnant women. Do not apply moxibustion directly to the joints. Do not apply moxibustion to the large blood vessels, the heart, or the eyeballs on the face. Moxibustion should not be performed if you are extremely tired, too hungry or too full, drunk, sweating profusely, or emotionally unstable. Moxibustion is not recommended during certain infectious diseases, high fever, coma, convulsions, or when the body is extremely exhausted and lacks self-control.

3. How to prevent and control colds

Of course, prevention is worse than cure. If you want to avoid air-conditioning colds, you need to take action both internally and externally. We need to enhance our resistance, such as ensuring good sleep, eating more fruits rich in vitamins, drinking plenty of water to replenish electrolytes, and having a proper diet; we also need to actively prevent direct stimulation of the respiratory tract by cold air, such as reducing the temperature difference between the internal and external environments, and avoiding direct air conditioning on the body. It is also recommended to clean the upper respiratory tract with light salt water in time, which can also reduce the occurrence of colds.