Common Colds: Hot Tips from the Acupuncturist & When to Get a Treatment
At the First Signs of a Cold Use these Hot Tips for Knocking It Out
We all know the dreaded feeling of that first sneeze, the initial tickle in your throat or when your nose starts to drip. It’s a sure sign a common cold is on its way in. But there are easy ways to knock it out before it knocks you down. Ancient methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine- using food as medicine is a natural and effective way to get well.
At the first signs of a cold, try these:
Make a hot miso soup using miso paste, finely chopped fresh ginger root and scallion. It’s easy, just boil some water then add your ingredients. You can even add other vegetables like carrots, bok choy, or bean sprouts to make it more filling. But keep it simple for easy digestion.
Take a hot shower. Then pile on some warm clothing.
Move your body- maybe do a few jumping jacks or take a few flights of stairs.
Get warm enough to get a slight sweat going.
The point of all of this is to open up the pores and sweat a little. You don’t want to exhaust yourself because your body is already working hard to fight off the cold. But this opening and sweating allows your body to push out the pathogen that is trying to set up camp. Catch it early enough and you can win the battle. (Getting an acupuncture treatment at this point is always a great idea as well and we will almost always tell you to follow the above instructions in addition to the treatment.)
If a Cold is Beyond Home Remedies, Get Some Acupuncture, Take Some Chinese Herbs
When a few sniffles have turned into a full blown, devastating cold, come in for a treatment. Acupuncturists differentiate common colds into many different categories: heat, cold, damp, wind, dry or a combination of these. So depending on your symptoms, your acupuncturist will choose points and herbal formulas specifically suited to treat your specific common cold. This is why acupuncture works great for a cold and it is also the reason it is important not to buy Chinese herbs on your own without the expertise of a licensed practitioner. For example, if you choose herbs that are warming to treat a cold that is hot in nature, you will make the cold worse because you are adding heat to hot symptoms.
Following these suggestions along with drinking plenty of water and getting extra sleep can help keep you cold-free. If you are someone who is chronically ill and catches a cold every time you hear someone sneeze, there are special immune supporting acupuncture points and herbs for that as well.
Interested in getting acupuncture and want to make sure you are seeing experienced practitioners? Garden Acupuncture is located on Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Our team has over 70+ years of combined experience! Check out and explore our website! GardenAcu.com