Symptoms of wind-heat common cold
Previously, we discussed colds caused by wind and cold; now let's talk about colds caused by wind and heat. Generally, colds caused by wind and heat are more common in the summer and autumn when temperatures are higher. This is mainly due to the invasion of wind-heat pathogens into the body, leading to abnormal symptoms. In daily life, it's essential to understand and clearly recognize the symptoms of colds caused by wind and heat so that you can treat them appropriately and help your body recover quickly.
Symptoms of wind-heat common cold
Wind-heat colds are more common in spring because the temperature is gradually rising and there is more wind during this season. This combination makes it easier for pathogenic heat to enter the body and cause various illnesses. Furthermore, wind-heat colds are mainly caused by external pathogens attacking the lungs, leading to disharmony between the stomach and lung qi. To restore health at this time, it is advisable to take more traditional Chinese medicines with pungent and cooling properties that relieve exterior symptoms and clear heat from the lungs.
Generally, if a patient has a wind-heat cold, they will experience fever, slight aversion to wind and cold, but no sweating. They will have a stuffy nose, thick nasal discharge, headache, and sore throat. The patient will also have a cough with a lot of phlegm, a thin yellow tongue coating, and a weak, floating pulse. They may also experience thirst, a dry, itchy, red, and swollen throat. Stools will become dry, possibly leading to constipation, and urine will be yellow.
If a patient with a wind-heat cold is examined at a hospital in time, it will be found that their tonsils are red and swollen, and their throat is also fully congested. Their pulse is not only weak but also beating very rapidly.
If a child has a wind-heat type of cold, the main symptom will be fever, but chills and aversion to wind will not be obvious. In addition, the child will experience nasal congestion and thick nasal discharge, and the cough will be quite severe, sometimes accompanied by excessive or thick yellow phlegm. Besides this, the child may also experience headaches, sore throats, constipation, and dark red urine.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that wind-heat colds are mainly caused by external wind-heat entering the lungs through the skin and hair. The lungs govern the five internal organs, the six bowels, and the skin and hair of the body. If the lungs are invaded by external pathogens, the skin and hair will be the first to be damaged. At this time, the body will develop illness.
The specific symptoms of wind-heat type common cold are as follows:
1. Thick, yellow nasal discharge;
2. Fever or body temperature. This may be accompanied by dry mouth, irritability, and other symptoms.
3. Sore throat, and it tends to occur when one is about to catch a cold due to wind-heat.
4. Profuse phlegm, which is usually yellow or black in color;
5. The tongue coating is thin and white, while the tongue itself is quite red.
6. The pulse will be rapid or bounding, meaning the pulse rate is faster than normal.
7. Constipation;
8. Yellow urine.
Diagnosis of wind-heat common cold
Wind-heat colds are more common in spring and autumn. This is mainly because there is more wind in spring, and the temperature is gradually rising. When wind and warm pathogens meet, they can easily cause various diseases. In summer, it is hot and humid outside, but relatively cool inside. In particular, most people like to use air conditioning now, which leads to a large temperature difference between indoors and outdoors, making people more susceptible to wind-heat colds.
Many people know they have a wind-heat cold, but they cannot immediately determine whether they have the disease. This leads to the body not receiving timely treatment, which affects their health.
If you experience fever and significant headache, along with symptoms such as stuffy, thick yellow nasal discharge, cough, and dry, sore throat, then it's likely you have a wind-heat type of common cold.
In addition, if you also experience dry mouth and throat, cough with thick yellow phlegm, and a red tongue with a thin yellow coating, then it is likely that you have a wind-heat cold.
