A common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection affecting the nose and throat. Cold symptoms include sneezing, congestion, body aches, low-grade fever, cough, headache, runny nose, or stuffed nose. A cold is contracted when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or talks without covering their mouth, and tiny droplets spread through the air. The virus can spread by hand contact when an ill individual shares a contaminated object. A cold can quickly spread when proper hygiene is ignored. The average person will contract a cold up to 3 times yearly, resolving in approximately 1 week. This virus is ordinarily harmless and can feel like a nuisance. Typically, symptoms resolve independently, but the cold may sometimes last longer than expected or worsen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses acupuncture and herbal medicine when treating a virus. Each acupuncture point has a specific purpose that can help prevent a cold, speed up the healing process, or recover from the infection. When treating a cold, boosting the immune system is the primary concern. This can be done with acupuncture and with certain age-old traditional medicine formulas that have been tested through centuries and even millennia. TCM examines the entire body for deficiencies and stagnancy. These imbalances are addressed through clearing excess cold, heat, or wind, and regulating depleted energy systems. (cold, heat and wind are TCM terms to understand the condition the body is presenting with. Some patients may have a cold that has heat signs ie. fever, some with cold signs ie. shivering and some with wind signs ie. moving pain from one area to another ie. neck to then shoulder etc.) The herbal medicines are also utilized to relieve cold symptoms according to the pattern ie. cold, heat or wind.
Cupping is another modality that aids in resolving chest congestion and moves stagnated Qi or energy while improving immune function. Acupuncture Zen offers additional therapies that can enhance immune function such as herbal medicine, K Laser and THOR Laser therapy, cupping, electrostimulation and the red-light therapy NovoTHOR which can boost cellular energy and activity with Adenosine Triphosphate production (ATP) to promote healing and a speedy recovery.
Come and see what Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach can do for you!
