The difference between hot cough and cold cough

Hot cough and cold cough are two different symptoms. The difference between the two lies in the cause of the disease. Hot cough is a lung disease caused by wind-heat, which will cause yellow sputum and a thin yellow tongue coating, while cold cough is caused by wind-cold, which will cause shortness of breath and a thin white tongue, and the sputum is white. We can distinguish between cold cough and hot cough from these symptoms, and then choose the corresponding treatment method to control the disease.

1. Four major differences to help you distinguish between cold cough and hot cough?

1. Different concepts

Wind-cold cough is a cough caused by the body's exposure to wind-cold and the failure of lung qi to flow.

Wind-heat cough is caused by the body being affected by wind-heat evil, which causes heat accumulation in the lungs and the lungs' inability to clear and ventilate, resulting in cough.

2. Different symptoms

Cough due to wind-cold: heavy and dull cough, shortness of breath, itchy throat, thin white sputum, often accompanied by headache, nasal congestion, clear runny nose, chills and fever, no sweating, thin white tongue coating, and tight pulse.

Wind-heat cough: A crisp cough with phlegm that is difficult to cough up, the phlegm is yellow or thick and sticky, the throat is dry and sore, the mouth is thirsty, and it is often accompanied by symptoms such as aversion to wind, fever, headache, limb pain, and yellow nasal discharge. The tongue coating is thin and yellow, and the pulse is rapid or slippery.

3. Different pathogenesis

Wind-cold cough is caused by the invasion of wind-cold evil qi, which contracts and stagnates the lung defense, causing the lung qi to be blocked and unable to be released. The lung qi's release and descent are abnormal, which leads to the growth of phlegm, blocking the airway, affecting the entry and exit of lung qi, and thus causing cough.

Wind-heat cough is caused by excessive fire in the body, or external wind-heat evil, which invades the lung defense, causing the lung to lose its ability to clear and purify, and the heat to refine body fluid into phlegm, resulting in coughing and yellow and thick phlegm.

4. Different treatments

The treatment of wind-cold cough focuses on dispersing wind-cold, promoting lung function and relieving cough.

The treatment of wind-heat cough focuses on dispersing wind and heat, promoting lung function and relieving cough.

2. Targeted treatment of wind-cold cough and wind-heat cough

Wind-cold cough: The treatment should be to dispel wind-cold, promote lung function and relieve cough. You can choose to add or subtract ingredients from Sanao Decoction. Take 3 grams each of ephedra and licorice, 5 grams each of apricot kernel, schizonepeta, peucedanum, platycodon, perilla seed, fennel, tangerine peel, cinnamon twig, stemona, and scutellaria. Decoction in water, 1 dose per day.

Teyi Zhikebao Tablets can be used as Chinese patent medicine. Zhikebao Tablets are suitable for acute and chronic coughs. They are warm but not dry, moist but not greasy, dispel cold without adding heat, relieve exterior symptoms without hurting the body, eliminate evil while strengthening the body, and take into account both the symptoms and the root cause.

Wind-heat cough: The treatment should be to dispel wind and heat, promote lung function and relieve cough. You can choose Ma Xing Shi Gan Decoction with modifications. Take 3 grams each of ephedra and licorice, 10 grams of gypsum, 5 grams each of mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, almond, peucedanum, forsythia, dahurian, fructus sylvestris, fritillaria, platycodon and bamboo shavings. Decoction in water, 1 dose per day.