Today, I’m going to tell you about a jingle in Traditional Chinese Medicine: "Guizhi Decoction for sweating, Mahuang Decoction for no sweating, Gegan Decoction for stiff neck and shoulders, and Xiao Chaihu Decoction for alternating chills and fever."

First, let's talk about using Guizhi Decoction when there is sweating. When you are affected by wind-cold and start sweating, accompanied by a headache, low-grade fever, aversion to cold, and a stuffy nose, what does this mean? It means the Yang Qi in your body is fighting the cold pathogen and trying to expel it through sweat. In this situation, you can refer to Guizhi Decoction. The White Peony Root (Shaoyao) in Guizhi Decoction can astringe Yin, keeping the Ying-blood inside the body where it belongs. Fresh ginger and jujubes harmonize the spleen and stomach, replenishing the body's vital energy (Zheng Qi). Once the vital energy is sufficient, the pathogenic factors won't be able to stay and will be expelled much faster.

Now let's talk about using Mahuang Decoction (Ephedra Decoction) for cases without sweating. If you don't sweat at all after catching a cold, feel extremely sensitive to the cold as if your body is frozen, shiver uncontrollably, and often have a fever above 38°C accompanied by headaches, body aches, and coughing or wheezing—what is happening? This indicates that the "Cold Evil" is so severe that it has constricted your pores, closing them off and preventing sweat from escaping. In this situation, you must rely on the dispersing power of Mahuang (Ephedra) to open the pores and allow the sweat to be released, which carries the Cold Evil out with it. Guizhi (Cassia Twig) assists here by relieving the exterior and dispersing cold, while also warming and unblocking the meridians to get the Qi and blood flowing, thereby alleviating body pain.

Next, let's discuss using Gengen Decoction (Kudzu Decoction) for neck and shoulder stiffness. Some people experience soreness and stiffness in the back and neck area after being exposed to wind-cold, making it difficult even to turn their heads, often accompanied by chills, aversion to heat, and headaches. This indicates that the Cold Evil has invaded the Taiyang meridians of the back, causing the Qi and blood in the meridians to stagnate, which leads to aching neck and shoulder muscles. The Gegen (Kudzu Root) in Gegen Decoction has a powerful muscle-relaxing effect, guiding the medicinal properties to the neck and back to relieve muscle soreness and stiffness. Furthermore, it contains Mahuang and Guizhi to relieve the exterior and disperse cold.

Finally, let's talk about using Xiao Chaihu Decoction (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) for alternating chills and fever. Why is it that after catching a cold, you feel cold one moment and hot the next, accompanied by chest tightness, irritability, a bitter taste in the mouth, and a loss of appetite? This indicates that the "Righteous Qi" and the "Evil Qi" are struggling against each other in the Shaoyang meridian, which is located between the exterior and interior of the body, resulting in the phenomenon of alternating chills and fever. At this time, Xiao Chaihu Decoction should be used. The Chaihu (Bupleurum) in the formula acts on the Shaoyang Gallbladder meridian to vent the evil qi from the half-exterior/half-interior layer; it also soothes the liver and relieves depression to alleviate chest tightness. Additionally, it contains Huangqin (Scutellaria) to clear heat, as well as Banxia (Pinellia) and fresh ginger to harmonize the spleen and stomach.

Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment—different symptoms require different formulas to cure the illness. If you have similar conditions, the first step is to look at the tongue coating. Send over a photo of your tongue and your symptoms, and I will provide a free consultation to determine the general direction for your recovery.