How East Asian Medicine Approaches Colds: Chinese Herbs, Acupuncture, Acupressure & Cupping

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: Cold Edition, Part 1

Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, and cupping for cold symptoms

If you've been to my Oakland acupuncture clinic in the last few months, you may have heard me bragging (and knocking on a LOT of wood) about how I hadn't been sick since last August.

Well, my streak recently ended. I caught a cold.

And because I am an absolute baby when I get sick, I have a pretty extensive arsenal of things I reach for to make the experience a little less miserable.

As both a nurse and a doctor of East Asian Medicine (EAM), I use a combination of Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, Western over-the-counter medications, and some good old-fashioned home remedies.

There was too much to fit into one article, so I'm sharing my favorites in three parts. First up: East Asian Medicine, herbs, cupping, and acupuncture.

A quick note: These are some of my personal favorites, not blanket recommendations for everyone. Herbs and OTC medications aren't appropriate for everyone, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you're unsure what's right for you, please ask me! For OTC medications, you can also check with your PCP, OB, or pharmacist.

How does East Asian Medicine think about colds?

In EAM, we traditionally describe colds as an invasion of an external pathogen, often referred to as wind. I know that sounds a little strange, but bear with me.

We differentiate illnesses based on how they're presenting in the body. Are you feeling chilled or feverish? Is your throat sore? Is your nose running clear or thick mucus? Are you sweating? Do you have a headache?

We often use terms like wind-cold and wind-heat to describe these patterns. They aren't literal descriptions of a virus, but rather a diagnostic framework that helps us select an appropriate treatment.

And this is why there's no single Chinese herbal formula that I give to everyone with a cold. The formula depends on your symptoms and where you are in the course of the illness.

Yu Ping Feng San: Before I get sick

Some of my patients have already gone home with one of my favorite formulas, Yu Ping Feng San, also known as Jade Windscreen.

In EAM, this formula is traditionally used to support Wei Qi, often translated as defensive Qi. You can think of Wei Qi as part of the body's protective function, though it isn't exactly the same thing as the immune system as we understand it in Western medicine.

Yu Ping Feng San contains three herbs: Huang Qi (Astragalus), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), and Fang Feng (Saposhnikovia).

I especially like to think about this formula before the holidays, when I'm about to spend time with family members who've been flying all over the place, or before visiting my nibblings, who are in daycare and school and are very actively building their immune systems.

I'm quite happy with the immune system I've already got, thank you very much.

Personally, I often start taking this formula a few weeks before travel or a big family gathering.

It's important to distinguish its traditional use from what we know scientifically. Yu Ping Feng San has a long history of use for supporting the body's defenses, but we don't have strong clinical evidence that it prevents viral infections. I use it selectively, based on the person and their presentation.

One important distinction: In EAM, Yu Ping Feng San generally isn't the formula we reach for once an acute cold has started. At that point, we reassess symptoms and select a different formula suited to the illness.

Yin Qiao San: Once symptoms start

This might be the best-known formula in my clinic, mostly because so many of you come in specifically asking me to deal it out!

Yin Qiao San is a classic formula traditionally used in the early stages of a wind-heat presentation.

Think sore throat, feeling feverish, headache, and that unmistakable sensation that you're about to get sick.

In EAM terms, Yin Qiao San helps release the exterior and clear heat.

From a Western perspective, some of the herbs in this formula contain compounds that have demonstrated anti-inflammatory or antiviral activity in laboratory research. There has also been a small clinical trial suggesting that Yin Qiao San may help reduce cold symptoms, although the evidence is still preliminary.

The important thing is that it's not a proven treatment that kills a cold virus, and it isn't the right formula for every cold. I tend to be most interested in using appropriately selected acute formulas right when symptoms are beginning, when the presentation is especially clear.

There are MANY other wonderful formulas in our herbal medicine system, and choosing between them is part of what makes EAM so individualized.

Acupuncture for cold symptoms

Acupuncture is another tool I use when someone is feeling under the weather.

In the clinic, I choose points based on the symptoms: sinus pressure, headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, neck tension, or that generalized achy feeling.

I'll often combine local points around the nose and face with points on the hands, arms, legs, and feet. I may also include some gentle Tui Na bodywork to address the neck and facial tension that often comes with congestion.

We're not claiming to needle a virus out of existence here. The goal is to help with symptoms and support comfort while the body recovers. Research specifically on acupuncture for the common cold remains limited.

Three acupressure points to try at home

LI4 — Hegu

Located in the fleshy area between your thumb and index finger.

This is one of my favorite points for headaches, facial pain, and tension. Apply firm, comfortable pressure for 30–60 seconds on each hand.

Skip LI4 during pregnancy unless you've been specifically instructed to use it by your practitioner.

SI18 — Quanliao

Located just below the cheekbone, roughly in line with the outer corner of the eye.

I like this point when there's facial pressure or that heavy, congested feeling through the cheeks. Use gentle pressure here.

Bi Tong — Clear Nose

Located on either side of the nose, near where the nostrils meet the cheeks.

As the name suggests, this is a point traditionally used for nasal congestion. Try gently massaging both sides of the nose with your fingertips.

Acupressure isn't a cure for a cold, but these are easy points to experiment with when you're feeling uncomfortable.

And don't forget cupping!

Another treatment I love for coughs and chest congestion is cupping.

If you've had cupping with me before, you know the drill. I place cups on the skin to create gentle suction, usually across the upper back.

In EAM, cupping over the upper back is traditionally used to help move Qi, release the exterior, and address coughs and congestion.

Cupping has a long history of use for respiratory symptoms. I particularly like using it when someone has been coughing a lot and their chest, upper back, and shoulders are feeling tight and sore. The suction lifts the skin and underlying tissue, and many people find it helps release some of that muscular tension.

Although cupping hasn't been proven to treat respiratory infections or resolve coughs, some patients find it helpful for the muscular discomfort associated with coughing.

And yes, it can leave those distinctive round marks! They're usually temporary and fade over several days.

Combining Eastern and Western approaches

One of the things I appreciate about my background in both nursing and EAM is having different tools available depending on what's going on.

Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, and cupping are part of my approach to comfort and symptom management. But I'm also very grateful for Western medications when I need them.

In the next two parts of this series, I'll share my favorite ways to manage nasal congestion, coughs, sore throats, and the other symptoms that make having a cold so unpleasant.

And remember that COVID and influenza can initially look like ordinary colds, so testing and early medical care can be important, particularly for higher-risk individuals.

Dr. Brianna Darcey, DAIM, LAc, RN

Brianna Darcey Acupuncture | Oakland, California