12/27/2025
Warning! ‼️
We have different types of “colds” in TCM. This is NOT applicable if you have a fever, and a sore throat! That type of cold is categorized as an External Wind Heat Pathological Invasion- if you do this you will get much worse! Also do not do if you have thick, yellow sticky phlegm.
This is only meant to be done on External Wind Cold Pathogens! Signs and symptoms of this type of cold are: headache, stiff neck, body aches and pain, runny nose, no fever, and itchy throat.
PLEASE do not do this unless you have spoken to your TCM doctor about when to utilize this technique. Do not do if you are pregnant, going through chemo/radiation, or have kidney failure. Please speak to your doctor before trying this technique.
Traditionally, the TCM herb “Ma Huang” is utilized to “lift the exterior” and drag the cold out of the body. Ma Huang is Ephedra. This herb was banned 30 years ago in the US because people were abusing the herb and using it for other things. The lack of this herb makes the sweating take much longer. Usually Ma Huang will get you to sweat within 5 minutes. It took me about 45 minutes to break a sweat with the Gui Zhi Tang. After you break the sweat, you are not to shower as your pores are open and your body is susceptible to getting sick. It is recommended to just dry off and change ALL of your clothes.
Have you ever done this? Culturally, it is practiced all over the world. I grew up watching my dad do this every time he was sick.