My Recent Chesty Cold Cure

My Recent Chesty Cold Cure

Cold & Flu Season

By Dave Shipsey B.Sc (Hons) Grad. Dip C.Ac, A.Ac,

Its official, we are well and truly in the midst of the 2013 Cold & Flu season, it’s official, because I have just had a cold, and that’s the reason I am writing this article. As a Biology graduate, an acupuncturist and an Asthmatic I know a few things about colds! As an acupuncturist on the one hand, client’s sometimes presume that I should never get sick……… possibly, but as a mere mortal just like you, I do suffer the odd cold and I can only ever recall having flu twice, once in 1987 (the Beijing flu) and the second was when I was returning from Nanjing, China in April 2003 when SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) had just become a serious health risk. I don’t know what I had, but I can safely say it was the worst flu like symptoms I have ever experienced so bad I nearly got quarantined in Schiphol airport!! Since developing asthma as a child, I have always been prone to colds which go straight to my chest and become a lingering chest infection.

I am always curious about the onset of colds and am acutely aware of the progress of the infection by my symptoms. Last weekend my son Conor had a hum dinger of a cold and the snot production was incredible, if our GDP was reflected by Snot production Ireland would be out of this economic mess we are in now! On Saturday I went for a walk and got caught out in the severe cold but beautiful sunny day without a hat for my bald head. Sure enough on Sunday at about 2pm I felt that old familiar tickle in my throat telling me of an imminent cold invasion. By Monday the symptoms were gathering pace and the tickle had become a very irritating scratch which caused me to cough and my eyes to water without warning. I got the chance to do some first aid acupuncture and bled (a few drops of blood)the Jingwell points on my lung and large intestine meridians, my sore throat eased within a couple of hours.  By 9pm the mucus production from my nose was gathering momentum and I started taking Chinese herbs to clear the wind heat. By Tuesday my symptoms were in full swing and my nose was not only streaming it was flowing at maximum pace like the Liffey at full tide. Rudolph would have been jealous of my lovely red nose. On Tuesday afternoon I had the opportunity to do some more acupuncture and decided to do some of Dr. Tan’s global balancing to stop the progression of the cold into my vulnerable chest, which was now feeling distinctively itchy and my breathing was becoming a little wheezy. A 40 minute treatment using one point on each limb to relieve my chest on the Left  arm a Large intestine (LI 6ish) point , the right arm, Pericardium (PC 6ish), the right leg, stomach (St 40ish) and the left leg kidney  (Ki 8ish) . I also had some cupping done to help clear the phlegm from my chest by my lovely partner Anna. Tuesday night proved to be my worst for coughing, but then on Wednesday to my amazement and great relief the chest infection was gone. No more internal lung irritation, no more wheeze or the emotional fear response due to my history of chronic asthma. I am still amazed at the rapid reversal of my condition. Ever since I have been feeling fine with only a low ebb of residual phlegm which has not caused me any discomfort.

There are lots of things that can be done to alleviate cold and flu symptoms. I used what seemed appropriate, within the time constraints of having a new baby and running my own business. I used acupuncture, cupping some Buteyko breathing and herbs and my symptoms were resolved in 3-4 days as opposed to others I have met who have had cold symptoms for 2 weeks. I took more vitamin C by means of oranges I added more garlic and onion to food when I didn’t have to worry about my breath, I even had a couple of hot whiskey’s to help with the man flu blue’s. I didn’t have to resort to some of the old Irish traditional cures such as touching the hand of a recently deceased corpse to cured my cold.

Of course prevention is the best medicine and regular hand washing, nose blowing and coughing into a hanky when you have a cold can prevent it spreading. The cold & flu virus’s have been around for eons and will continue to challenge us as they mutate randomly, so wrap up and keep your immune system strong for the battle that is imminent!!!!