If you are like me, you dread the onset of fall and cold season. With every season change, it’s always a challenge to avoid getting the flu that is going around in the office, or that cold at your child’s daycare. Especially when your immune system is low, that cold or flu can become so persistent that you “just can’t shake it”. Since flu season is not quite over, considering taking steps to strengthen your immune system and / or help kick the sickness quicker. In Chinese Medicine, this “soldiering on” behaviour depletes the body’s qi & yin, which are essential components for maintaining a strong immune system. As a result, the illness or pathogen moves deeper into the body resulting in a persistent symptom.
Symptoms include:
- fatigue
- stuffy nose
- sinus headache
- swollen lymph nodes
- persistent cough and sore throat
- yellowy-green phlegm
- poor sleep
- digestive disturbances
- body aches & stiffness
- sometimes fever & chills
Below are a list of acupressure points that you can stimulate yourself when catching the cold or flu. Press each point for approximately one minute, 1-3x / day. A stronger treatment would involve acupuncture on these points for quicker recovery.
In the meanwhile, acupressure will suffice.
For a stuffy nose , sinus headache or sinusitis:
Stomach-2 (ST-2) 
This point lies in the infraorbital foramen, below the eyeball.
Gently massage the area for 30-60 seconds avoiding the eyeball.
This point helps open up your sinuses so that you can breathe better.
Yu Yao 
This point is located at the centre of the eye brow.
Stimulate this point in a pumping manner (press-release-press-release) for approximately 1 minute.
This point helps alleviate the tension that can build up from blocked sinuses.
Large Intestine-20 (LI-20) 
This point is located just on the outside of the nostril (also called the ala nasi), in the nasolabial sulcus (the crease line that forms when you smile).
Stimulate this point similarly to “Yu Yao”.
This point helps open up your sinuses so that you can breathe better.
Gall Bladder-14 (GB-14) 
This point is located on the forehead, one thumb-width above the midpoint of the eye brow.
This point is great for any headaches, especially from blocked sinuses.
Apply firm deep strokes of pressure in a downward direction for approximately 1 minute.
Other important points:
Large Intestine-4 (LI-4) 
This important point is a command point for the face and mouth meaning that it is great for any pain in the head, such as frontal headaches, neck pain, sore eyes, toothache, nasal obstruction, sore throat, plugged ears.
This point is located on the dorsum of the hand in between the 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones, at the midpoint of the 2nd metacarpal bone. Massage the point gently & perpendicularly with the thumb of the opposite hand for approx 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Lung-7 (LU-7) 
This point is 2 finger-breadths from the wrist’s transverse crease between the brachioradial muscle & tendon of long abductor muscle.
Use the thumb of the opposite hand and gently apply pressure in small rotations while supporting the wrist. Continue to apply pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
This point is also a command point for the head and neck good for treating headaches, migraines, neck rigidity, cough, asthma, sore throat, toothache, wrist pain and any Lung-related problems.
Stomach-36 (ST-36) 
To locate this point, bend the knee 90° and measure 3 finger-breadths from the lower tip of the knee cap downwards. You will be able to feel a pointed bone at this level on the lateral side of the tibia (1 finger-breadth from the anterior crest of the tibia). Apply firm deep strokes of pressure in a downward direction for 1 minute.
This is a great point for the overall boosting of the immune system helping with gastric pain, vomiting, hiccup, abdominal distention, diarrhea, constipation, and fatigue.
Pericardium-6 (PC-6) 
This point is located at the centre of the forearm, 2 thumb-widths above the wrist crease in between the tendons of the flexor carpi radialis & palmaris longus. This point is considered the “anti-nausea” point. You may have seen people wearing a wrist band on the plane or on a boat. These bands are made for applying acupressure on this specific point. If you have a queasy stomach, this is an excellent point to stimulate. Simply apply gentle pressure and massage for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Home remedies
- Aside from ample rest, some natural remedies might include Vitamin C, Echinacea, oil of oregano (do not take for a long period as it is “hot” in nature), Cold Fx (consists of American ginseng, great for that lingering cough) or simply some lemon-ginger-honey tea (manuka honey has more medicinal effects rather than normal honey).
- For a chronic dry cough, you can steam an Asian pear with honey on top (for approximately 5 minutes) and eat it. For added effect, you can add the chinese herb Bei Mu (Fritillaria bulb) on top of the pear along with the honey. Click here for directions.
- Another home remedy is Acupressure which entails applying pressure on Acupuncture points (see points above).
Visit my blog, Chinese herbal home remedies for the Common Cold, for herbal remedies.
