It is the time of the year where you start hearing the familiar sounds of the season changing to Fall/Winter. Of course, these sounds include coughing and sneezing. It is also the time of the year where many of my patients are in need of more intensive treatment in the form of Herbal formulas.

At the beginning of this seasonal change, most of my treatments focus on curing the “peripheral issues” surrounding a common cold or a flare up in allergies. In TCM, we diagnose these disorders as either Wind Cold or Wind Heat. Today’s blog is centering on herbal remedies for these disorders, not an in-depth presentation of the particular ailments.

Nasal congestion is a concern that I commonly treat at this time of the year. The patient usually presents with a deep sinus blockage or simple nasal; congestion. The reader must fully appreciate that, according to TCM, to stage of the illness is at the Wei level. What this indicates is that the patient is presenting with just beginning symptoms, not symptoms aligned with a disorder that has manifested internally.

In later blogs, I will discuss the stages of an illness, as determined by TCM. The most common herbal formula prescribed for simple nasal congestion is Shen Su Yin. I prescribe this formula frequently at this time of the year. I must emphasize that this formula, like any TCM herbal formula, may be altered to fit the need of the patient. For instance, if the patient is taking a Western medication that is negatively affected by a certain herb, in the formula, then that herb must be dropped or replaced with one that does not affect that medication.

Now, if the patient presents with a more deep-seated sinus blockage than the common formula prescribed is Cang Er Zi San. The stage of the illness is still at the Wei level. However, the symptoms are reflective of this deeper-seated condition.