By now we are all very familiar with COVID-19 because it is constantly on the news.  The symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe, sometimes it can lead to death as many of you may know.  People infected with COVID-19 may experience symptoms such as (but not limited to) Fever, Dry Cough and Tiredness, these are the most common symptoms as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).  Some patients may present other symptoms such as Body Aches and Pains, Nasal Congestion, Runny Nose, Sore Throat or Diarrhea.  Currently there is no medication to treat this disease and scientists are still scrambling to come up with a vaccine, therefore doctors can only prescribe medications to target the symptoms.  So what can we do if we are showing symptoms of or similar to COVID-19? 

This is the TCM Perspective: 

Previously mentioned in “COVID-19 Prevention – The TCM Perspective (Traditional Chinese Medicine)”, I talked about the principles to protect the body from pathogens with Chinese Herbal Medicine.  When the body is infected with pathogens, many things become unbalanced because it causes an Internal Collection of Wind, Disruption of Qi Flow, Buildup of Heat and Dampness in the body.

A treatment plan released by the Chinese Health Commission listed a few TCM over-the-counter supplements to target some of these symptoms.  The plan mentioned the recommended use of Huo Xiang Zheng Qi (Capsules, Pills, Water, Oral Liquid) for patients presenting with fatigue and gastrointestinal discomfort. 

English Translation of the Article:



What is Huo Xiang Zheng Qi and why does it work?

Huo Xiang Zheng Qi is an Ancient Chinese Herbal Formula documented in the Prescriptions of the Bureau of Taiping People’s Welfare Pharmacy (太平惠民和剂局方Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang) dated back to the Song Dynasty.  Huo Xiang Zheng Qi comes in many variations such as capsules, pills, water and oral liquid.  

It is used to:

• Relieve Dampness
• Regulate Qi

Huo Xiang Zheng Qi is used for the following in TCM:

• Colds Caused by External Wind
• Summer Injury (Heat Stroke and Dampness) - caused by too much summer heat exposure
• Internal Collection of Dampness in the body 

When this happens, the body will show some following symptoms:

• Symptoms of the Common Cold
• Headache and Dizziness
• Chest Tightness
• Abdominal Bloating and Pain
• Vomiting and Diarrhea
• Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu) – caused by Virus or Bacteria

Like I mentioned earlier, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi is an ancient formula dated back to the Song Dynasty and it is one of the more notable supplements in TCM.  With its popularity in China and proven efficacy, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi is a common staple in the medicine cabinet of most Chinese household.  People use it regularly to treat any form of diarrhea, Traveler’s Diarrhea too!

Reference:

http://cq.sina.com.cn/city/csgz/2020-01-28/city-iihnzahk6783174.shtml