Test for viruses, colds and allergies®

Test description

It is essential to distinguish:

• Whether the symptoms have appeared within the first 2–3 days (continue reading below),
• Or whether the symptoms have lasted more than 3 days (in that case, scroll down or click HERE)

This test helps with the basic identification of external pathogenic factors at the onset of viral infections, colds, and allergies – it simply determines whether the body has been affected by external pathogenic Heat or external pathogenic Cold. However, there are additional indicators that further refine the diagnosis and herbal treatment (they are listed in the table and the text below).

If you suffer from allergies, scroll bellow.

Colds, Viral Infections, and Allergies

One of the most common, if not the most common illnesses in the world are colds and viral infections – runny nose, cough, headaches, muscle aches, sore throat, elevated temperature, fatigue… Who among us hasn't experienced these symptoms from time to time? Usually, it’s nothing serious – the illness often starts suddenly, runs its course with intensity, but typically ends well. This, however, applies when the illness is treated correctly, according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For example, when the body is invaded by so-called external Cold affecting the Surface (skin and subcutaneous tissue), it is best to expel the Cold with warming herbal formulas that open the Surface and allow sweating. If, on the other hand, incorrect treatment methods are used, the illness may become persistent and prolonged, and in the end, it can develop into chronic or autonomic diseases, rheumatic or asthmatic problems, etc.—conditions that one wouldn’t initially associate with a simple cold. This happens especially in cases where external Cold, which blocks the skin and subcutaneous channels (like frozen pipes in central heating), is treated with more so-called cooling medicines—these can include wrongly chosen cooling herbal mixtures but especially chemical “cooling” medications (such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, analgesics…). In such cases, the pathogen is gradually pushed deeper into the body, and the consequences soon follow—like a ticking time bomb.

The First 2–3 Days Are Critical!

That’s why it is crucial to distinguish, even at the slightest sign of health disturbance, what type of pathogen we’re dealing with—is it external Cold or external Heat? These two categories are essential in herbal treatment! First, we must determine the correct cause of the illness: is it external Cold or external Heat? A well-chosen herbal blend then works like a correctly entered code that unlocks our “blocked phone.”

What Next After 2–3 Days?

The above applies to the first 2–3 days of the illness! After this period, symptoms usually subside, their intensity lessens, and recovery is well underway. However, it is important to continue taking herbs for at least another 3 days after symptoms disappear. Otherwise, the illness may return and become harder to treat (like extinguishing the flames but leaving the embers smoldering, which can reignite or burn deeper…).

If, on the other hand, the symptoms do not improve and their intensity increases, the illness may progress to deeper layers of the body. It is necessary to respond flexibly and adequately! The most common complications include tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia. In such cases, stronger herbal remedies are needed, which act more deeply in the body to clear Heat and eliminate Heat toxins.

ALLERGY

When Symptoms Persist (After 2–3 Days)
If symptoms persist even after 2–3 days—especially when chills (shivering) alternate with fever, or when digestive troubles occur, and the pathogen manifests both as Heat and Cold, appears both on the Surface and in the Interior, and there are signs of both Excess (pathogenic presence) and Deficiency (weakened body)—this is usually a so-called “clever washerwoman” state. That is, an invasion of external Cold that directly penetrates into a deeper layer of internal Heat in the Gallbladder meridian.

This occurs because the chills are caused by a temporary dominance of Cold, while the fever is the body’s attempt (through a rise in its internal thermostat) to expel the invading Cold. Often, these symptoms can persist for days or even weeks after the main illness has subsided, in the form of slightly elevated temperatures, fatigue, or general malaise (“something still lingers inside me”).

In such cases—both during the acute stage and prolonged recovery—only one almost miraculous herbal formula is used: Dewdrops from the Forest Spring (060). This blend is capable of restoring all these imbalances and bringing the body back to full harmony.

If, in this complicated state, cooling antibiotics or corticosteroids are administered to treat the fever, the pathogenic factor becomes even more encapsulated and sinks deeper into the body. On the other hand, if sweat-inducing medications (such as aspirin) are used to treat chills and shivering, they only increase internal Heat.

As can be seen, both approaches are essentially a Sophie’s choice and may lead to a wide variety of resulting illnesses—autoimmune, allergic, or chronic—while it all started with just a “simple cold.”

Harmful External Wind – The Main Culprit
The harmful external Wind is the most common cause of colds, viral infections, and allergies. This Wind varies not only by season (e.g., Cold Wind in winter, Hot Wind in summer, Dry Wind in autumn, and Damp Wind in spring), but also by environment—air conditioning, for instance, always introduces Cold Wind regardless of the season.

Constitution also plays a major role. The two main types are Heat Constitution and Cold Constitution. For example, Wind in winter may invade the Surface of a person with a Heat Constitution and quickly transform into Hot Wind, showing typical Heat symptoms (just like a bellows intensifying smoldering embers into flames).

This situation is quite common in practice and occurs not only in people with Excess Heat Constitution but also in those with Damp-Heat or Deficiency-Heat patterns.

Therefore, it is crucial to understand not only the patient’s constitution (using the YIN/YANG Test), but also the dynamics of the disease—observing the direction in which the pathogenic factor moves—and adjust the treatment accordingly and flexibly.

So may our health always follow the right path—and let TCM be its guiding light!