There are some self-help techniques (from the Oriental Medical tradition) that can be used:
- At the onset of symptoms try vigorously brushing the skin (with hands or ideally a strong brush) to stimulate the body's defensive mechanism and open the pores. Also see 'teas' below.
- Blocked nose/sinusitis: Try pressing fingers and thumbs around your face and holding/circling or 'wiggling' as feels appropriate. Especially focus down the sides of the nose, where vigorous 'wiggling' can be very effective, between the eyebrows and under the cheekbones.
- Sore throat: stimulate the acupoint at the outer edge of the thumb nailbed, both hands. Hold or rub depending on what feels appropriate ... quite strong stimulation with a fingernail tends to feel good.
- Phlegmy cough: Try tapping or thumping across the chest as vigorously as feels good. This will be likely to stimulate coughing, but may well lead to 'a good clearout'. Also stimulate with fingers, by holding or rubbing, the Lung acupoint which is under the shoulder end of the collarbone about the length of the top part of your thumb down.... it'll feel tender.
- Lingering or irritable cough: Can try as above, and also stimulating the 2 acupoints at the hollows where the collarbone and breastbone join - one each side of the breastbone.
- Itchy nose/sneezing: Try rubbing or holding the acupoint that is on inside face of both arms on the thumb side, but about 3 finger-widths above the wrist crease at the top end of the small bony protuberance. It's right on the edge of the inner surface of the arm, against the bone .... rubbing the top of the bone usually feels sore but good.
- Headaches (associated with cold/flu symtoms): Do not use if pregnant. Try stimulating the acupoint on both hands in the web between the thumb and first finger. For the left hand, use the thumb of the right hand and poke it into the web taking a line for the centre of the wrist. It can be very painful ... rub or hold as feels appropriate.
2 helpful teas (courtesy of 'Recipes for Self Healing' by Daverick Leggett, Meridian Press, Totnes, England)
- Tea for feverish beginnings of a cold/'flu that includes a sore throat: 1 tsp peppermint, 1 tsp elderflower, 1 tsp of yarrow. Pour 3 cups water over the leaves and allow to soak for 5 mins. Drink and enjoy.
- Tea for beginnings of shivery cold'flu, without sore throat: 2 tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon bark, 1 clove garlic, 1 spring onion, qtr tsp cayenne pepper. Simmer ginger & cinammon for 10 mins in 2.5 cups of water, add rest of ingredients chopped just before end. Sweeten with a little honey if desired and drink several strong cups and keep warm to sweat the symptoms out.
