By Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D. and Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D.
Coughing, fatigue, body aches, fever? The flu often comes on more suddenly and intensely than a common cold. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer holistic treatment for the flu, alleviating flu symptoms, strengthening the immune system, and helping your body recover faster and avoid complications.
What Is the Flu?
Influenza, or “the flu,” is a viral infection that targets the respiratory system. Caused by various strains of the influenza virus, the flu spreads easily through respiratory droplets when someone sneezes, coughs, or talks, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
Unlike the common cold, the flu can lead to complications like sinus infections, bronchitis, or pneumonia, especially for children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and people with chronic health conditions.
Flu symptoms generally last 5–7 days, but fatigue and weakness may linger for weeks. Complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, or worsening of chronic conditions can occur, making proper care and recovery essential.
Acupuncture treatment and traditional Chinese herbal remedies can help make you feel more comfortable, fight off the virus, shorten the duration of the flu, and help prevent further complications, like pneumonia.
Top 10 Flu Symptoms
While flu symptoms can vary, they are typically more intense than those of a cold. Common flu symptoms include:
- High fever (usually above 100°F/37.8°C)
- Chills and sweating
- Severe fatigue
- Body aches and muscle pain
- Headache
- Dry, persistent cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Shortness of breath or chest discomfort
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea (more common in children)
The flu’s systemic effects, such as body aches and fever, set it apart from the cold, which tends to stay localized in the nose and throat.
Conventional Flu Treatment
When most people experience flu symptoms, they usually turn to over-the-counter (OTC) remedies to manage discomfort and speed recovery. Common options include pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever, body aches, and headaches. Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine can help alleviate nasal congestion, while antihistamines may reduce runny nose and sneezing. Cough suppressants and expectorants are frequently used for managing cough symptoms. These remedies do not treat the flu virus itself but aim to ease symptoms and improve comfort during recovery.
When consulting a medical doctor, the advice may differ based on the severity of symptoms and the patient’s health history. Doctors typically recommend rest, plenty of fluids, and fever management with OTC medications. For higher-risk patients, such as the elderly, young children, or those with underlying conditions, a physician may prescribe antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or baloxavir (Xofluza). These antivirals work best when started within 48 hours of symptom onset and may help reduce the duration and severity of the flu. Doctors may also advise preventive measures such as flu vaccines to reduce the likelihood of severe flu symptoms in the future.
How TCM and Acupuncture View and Treat the Flu
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the flu is understood as an invasion of external pathogens, which disrupt the body’s internal balance. These pathogens are categorized by patterns that describe the nature of the illness and its symptoms.
For the flu, the two most common TCM diagnostic patterns are:
Wind-Cold Flu: Symptoms include chills, body aches, mild fever, and a runny nose with clear mucus. This type of flu often makes you feel cold and tired. Treatment in TCM focuses on dispersing wind and cold, warming the body, and alleviating muscle aches.
Wind-Heat Flu: Symptoms include a high fever, sore throat, cough, and yellow mucus. People with wind-heat flu may feel hot, irritable, and experience dryness or redness in the throat and nasal passages. Treatment focuses on clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and supporting the body’s ability to heal.
In TCM, the flu is not seen as a single illness but as a dynamic condition unique to the individual. Acupuncture treatment for the flu aims to restore balance by addressing the specific pattern of symptoms and supporting the immune system.
An acupuncturist will treat you with an individualized treatment plan, including acupuncture points and herbs to help relieve specific symptoms and address underlying conditions.
Can Acupuncture Help the Flu?
Acupuncture helps to boost the immune system and relieve symptoms like body aches, congestion, and fever by stimulating specific points that regulate the body’s energy (Qi).
Acupuncture is a safe and natural way to support the body during and after the flu. Specific acupuncture points are used to target the symptoms and promote faster recovery by relieving nasal congestion and sinus pressure. Points on the face and head can help open the nasal passages and reduce sinus pain.
Acupuncture helps improve blood circulation and relax the muscles to ease body aches and discomfort. Points along the lung and throat meridians can help relieve dryness, inflammation, and coughing.
In addition to acupuncture, herbal medicine is often used to support the body during flu recovery. Herbal formulas like Yin Qiao San or Gan Mao Ling are commonly prescribed to address early-stage flu symptoms, such as sore throat and fever. Other remedies, like ginger tea or custom herbal combinations, may be recommended based on the individual’s specific needs and flu pattern.
Preventing the Flu with Acupuncture and TCM
The best way to avoid the flu is to strengthen your immune system before flu season hits. TCM emphasizes maintaining balance in the body through regular acupuncture treatments, seasonal herbal formulas, and healthy lifestyle habits. Diet, sleep, and stress management are also key components of flu prevention in TCM. Foods like warming soups, ginger, garlic, and green vegetables can help nourish the body and support immunity.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has demonstrated significant promise in the prevention and treatment of influenza through various mechanisms, including antiviral effects, immune modulation, and anti-inflammatory properties. Classical TCM prescriptions incorporate combinations of herbs that target both the virus and the host’s immune response.
TCM contributes to indirect antiviral activity by regulating the host immune system. Studies reveal that herbal prescriptions like Sheng Jiang San (SJS) and Yinqiao powder help modulate cytokine activity, which is associated with lung inflammation in influenza.
TCM approaches flu treatment through a dual action: directly targeting the virus and enhancing the host’s immune defenses while controlling inflammation.
Getting regular acupuncture treatments and taking your herbal formula is one of the best ways to prevent flu and the common cold.
Acupuncture Near Me for Flu Relief in Santa Monica and West LA
Whether you’re dealing with the flu or looking for preventative care during flu season, acupuncture and TCM offer a natural, effective approach to health and wellness. At Art of Wellness, our experienced practitioners tailor treatments to address your unique symptoms and help your body recover faster. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your health through every season.
*This article is for education from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine only. The education provided by this article is not approved by FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure human diseases. It should not stop you from consulting with your physician for your medical conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on Qi, which is an invisible force that usually cannot be observed by modern science. Because science focuses on testing ideas about the natural world with evidence obtained through observation, these aspects of acupuncture can’t be studied by science. Therefore acupuncture and Chinese herbs are often not supported by double-blind, randomized trials, and they are considered alternative medicine therapies in the United States.
