Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of combating infectious disease. One of the highest regarded classical Chinese medicine texts, the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage) written by Zhang Zhong Jing in about 200 AD, is universally regarded as the first medical text to thoroughly describe the developmental stages (pathogenesis) of infectious disease and its treatment at each stage. Over the subsequent centuries, doctors of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have analyzed, debated, and expanded upon the treatment of infectious disease, including the common cold.

Common colds are generally caused by one of three factors: Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat, and Defensive Qi Deficiency (immune weakness). The "wind" pathogen in TCM often carries other pathogens into the body, such as cold, heat, and dampness. In cases of Wind-Cold, the surface of the body becomes obstructed by the external evil invasion, leading to symptoms of chills, bodyache, cough, runny nose, stiff neck, and a floating-tight pulse. Wind-Heat invasion common cold presents with fever, sweat, thirst, sore throat, a productive cough with yellow phlegm, and a floating-rapid pulse.

Defensive (Wei) Qi Deficiency is related to a failure of the body to produce a strong enough immune response to effectively ward off pathogens, leading to frequent colds. These deficiency colds may contain either Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat pathogens, but it is the deficiency that is the root of the problem, leading to a different treatment plan. These patients most often contract Wind-Cold, but have a weak pulse and more fatigue than the other patterns.