Lung Excess Syndromes

I)       Wind-Cold Knots (ties, contracts) the Lung

(Tai-Yang Shan Han is a Wei Level illness)

Tongue:

Pulse: tight, floating

Traditional Indications:

No sweating, Chills more than fever

Cough, deep and muted Lung sound from tightness, Lung pain, white-clear phlegm

Occipital Headache, Neck and shoulder pain, Whole body: cold, pain

Conventional Classifications:

U.R.I. (Upper respiratory infection), Common cold, Throat infection, Bronchitis (early stage)

Treatment:

Spice-Warm Release Surface, Sauna, Hot-Tea (Gui Zhi, Sheng Jiang, Cong Bai,...)

II)       Wind-Heat Attacks the Lung

Tongue: red, slight yellow coat

Pulse: rapid

Traditional Indications:

Fever more than chills

Loud and strong cough (voice and cough may be muted due to general sickness)

Headache, Yellow phlegm, Red face, Whole body pain

Conventional Classifications:

U.R.I., Bronchitis, ....

Treatment:

Spice-Cool Release Surface (Bo He, Ju Hua, Jin Yin Hua), Drink more water

L.I.4, 11 and white flower oil on the back to reduce heat and cool.

III)       Phlegm Dampness Blocking the Lung

Tongue: thick-white coat, flabby, swollen

Pulse: slippery, wiry

Traditional Indications:

Short of breath, Wheezing, Asthma, Cannot lie down, Large amount of phlegm that is easy to cough up, Sweet taste (damp), Cough, Chest congestion

Conventional Classifications:

Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Bronchiectasis, Asthma

Treatment:

Dissolve Dampness and Phlegm (Hou Po, Chen Pi, ...), Regulate Qi, Sink Qi

IV)       Heat Phlegm Stagnation in the Lung

Tongue: thick-dry yellow or brown coat, maybe brown tongue body as well

Pulse: rapid, slippery, wiry

Traditional Indications:

Cough, Chest pain,

Hot Phlegm Stagnation: yellow phlegm may progress to green and finally a rusty brown color, bad smell and sticky

Strong Infection: abscess (leads to Xue Stagnation)

Constipation, Burning and concentrated urine

Conventional Classifications:

Acute bronchitis, Pneumonia, Lung Abscess

Hospitalization is often necessary.

Treatment:

Clear Heat, Dissolve Phlegm (Lu Gen, Dong Gua Zi, Yu Xing Cao, Yi Yi Ren, ...)

V)       Dry Evil Qi Attacks the Lung

Tongue: dry, thin white or yellow coat

Pulse: rapid, small

Traditional Indications:

Dry cough with a small amount of blood and mucus that is difficult to expectorate

Throat tickle or itch, Loss of voice from coughing, Chest pain, Thirsty

Fever, Sensitivity to the Cold & Wind, Constipation, Dry: mouth, nose, skin

Conventional Classifications:

Laryngitis, Throat infection, Acute smoke inhalation, Bronchitis (often the dry weather of winter compounded with heating systems that cause dryness)

Treatment:

Moisten the Lung, Tonify Yin, Cool Blood (Shi Gao, ...)

Lung Deficiency Syndromes

I)       Lung Yin Xu

Traditional Indications:

Dry cough, Sore throat, Thirsty, Dry skin, Night sweating

Similar to Dry Evil Attacking the Lungs (Acute, Excess), this is the Chronic and Xu equivalent.

Conventional Classifications:

Chronic bronchitis, Asthma, Lung T.B., Emphysema, Smoker's Cough (smoking, although a dry evil, is a chronic disorder)

Treatment:

Tonify Yin, Stop Bleeding

II)       Lung Qi Xu

Tongue: pale, puffy, xu

Pulse: xu

Traditional Indications:

Fatigue and low energy with Lung syndromes.

Cough, Short of breath, Phlegm: small amount, white, clear, running nose

Day sweating

Easy to catch a common cold (similar to Wei Qi Xu)

Conventional Classifications:

Chronic Lung illnesses, Emphysema, Allergies, Asthma, Chronic bronchitis, Epstein-Barr, A.I.D.S.

Treatment:

Tonify Lung Qi (Ginseng)