Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Phlegm The concept of Cold The Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Key attributes
Chinese name: 寒痰阻肺 Pinyin name: Hán Tán Zǔ Fèi
Pattern nature: Full
Pattern hierarchy: Specific pattern under Cold Phlegm
Causes
Precursor patterns: Kidney Yang Deficiency
Common causes: 1. External Wind Cold, 2. Diet
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Coughing Dizziness Cold hands Feeling of cold Phlegm in throat and three other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Slow (Chi)
Tongue description: Swollen and wet tongue with a sticky white coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Resolve Phlegm, expel Cold, restore Yang and the descending of Lung Qi.
Common formulas: Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Pathology
The pathological manifestations of this pattern are quite similar to the ones of Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs. The key differences are the symptoms of Coldness such as cold hands, cold feeling and feeling of cold in chest. This feature can be reflected by the white and watery sputum.
The typical symptoms of Phlegm are sputum in the throat and chest oppression. The Phlegm can also obstruct the head and cause heaviness and dizziness.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs can derive from Kidney Yang Deficiency
External Wind Cold : Cold Phlegm forms and accumulates if Wind Cold repeatedly invades the Lungs and the Spleen. Patients who have pre existing Yang Deficiency have more tendency to catch this Cold Phlegm.
Diet: Cold Phlegm can be the result of overconsumption of dairy foods, cold and raw foods and iced drinks.
Diagnosing Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua) or slow (Chi)
Tongue description: Swollen and wet tongue with a sticky white coating
Main symptoms: Coughing Dizziness Cold hands Feeling of cold Phlegm in throat Feeling of heaviness White and watery sputum Feeling of oppression of the chest
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the cough with whiter watery sputum, phlegm in the throat and swollen tongue with sticky white coating.
Treating Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
Treatment principle
Resolve Phlegm, expel Cold, restore Yang and the descending of Lung Qi.
Herbal formulas used to treat Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs
Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Warms and transforms Phlegm-Fluids. Strengthens the Spleen. Resolves Dampness.
Formula summary
Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang is a 4-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that warm and transform water and Dampness.
Besides Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs, Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang is also used to treat Phlegm-Fluids in the Stomach and Small intestine or Phlegm-Fluids.
Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Lungs. Transforms congested Fluids.
Formula summary
Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang is a 5-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that warm and transform Phlegm-Cold.
Besides Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs, Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang is also used to treat Phlegm-Fluids in the Lungs or Cold-Phlegm.
San Zi Yang Qin Tang
Source date: 1856 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Directs the Qi downward. Transforms Phlegm. Reduces harbored food.
Formula summary
San Zi Yang Qin Tang is a 3-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1856 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that warm and transform Phlegm-Cold.
Besides Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs, San Zi Yang Qin Tang is also used to treat Cold-Phlegm or Phlegm clogging the Lungs with Qi Stagnation.
Diet recommendations
Avoid dairy foods, cold and raw foods and iced drinks.
Consequence patterns
The Spleen is responsible for Body Fluids transformation and transportation. Therefore the impairment of Spleen Qi or Yang gives rise to Dampness and Phlegm. As a vicious circle, prolonged Phlegm worsen the Spleen function.
For the elderly, prolonged accumulation of Phlegm condenses Body Fluids and cause Dryness.
Both Phlegm and Blood are some form of Body Fluids. Prolonged accumulation of Phlegm, which is a kind of condensed Dampness, can give rise to Blood Stagnation, especially for the elderly.