Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium
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?
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Vertigo Headaches Dry heaves Shortness of breath Hard focal distention in the epigastrium and one other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Treatment
Common formulas: Shi Zao Tang
Pathology
Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium is a pattern of disharmony in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine views the human body as a complex system that tends toward harmony. A pattern of disharmony is a disorder that prevents that harmony from occurring.
Patterns give rise to symptoms that may at first glance seem unrelated from a Western standpoint but that actually make a lot of sense when one understands Chinese Medicine theory. For instance here Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium gives rise to such diverse symptoms as cough with pain in the chest and hypochondria, hard focal distention in the epigastrium, dry heaves and shortness of breath (as well as two others).
To diagnose a pattern, analyzing a patient's pulse as well as their tongue is common practice. In the case of Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium patients tend to exhibit deep (Chen) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with thin white coating.
Patterns aren't exactly the Chinese Medicine equivalent to Western diseases, they're rather the underlying causes behind diseases or health conditions. Here Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium is thought to sometimes induce conditions such as pericardial and pleural effusions, pneumonia, cirrhosis with ascites or nephritis.
Diagnosing Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium
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): Deep (Chen) or wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Thin white coating
Main symptoms: Vertigo Headaches Dry heaves Shortness of breath Hard focal distention in the epigastrium Cough with pain in the chest and hypochondria
Treating Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium
Herbal formulas used to treat Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium
Shi Zao Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Purges and drives out Phlegm-Fluids.
Formula summary
Shi Zao Tang is a 4-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that drive out excess water.
Besides Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium, Shi Zao Tang is also used to treat Phlegm-Fluids in the hypochondrium.
Related conditions
Please keep in mind that a Western Medicine condition can be caused by several Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony and vice versa. As such a patient suffering from one of the conditions below will not necessarily be suffering from Phlegm-Fluids in the chest and hypochondrium, it is just one pattern that's commonly associated with the condition. Click on a condition to learn what other patterns it's associated with.
Pericardial and pleural effusions Pneumonia Cirrhosis with ascites Nephritis