Symptoms
The main symptoms of Lung Obstruction by Phlegm-Damp are:
- Asthma.
- Profuse white sputum.
- A chronic cough.
- Stuffiness in chest.
- Dyspnoea.
- The tongue develops a thick, sticky, white.
- The pulse becomes weak or floating and slippery.
Aetiology
The main aetiologies for Lung Obstruction by Phlegm-Damp are:
- An excessive consumption of greasy, cold or raw food.
- Chronic Spleen Qi deficiency.
- Recurrent attacks of Wind-Cold that weaken the Lungs and the Spleen.
Pathology
The main pathologies for Lung Obstruction by Phlegm-Damp are:
- A chronic Spleen Qi deficiency will lead to the poor transformation and transportation of fluids and formation of Damp and Phlegm.
- The Damp and Phlegm is stored by the Lungs which causes breathlessness and stuffiness in the chest.
- The Lung descending and dispersing function is also obstructed by the Damp and Phlegm which causes a chronic cough and profuse white sputum.
- The tongue develops a sticky white coat indicating the presences of Damp and Phlegm.
- The pulse becomes weak indicating the underlying deficiencies and also slippery from the presence of Damp.
Treatment principle
The treatment principle for Lung Obstruction by Phlegm-Damp is to promote the descending and dispersing function of the Lungs and to resolve Phlegm.
A point combination for this treatment principle could be:
- Lung 7 promotes the Lung descending and dispersing function.
- Ren 17 Tonifies and regulates Lung Qi, dispels fullness from the chest, clears the Lungs and resolves Phlegm.
- Lung 5 resolves Phlegm in the Lungs.
- Stomach 40 resolves Damp and Phlegm and open the chest.
