I. Physiological Functions and Pathological Core of the Lungs
1. Physiological Characteristics of the Lungs
- Canopy of the Viscera: Governs qi and respiration, connects to all vessels, assists the heart in circulating blood, and regulates water passages (as stated in “Su Wen · Jing Mai Bie Lun”).
- Delicate Organ: Easily invaded by external pathogens, prefers moisture and dislikes dryness, externally-internally related to the large intestine, governs the skin and hair, and controls the opening and closing of the pores.
Lungs: Respiratory system, governs the skin and hair, and can also aid in fluid metabolism; the main pathologies are dysfunctions in respiration and fluid metabolism.
Lungs—are delicate organs; conditions like lung qi deficiency, lung excess fire, and alternating cold and heat in the lungs can cause coughing and asthma.
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing, expectoration of phlegm
Mainly due to insufficient pectoral qi, resulting in weak coughing; secondly, insufficient pectoral qi leads to the accumulation of fluids, forming phlegm.
2. Core Pathomechanism of Lung Diseases
- Dysfunction of Qi Movement: Lung qi deficiency leads to failure in dispersing and descending (weak coughing and asthma); lung qi stagnation leads to phlegm-heat obstruction (pneumonia with coughing and asthma).
- Abnormal Fluid Metabolism: Dry cough due to yin deficiency, phlegm-dampness obstructing the lungs, and wind-cold binding the exterior are all caused by abnormal distribution of body fluids.
II. Differential Diagnosis and Treatment Plans for Lung-Related Diseases
1. Lung Qi Deficiency (Reduced lung function, insufficient pectoral qi)
Symptoms: Reluctance to speak, low voice, spitting clear water or white phlegm, weak coughing and asthma
Diseases: Chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pulmonary heart disease, emphysema
How thyroid nodules form—the liver’s portal opens at the thyroid, liver fire accumulates here; secondly, fluids gather due to insufficient pectoral qi, forming phlegm from fire and fluids, resulting in nodules in the thyroid under these conditions
Defensive qi—due to lung qi deficiency, defensive qi fails to secure, causing loose skin and pores, leading to spontaneous sweating, fear of wind, and susceptibility to colds
Treatment: Tonify the spleen to tonify the lungs, as the spleen is the mother of the lungs; tonify earth to generate metal with food and medicine: Codonopsis, Astragalus, Licorice, Ginseng, Jujube, Lily, sweet foods can tonify lung qi
General formula: Moxibustion, spinal pinching + Xiaohai point (regulating heart and lungs)
Xiaohai point is highly effective for tonsillitis; it can be pressed for coughing and asthma issues
2. Lung Yin Deficiency
Yin deficiency leads to dryness, dry fire damaging fluids, resulting in no phlegm, dry cough, thick phlegm, blood in phlegm; internal generation of deficient fire burns fluids, deficient fire damages lung collaterals, causing blood to leak out, forming blood in phlegm
Manifestations: Five-center heat, afternoon fever, insufficient fluids, lack of nourishment, dry mouth and tongue, hoarse voice
Tongue: Red tongue body
Pulse: Fine and rapid right radial pulse
Food and medicine: Tremella, Ophiopogon, Lily
General formula: Guide fire back to its origin, Tanzhong point (qi converges at Tanzhong)
Tanzhong point is a qi meeting point, where pectoral qi is formed; pectoral qi is generated from the essence of food and water, which nourishes the lungs, allowing them to distribute to the skin and hair.
3. Wind-Cold Binding the Exterior
Wind-cold invades the lung’s exterior, causing the lungs and stomach to lose blood; wind-cold attacks the lungs, causing coughing, lung qi fails to descend, fluids are not distributed, accumulating into phlegm; the lungs lose their ability to disperse, manifesting as nasal congestion, runny nose
Wind-cold binding the exterior damages stomach qi, causing aversion to cold; pores are closed, no sweating, cold evil stagnates, causing headache from blocked meridians.
Food and medicine: Mainly to dispel cold and release the exterior, Perilla leaf (different effects from the stem), Soybean and Scallion White Soup
Techniques: Moxibustion (Governor Vessel, Guanyuan) + Jiexi, Xiaohai
4. Lung Heat Blazing— Pneumonia
Symptoms: Fever, thirst, shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness
Techniques: Quchi + Hegu + three major tendons under the armpit (helps alleviate, recommend seeking medical attention) Food and medicine: Houttuynia (clears lung heat)
5. Phlegm-Dampness Obstructing the Lungs
Symptoms: Coughing, expectoration of phlegm, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema (spleen also produces phlegm)
Food and medicine: Poria, Tangerine Peel, Licorice, Dark Plum (Er Chen Tang)
Techniques: Bladder meridian, Zhongfu Yunmen scraping + Golden Line
Additional: Three major tendons under the armpit, Golden Line
(If there is qi and blood deficiency, nourish qi and blood, tonify the spleen)
Dietary therapy: Rock sugar, snow pear, and Fritillaria cooked together, Tremella, Lily, and Lotus Seed soup, radish can be eaten raw or cooked
Note: Lifestyle and regional differences can lead to different symptoms and treatments
6. Lung Nodules: Phlegm-dampness, qi stagnation, phlegm stasis, cold congealing, blood stasis
Treatment: Mainly to support the righteous and expel the evil, health regimen for spleen and lungs
Techniques: Tanzhong, three major tendons under the armpit, Golden Line
Constipation: Open the lung gate, combine with Tianshu point; if there is cold in the lower jiao, avoid soaking feet in hot water, use guiding fire back to its origin; if feet are cold, use cold water to wash feet, addressing heart venous return issues.
| Syndrome Type | Core Pathomechanism | Typical Symptoms | Treatment Principles | Representative Formulas/Techniques |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lung Qi Deficiency Syndrome | Insufficient pectoral qi, lungs fail to disperse and descend | Shortness of breath, reluctance to speak, weak coughing and asthma, spontaneous sweating, fear of wind | Tonify lung qi, consolidate the exterior and defend against pathogens | Yu Ping Feng San + Moxibustion at Guanyuan point |
| Lung Yin Deficiency Syndrome | Deficiency of yin fluids, deficient fire damages the lungs | Dry cough with little phlegm, blood in phlegm, five-center heat | Nourish yin and moisten the lungs, reduce fire and stop bleeding | Bai He Gu Jin Wan + Tanzhong point application |
| Wind-Cold Binding the Exterior Syndrome | Cold evil obstructs the lungs, defensive yang is suppressed | Aversion to cold without sweating, nasal congestion, runny nose, headache and body aches | Dispel cold and release the exterior, disperse the lungs and dispel cold | Jing Fang Bai Du San + Moxibustion at Dazhui point |
| Lung Heat Blazing Syndrome | Phlegm-heat obstructs the lungs, lungs fail to clear and descend | Fever, shortness of breath, coughing yellow thick phlegm, thirst, constipation | Clear the lungs and purge fire, promote bowel movement and clear heat | Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang + Bloodletting at Quchi point |
| Phlegm-Dampness Obstructing the Lungs Syndrome | Spleen deficiency produces phlegm, lungs fail to disperse | Coughing with copious phlegm, chest tightness, shortness of breath, white greasy tongue coating | Strengthen the spleen and resolve phlegm, regulate qi and harmonize the middle | Er Chen Tang + Bladder meridian scraping |
| Lung Nodules (Deficiency in root, excess in manifestation) | Qi stagnation, phlegm congealing, blood stasis, accumulation of phlegm nodules | No symptoms or dry cough, chest pain, CT showing nodules | Support the righteous and expel the evil, resolve phlegm and disperse nodules | Bei Mu Gua Lou San + Relaxation of three major tendons under the armpit |
III. Special Therapies and Practical Guidelines
1. Techniques and Acupoint Adjustments
- Lung Qi Deficiency:
- Spinal Pinching Therapy: Pinch along both sides of the spine from the sacrum to the neck, stimulating the lung meridian’s qi.
- Xiaohai Point Pressing: At the lateral end of the elbow crease when the elbow is bent at 90°, strong stimulation can relieve coughing and asthma.
- Lung Yin Deficiency:
- Tanzhong Point Application: Apply a paste of Evodia powder mixed with vinegar, guiding fire back to its origin.
- Taixi Point Moxibustion: 10 minutes daily, nourishing kidney yin to moisten the lungs.
2. Analysis of Classic Formulas
- Yu Ping Feng San: Astragalus consolidates the exterior, Atractylodes strengthens the spleen, Saposhnikovia expels pathogens; the combination enhances defensive qi’s protective power.
- Bei Mu Gua Lou San: Fritillaria moistens the lungs and resolves phlegm, Trichosanthes widens the chest and disperses nodules, Trichosanthes root generates fluids and quenches thirst, treating dry cough with sticky phlegm.
IV. Dietary Therapy and Daily Care
1. Food and Medicine Homology Plan
- Lung Qi Deficiency:
- Astragalus and Lily Porridge: Boil 15g of Astragalus to make a decoction, add 30g of Lily and rice to cook porridge, tonifying qi and moistening the lungs.
- Almond Dew: Crush 10g of sweet almonds, boil with water, moistening the lungs and stopping cough.
- Lung Yin Deficiency:
- Autumn Pear Paste: One duck pear + 20g of honey + 3g of Fritillaria, simmer into a paste, nourishing yin and moistening dryness.
- Tremella and Snow Pear Soup: Simmer 10g of Tremella with half a snow pear, relieving dry cough and sore throat.
2. Taboos and Health Preservation
- Dietary Taboos: Avoid spicy foods (chili, barbecue) for lung heat, avoid cold foods (cold drinks, seafood) for lung cold.
- Sleep Schedule Suggestions: The lung meridian is active during the Yin hour (3-5 AM); practice deep breathing in the morning to exercise lung capacity.
V. Modern Research and Classic Origins
- “Huang Di Nei Jing”: “The lungs are the prime minister, regulating the body’s functions”—emphasizing the lungs’ regulatory function.
- Modern Research: Moxibustion at Feishu point can improve the FEV1/FVC ratio in patients with chronic bronchitis (Journal of Chinese Acupuncture, 2023).
- Tongue Manifestations: Differentiating between pale tongue with white coating (lung qi deficiency) and red tongue with little coating (lung yin deficiency).
Note: The therapies described in this article require guidance from a TCM practitioner; organic diseases (such as lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis) require combined treatment with Western medicine. The dosages of formulas are for adult standard use and need to be adjusted individually in clinical practice.
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