Cough is a common disease of the lung system. Exogenous pathogenic factors, internal injuries to the seven emotions, dietary fatigue, etc. can damage lung qi and cause cough. Clinically, it is necessary to distinguish the exterior, interior, cold, heat, deficiency and excess, randomly select prescriptions according to the main symptoms, take into account secondary symptoms, and flexibly add or subtract medications!

1. Warming and dispersing wind-cold

Symptom examples: Discarding clothes for cold after exercise, coughing hoarsely the next day, severe itching of the throat, white and thin phlegm, and aversion to cold and fever. No sweat, itchy body, sore head, thin white tongue coating.

Syndrome differentiation: It belongs to wind-cold cough, which can be treated by dispersing wind and cold, relieving the lungs and relieving cough.

Medicinal uses: Ephedra, Cinnamon twig, Schizonepeta, Asarum, Almond, Pediculus, Ginger and Licorice. Use ephedra with cinnamon twigs, nepeta, and asarum to induce sweating and dispel cold; use ephedra with almonds and phlegm to open up lung qi and restore the function of lungs; blend various herbs with ginger and licorice to help disperse wind and cold .

2. Soothe wind and heat

Examples of symptoms: Frequent coughing, yellow and sticky phlegm that is difficult to spit out, accompanied by fever and wind, headache, sore throat, stuffy nose and runny nose. The tongue is red and the fur is thin and yellow.

Syndrome differentiation: Cough due to wind-heat is treated by dispelling wind and relieving fever, soothing the lungs and relieving cough.

Medicinal uses: mulberry leaf, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, forsythia, mint, Daqingye, almond, fritillary, platycodon, reed root and licorice. Mulberry leaves, chrysanthemums, and mint can soothe wind, relieve the surface, and promote lung qi; silver flowers, forsythia, and Daqingye can clear away heat and detoxify, eliminate inflammation; almonds, fritillaries, platycodon, reed root, and licorice can clear lung qi, resolve phlegm, and relieve coughs. .

3. Clear away phlegm and heat

Symptom examples: Usually addicted to cigarettes, always have accumulated heat, the recent cause is careless daily life, feeling external evil, inducing cough, phlegm is yellow in color, Phlegm in the throat, dry and yellow stools, red tongue, yellow and greasy coating.

Syndrome differentiation: Cough due to phlegm-heat is treated by clearing away heat and clearing the lungs, resolving phlegm and relieving cough.

Medicinal uses: honeysuckle, forsythia, skullcap, Pediculus, mulberry bark, Houttuynia cordata, platycodon, fritillary, coltsfoot, licorice and gypsum (separately decoct and drink). Gypsum, honeysuckle, Pediculus, etc. can dispel wind and heat; forsythia, skullcap, mulberry bark, and Houttuynia cordata can clear away lung heat; platycodon, fritillary, coltsfoot, and licorice can reduce phlegm and clear away heat

4. Cultivate soil Shengjin

Examples of symptoms: Chronic cough for many years, sometimes mild and sometimes severe, often due to exertion and cold. Nowadays, he is coughing but weak, with white and thin phlegm, sallow complexion, shortness of breath and fatigue, laziness and little speech, low voice, spontaneous sweating when moving, and loss of appetite. The tongue is light and tender, with obvious tooth marks.

Syndrome differentiation: Cough due to qi deficiency. Treatment is to cultivate soil to generate metal, replenish qi and resolve phlegm.

Medicinal uses: Astragalus, Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Poria, Pinellia ternata, tangerine peel, almond, Fritillaria, loquat leaves, fried hawthorn, fried malt and roasted licorice. Astragalus, Codonopsis, Atractylodes, and Poria replenish the spleen and lung qi, and cultivate the soil to produce gold; Pinellia ternata, tangerine peel, almonds, Fritillaria, and loquat leaves relieve lung qi, resolve phlegm and relieve cough; hawthorn and malt assist digestion and enhance spleen and stomach health

5. Dry dampness and resolve phlegm

Examples of symptoms: habitual addiction to tobacco and alcohol, fat body and weak Qi, chronic bronchitis for many years, frequent coughing and wheezing, which is difficult to recover from. The phlegm is white in color and profuse in the morning. It is obvious after eating and is aggravated by eating sweet and greasy food. The symptoms include chest tightness, vomiting, less food, tiredness, loose stools, and white and greasy tongue coating.

Syndrome differentiation: It belongs to phlegm-dampness cough, which can be treated by drying dampness and reducing phlegm, clearing the lungs and relieving cough.

Medicinal uses: Atractylodes, Magnolia officinalis, Pinellia ternata, tangerine peel, almond, aster, coltsfoot, white root, white mustard seed, perilla seed, radish seed and licorice. Atractylodes, Magnolia officinalis, Pinellia ternata, and tangerine peel remove dampness and resolve phlegm, promote qi and relieve depression; almond, aster, coltsfoot, white root, white mustard seed, perilla seed, radish seed, and licorice resolve phlegm and relieve cough. However, Atractylodes and White Mustard Seed are dry in nature and should not be used for a long time. Therefore, they should be removed as soon as the cough is relieved and the amount of phlegm is reduced.

6. Wenyang Huayin

Examples of symptoms: Addicted to tobacco and alcohol, physically fat and weak, suffering from chronic bronchitis for many years, and emphysema, often coughing and wheezing in winter , procrastination is difficult to heal. Due to the sudden cold weather, coughs occur frequently, especially at night, with itchy throat and excessive phlegm, which is white, thin, and foamy in color, with cold back and shortness of breath, inability to lie down, poor appetite, and loose stools.

Syndrome differentiation: It belongs to cold drink and lung deficiency. If it is urgent, treat the symptoms. First, warm the lungs and dispel cold, and use yin to resolve phlegm.

Medicinal uses: Ephedra, cinnamon twig, pinellia, asarum, dried ginger, fried white peony root, schisandra chinensis, white mustard seed, perilla seed, radish seed, coriander seed and roasted licorice. The combination of ephedra, cinnamon twigs and asarum can relieve symptoms and dispel cold, relieve cough and asthma; cinnamon twigs, dried ginger and asarum warm yang and transform into drinks; peony can dispel bad blood, drive away blood, remove moisture and qi, and can harmonize the body and mind with cassia twigs. , promote blood circulation and diuresis; Pinellia ternata is pungent, can dry dampness and resolve phlegm, lower qi and stop vomiting. Schisandra chinensis is an important medicine for treating cough and asthma, and can nourish the heart and lungs and prevent the dissipation of lung qi. Add white mustard seeds, perilla seeds, radish seeds, and coriander seeds to enhance the effects of warming the lungs, resolving phlegm, and promoting drinking.

7. Nourish yin and moisturize dryness

Examples of symptoms: He has been addicted to smoking for a long time, has lung disease (chronic bronchitis) for a long time, and is thin and weak. The phlegm is less and sticky, and it is difficult to spit it out. The throat is dry and itchy, the voice is hoarse, the five palpitations are irritable and hot, the stools are wet and red, and the tongue is red.

Syndrome differentiation: Cough due to yin deficiency should be treated by nourishing yin and moistening dryness, and clearing away heat due to yin deficiency.

Medicinal uses: Frost mulberry leaves, loquat leaves, sweet almonds, South Adenophora ginseng, Ophiopogon japonicus, Rehmannia glutinosa, trichosanthin, flaxseed, Digupi and Zhigancao. In the prescription, frost mulberry leaves and loquat leaves clear away heat and soothe the lungs; almonds lower qi and relieve coughs, and can open the upper (lungs) and moisturize the lower (intestines); Adenophora, Ophiopogon japonicus, rehmannia glutinosa, trichosanthin, etc. nourish yin and nourish the lungs, moisturize dryness and promote body fluids; Digupi It is good at clearing away heat due to deficiency of yin, especially suitable for cough caused by labor due to yin deficiency; flaxseed and licorice can moisturize the intestines and relieve constipation. They can also replenish qi and lungs, resolve phlegm and relieve cough.