Lung Patterns Flashcards
Lung Functions
Supports Qi and Yin
Governs Qi and respiration
Diffusing and Descends Qi
Wei QI supports the immune system
Regulates the water passages
Controls opening and closing of pores, associated with skin
Lung Deficiency Patterns
Qi
Yin
Lung Excess Patterns - External Pathogenic Factors
Wind-Cold
Wind-Heat
Wind-Damp
Lung Excess Patterns - Interior Factors
Heat Damp-Phlegm Phlegm-Heat Dry-Phlegm Phlegm-Fluids
Lung Qi Deficiency
Etiology: caused by chronic cough, Spleen/Stomach Deficiency causing an insufficiency of nutrients
Symptoms: weak voice, fatigue, pale face, spontaneous sweating (Lung controls pores > deficiency disrupts fin to open/close), aversion to Wind, thin sputum
T: Pale, white fur
P: Weak (Qi Deficiency)
Biomedicine: chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, tuberculosis, pulmonary heart disease
Lung Yin Deficiency
Etiology: chronic cough, attack of Heat or Dryness
Commentary: If Yin Deficient, Lungs cannot nourish and moisten, leading to deficiency Heat, Fire
Symptoms: cough without sputum or with sticky sputum, dry throat, afternoon malaria flush, low-grade fever, night sweats, 5 palm heat
T: red, thin fur or no fur
P: thread, rapid
Biomedicine: chronic tuberculosis, bronchitis
Invasion of Wind Cold in Lungs
Etiology: Wind-Cold Pathogenic Factors
Commentary: Leads to Lung Qi Stagnation
Symptoms: cough with white and thin sputum, profuse watery nasal discharge, slight aversion to wind-cold, mild fever, no sweat, head and body ache
T: pale pink or pale red with thin, white fur
P: floating, tight
Biomedicine: common cold, acute bronchitis
Invasion of Wind-Heat in Lungs
Etiology: Wind-Heat Pathogenic Factors
Symptoms: aversion to cold, fever, cough, breathlessness, runny nose, sneezing, occipital headache, body ache, water discharge
T: red with yellow fur
P: floating, rapid
Biomedicine: flu or viral infection
Cold-Evil Attacking and Stagnating the Lungs
Etiology: Cold-Evil
Commentary: External factor causing an Interior condition
Symptoms: severe cough with dyspnea, no sweating, no fever, thin white phlegm, body feels cold with cold extremities
T: pale with white fur
P: slow
Pathogenic Heat Attacking and Stagnating Lungs
Etiology: 1. External Heat Attack 2. External Wind-Cold Stagnating Lungs and producing Heat internally
Symptoms: cough with dyspnea, yellow and thick sputum, foul-smelling sputum with pus or blood, fever and thirst, chest pain worsened by coughing, dry stool, dark yellow urine
T: red with yellow fur or thin greasy fur
P: slippery, rapid
(If pulse is not floating, condition is Internal.)
Biomedicine: chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial infection, asthma, pulmonary abscess
Phlegm Accumulating in Lungs
Etiology: Lung fails to disperse Qi in body damaging function of Spleen to transport fluids > causes Dampness > rises to Lung and damages organ function
Commentary: Spleen produces Damp and Lung stores it
Symptoms: cough with profuse thin white sputum, distention and fullness in chest, difficulty breathing with gargling sound, face is dusky and pale
T: pale with white greasy fur
P: slippery
Biomedicine: chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, old age
Phlegm-Fluids in Lung
Etiology: Fluid retention in Lung caused by Qi Deficiency > damages Lung Qi and disrupts function of Lung function to regulate water passages
Symptoms: cough with profuse thin white watery sputum, frothy sputum, fatigue, pale face, chest stuffiness with pain, SOB
T: pale with moist wet fur
P: thready and slippery
Lung Dryness Attack
Etiology: pathogenic Dryness especially during Fall season > easily damages Yin/Fluids
Commentary: Lung losses its nourishing factor and disrupts descending functions, affecting the Wei Qi. Body aches arise when Fluids don’t lubricate muscles, leading to rightness
Symptoms: cough, dry without sputum or with scanty difficult to expectorate sputum, dry lips throat mouth nose, aversion to Wind-Heat, body ache
T: red with thin yellow fur or thin white fur or thin grey fur
P: fast, thready
