Fire cough

Cough due to fire evil damaging the lung. Fire cough is characterized by cough with scant phlegm that may be streaked with blood, vexation thirst, red facial complexion, chest and rib-side pain, and constipation. Distinction is made between repletion and vacuity.

Patterns

Repletion (实火咳 shí huǒ ké) fire cough is characterized by a surging rapid or stringlike rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Repletion fire cough is treated by clearing the lung and draining fire using White-Draining Powder (泻白散 xiè bái sǎn) or Diaphragm-Cooling Powder (凉膈散 liáng gé sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LU and LI. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), LU-10 (Fish Border, 鱼际 yú jì), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī), and GV-12 (Body Pillar, 身柱 shēn zhù); needle with drainage. Prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng) to bleed.

Vacuity (虚火咳 xū huǒ ké) fire cough is characterized by a red tongue with scant fur and a forceless rapid fine pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Vacuity fire cough is treated by enriching yīn and downbearing fire, using formulas such as Yīn-Enriching Clearing Transforming Pill (滋阴清化丸 zī yīn qīng huà wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LU and KI. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), BL-43 (Gāo-Huāng Transport, 膏肓俞 gāo huāng shù), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), and KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi); needle with supplementation.