Heat wheezing

Wheezing due to accumulated phlegm-heat causing congestion and counterflow of lung qì. Heat wheezing is characterized by rough rapid panting, phlegm rale in the throat, raised chest, cough with thick yellow phlegm, vexation and oppression in the chest and diaphragm, red facial complexion, spontaneous sweating, thirst with intake of fluid, red tongue with slimy yellow tongue fur, and a slippery rapid pulse. In some cases, there may also be exterior signs, as when patients suffering from accumulated internal heat contract external cold, which is a pattern of cold enveloping heat.

Medicinal therapy: Diffuse the lung and clear heat; dispel phlegm and stabilize panting. Use formulas such as Panting-Stabilizing Decoction (定喘汤 dìng chuǎn tāng) or Mulberry Root Bark Decoction (桑白皮汤 sāng bái pí tāng). For cold enveloping heat, treatment should aim to disperse cold in order to resolve depressed heat, using Spleen-Effusing Decoction Plus Pinellia (越婢加半夏汤 yuè bì jiā bàn xià tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LU, LI, and ST. Select LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng), M-BW-1 (定喘 dìng chuǎn, Panting Stabilizer), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge, 丰隆 fēng lóng), CV-17 (Chest Center, 膻中 shān zhōng), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), and GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī); needle with drainage.

Point selection according to signs: For cold enveloping heat, add BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù) and BL-12 (Wind Gate, 风门 fēng mén). For vexation and oppression in the chest and diaphragm, add LU-10 (Fish Border, 鱼际 yú jì) and PC-7 (Great Mound, 大陵 dà líng). For thirst with intake of fluid, add KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī).