Nondiffusion of lung qì

Impairment of lung qì diffusion generally attributable to external evils invading the lung or fettering the exterior (see wind-cold fettering the lung, wind-heat invading the lung). The main signs are cough, hoarse voice, nasal congestion, and runny nose, usually accompanied by exterior signs such as heat effusion and aversion to cold. The more severe pattern of intense lung heat is marked by high fever, flaring nostrils, rough rapid panting, and thick sticky yellow phlegm sometimes finely streaked with blood, accompanied by red or crimson tongue with rough yellow fur, and rapid slippery pulse. If preexisting cold-rheum ascends and invades the lung following contraction of an external evil, such signs as physical cold and cold limbs, cough and panting, white foaming phlegm, and a frog rale may be observed. Such a pattern also includes somber-white complexion, glossy white tongue fur, and stringlike pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Nondiffusion of lung qì is treated by the basic method of diffusing the lung with acrid dispersing medicinals, which may be combined with that of clearing heat and transforming phlegm or transforming cold-rheum with warm medicinals. Since this pattern occurs when external evils invade the lung, the use of exterior-coursing medicinals help to promote diffusion of lung qì. Hence, medicinals such as ephedra (Ephedrae Herba, 麻黄 má huáng), platycodon (Platycodonis Radix, 桔梗 jié gěng), arctium (Arctii Fructus, 牛蒡子 niú bàng zǐ), and Zhejiang fritillaria (Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, 浙贝母 zhè bèi mǔ) are commonly used because they both diffuse the lung and resolve the exterior. Rough and Ready Three Decoction (三拗汤 sān ào tāng) is a basic formula that can be varied according to need.

For wind-cold fettering the exterior creating a repletion pattern without sweating, warm acrid exterior-resolving medicinals may be added, whereas for wind-heat invading the lung, it can be combined with Lonicera and Forsythia Powder (银翘散 yín qiào sǎn).

Evil heat congesting the lung calls for additional attention for the need to clear the lung, downbear counterflow, and calm panting; it is often treated with formulas such as Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Gypsum, and Licorice Decoction (麻杏石甘汤 má xìng shí gān tāng) or Lonicera and Phragmites Mixture (银苇合剂 yín wěi hé jì).

Nondiffusion of lung qì arising after contraction of cold evil in patients with preexisting cold-rheum should be treated by warming the lung and transforming rheum, using Minor Black Dragon Decoction (小青龙汤 xiǎo qīng lóng tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: LU-7 (Broken Sequence, 列缺 liè quē) and LU-1 (Central Treasury, 中府 zhōng fǔ) diffuse lung qì. CV-17 (Chest Center, 膻中 shān zhōng) downbears counterflow, transforms phlegm, and loosens the chest. These points are combined with BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù) when combating an external evil invading the lung. For heat, use GV-14 (Great Hammer, 大椎 dà zhuī) and LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé). For wind-cold, use BL-12 (Wind Gate, 风门 fēng mén), BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), and GB-20 (Wind Pool, 风池 fēng chí) with moxa.