Yīn vacuity lung dryness

Lung dryness due to yīn vacuity. The lung is the delicate viscus and is susceptible to scorching by fire, especially yīn vacuity with effulgent fire, which manifests in dryness and pronounced vacuity. The main signs are dry cough without phlegm, blood-flecked phlegm, sore throat, hoarse voice, pale red tongue with little fur, and a rapid floating pulse.

Biomedical correspondence: observed in pulmonary tuberculosis, and chronic laryngitis or pharyngitis.

Medicinal therapy: Treat by supplementing yīn and moistening dryness. Use Adenophora/Glehnia and Ophiopogon Decoction (沙参麦冬汤 shā shēn mài dōng tāng). For acute dry cough, add Sichuan fritillaria (Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus, 川贝母 chuān bèi mǔ), apricot kernel (Armeniacae Semen, 杏仁 xìng rén), and steamed stemona (Stemonae Radix, 百部 bǎi bù). For blood-flecked phlegm, add moutan (Moutan Cortex, 牡丹皮 mǔ dān pí), gardenia (Gardeniae Fructus, 山栀子 shān zhī zǐ), and lotus root node (Nelumbinis Rhizomatis Nodus, 藕节 ǒu jié). For sore throat, add scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix, 玄参 xuán shēn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, LU, KI, ST, and SP. 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-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), BL-21 (Stomach Transport, 胃俞 wèi shù), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo). Needle with supplementation.

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LU, back transport points, and KI. Select LU-9 (Great Abyss, 太渊 tài yuān), 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), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), KI-6 (Shining Sea, 照海 zhào hǎi), and KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī); needle with supplementation.

Point selection according to signs: For sore pharynx, prick LU-11 (Lesser Shang, 少商 shào shāng) to bleed. For blood-flecked phlegm, add LU-10 (Fish Border, 鱼际 yú jì) and LU-6 (Collection Hole, 孔最 kǒng zuì).