Coughing of blood

The coughing up of pure blood or blood-flecked phlegm; usually attributable to externally contracted wind evil that fails to resolve, transforms into heat and dryness, and damages the network vessels of the lung, or to liver fire invading the lung.

Patterns

External contraction (外感 wài gǎn) patterns are characterized by itchy throat, cough, blood-flecked phlegm, dry mouth and nose, and in some cases generalized heat and aching bones.

Medicinal therapy: Dispel wind and clear the lung, calm the network vessels and stanch bleeding. Use formulas such as Mulberry Leaf and Apricot Kernel Decoction (桑杏汤 sāng xìng tāng).

Liver fire (肝火 gān huǒ) invading the lung causes coughing bouts producing pure bright red blood or blood-flecked phlegm, stabbing pain in the chest and rib-side, vexation and irascibility, dry stool, red tongue with yellow fur, and a rapid stringlike pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Drain the liver and clear the lung; harmonize the network vessels and stanch bleeding. Use White-Draining Powder (泻白散 xiè bái sǎn) combined with Indigo and Clamshell Powder (黛蛤散 dài gé sǎn). Coughing of blood is also observed in diseases such as consumption, lung taxation, lung wilting, and pulmonary welling-abscess.