Damp phlegm

A condition characterized by copious thin white (or yellow) phlegm that is easily expectorated and often associated with other signs of dampness such as heavy body, cumbersome limbs, fatigue, tendency to lie down, abdominal distension sometimes with pain, diarrhea, and slippery moderate pulse. Damp phlegm is attributed to splenic transformation failure, causing dampness that gathers to form phlegm. Distinction is made between spleen vacuity and spleen repletion by the prevalence of vacuity or dampness signs.

Biomedical correspondence: chronic inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract such as chronic bronchitis.

Medicinal therapy: Treat vacuity patterns with Six Gentlemen Decoction (六君子汤 liù jūn zǐ tāng) varied according to pattern, and repletion patterns with Two Matured Ingredients Decoction (二陈汤 èr chén tāng) or Phlegm-Rolling Pill (滚痰丸 gǔn tán wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on SP, ST, and LI. Main points: CV-12 (Center Stomach Duct, 中脘 zhōng wǎn), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), and ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge, 丰隆 fēng lóng). For vacuity patterns, add SP-9 (Yīn Mound Spring, 阴陵泉 yīn líng quán), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), and BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù); needle with even supplementation and drainage and moxa. For repletion patterns, add LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), CV-17 (Chest Center, 膻中 shān zhōng), and CV-22 (Celestial Chimney, 天突 tiān tú); needle with drainage.

Compare phlegm-damp.