2 Cough

Cough after the recovery from a disease is mostly related to deficiency of qi and yin as well as lingering residual pathogenic factors. Delayed treatment may bring about endogenous cough which occurs repeatedly and worsens increasingly.

Syndrome differentiation and treatment

Residual heat haunting the lung

It manifests severe dry cough in the daytime, scanty and sticky sputum, dry mouth and throat, dysphoria, thirst, or low fever, red tongue with scanty body fluid, thready and rapid pulse. It is advisable to nourish the lung yin and clear away the residual heat simultaneously. The prescription used is Shashen Maidong Decoction (Decoction of Adenophorae and Ophiopogonis ) with additional Chuanbeimu ( Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae ), Tianxingren ( Semen Armeniacae ), Sangbaipi ( Cortex Mori Radicis ) and Digupi ( Cortex Lycil Radieis ).

Deficiency of qi and yin

It manifests cough, short breath, unsmooth expectoration, or sputum with blood, dry throat and mouth, flushing of zygomatic region, pale complexion, hectic fever, night sweat, emaciation, mental fatigue, hypodynamia, red and dry tongue and feeble pulse. It is suitable to supplement qi, nourish yin, moisten the lung and check cough. The prescriptions used include Ziwan Powder (Powder of Radix Asteris) with additional Xingren ( Semen Armeniacae Amarum ) , Kuandonghua (Flos Farfarae) and Maimendong (Radix Ophipogonis), as well as the modified Baihe Gujin Decoction (Lily Decoction for Strengthening the Lung).

Residual wind and cold

It manifests lingering exogenous cough, vomiting with white sputum, nasal obstruction, itching throat, or slight aversion to cold and fever, red lingual edge and tip, white and thin fur, floating and slippery pulse. It is advisable to check cough, resolve sputum, disperse the lung and relieve the exterior syndrome. The prescription used is the modified Cough Powder. In the case of phlegm intermingled with dampness manifested as sticky and thick sputum and saliva, chest tightness and greasy fur, add Banxia ( Rhizoma PineUiae ), Houpo ( Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) and Fuling (Poria); in the case of concurrent dysphoria due to stagnated heat, add Sangbaipi ( Cortex Mori Radicis) , Huangqin (Radix Scuttellariae ) and Tianhuafen (Radix Trichosanthis); in the case of pulmonary dryness and dry cough, add Gualou (Fructus Trichosanthis) , Beimu (Flos Fritillariae Thunbergii) and Zhimu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae ).

Rehabilitation methods

Regulating emotions and recreation therapy

Checking one emotion with another, musical therapy, recreation therapy and color therapy may be applied in the case of grief and depression.