Lung Meridian Disharmonies - TCM Theory
Below you will find the TCM Disharmonies related to the Lung Meridian. Each pattern contains a brief description of associated signs and symptoms, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and a list of acupuncture points that may be used to treat the disharmony.
Excess Patterns
Wind-Cold Invasion - excess pattern
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Fever & chills w/chills predominating, body ache, stuffy nose w/clear runny mucus, sneezing, scratchy throat, lack of sweat, possibly a headache
- Tongue:
Thin white coat
- Pulse:
Floating, possibly a little tight
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 7 - release the exterior
- Could add LI 4 w/LU 7 to release the exterior and clear the face
- UB 12 - expel wind
- GV 16 - usually only w/posterior headache
- Could include UB 13 - LU Shu
- If stuffy nose - LI 20
- If scratchy throat a/or light cough - CV 22
Wind-Heat Invasion - excess pattern
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Fever & chills w/fever predominating, sore throat, stuffy a/or runny nose w/yellow discharge, headache, slight sweating, thirst
- Tongue:
Thin yellow coat or Thin white coat w/tip and edges being slightly red
- Pulse:
Floating, rapid
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LI 4 - clear wind-heat, esp. from face
- LI 11 - clear heat
- GV 14 - clear wind-heat, release the exterior
- UB 12 - wind
- GV 16 - w/posterior headache, may leave out
- GB 20 - w/headache, may leave out
- If severe sore throat - LU 10
- If high fever w/sore throat - bloodlet LU 11
Damp-Phlegm Obstructing - excess pattern
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Chronic cough which comes in bouts, profuse white sputum that is easy to expectorate, fullness of the chest, asthma is possible, can be either a chronic or acute condition
- Tongue:
Thick sticky white coat
- Pulse:
Slippery or Weak, floating & fine
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 5 - resolve phlegm
- LU 7 - restore descending function of the lungs, alleviate cough
- LU 1 - LU Mu, clear excess, asthma, resolve phlegm
- ST 40 - resolve phlegm
- CV 17 - restore descending function of the lungs
- CV 22 - esp. w/severe symptoms of coughing a/or wheezing
- PC 6 - open the chest, usually used with emotionally related breathing constriction, could leave out
- UB 13 - LU Shu
- If chronic, tonify SP - UB 20, SP Shu
- If chronic, tonify ST/SP - CV 12, ST Mu
Phlegm-Heat Obstructing - excess pattern
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Barking cough, SOB, asthma, chest oppression, yellow/green mucus (main difference from damp-phlegm above)
- Tongue:
Red, thick sticky yellow coat
- Pulse:
Slippery, rapid, full
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 5 - resolve phlegm
- LU 7 - restore descending function of the lungs, alleviate cough
- LU 1 - LU Mu, clear excess, asthma, resolve phlegm
- ST 40 - resolve phlegm
- Could add CV 12 - ST Mu, to assist ST 40 in resolving phlegm
- LI 11 - clear heat
- LU 10 - clear heat in the lungs
Deficiency Patterns
LU Qi Deficiency
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Fatigue, SOB, weak voice, spontaneous daytime sweating, catch colds easily/frequently, pale complexion
- Tongue:
Pale, slightly swollen
- Pulse:
Empty
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 9 - tonify LU Qi
- LU 7 - restore circulation of LU Qi
- UB 13 - LU Shu
- GV 12 - can add in severe cases to reinforce UB 13
- ST 36 - tonify Qi
- CV 6 - tonify Qi
- If upper warmer is deficient - CV 17 w/moxa
- If upper warmer is severely deficient - UB 43
LU Yin Deficiency
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Dry cough possibly w/blood tinged sputum, dry throat a/or mouth, hoarseness, night sweats, mallor flush
- Tongue:
Red, no coat, probably peeled, horizontal cracks in the LU area possible
- Pulse:
Thin, rapid or Floating, empty
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 9 - yuan source, can be used to tonify Yin as well as Qi
- CV 17 - tonify upper warmer, descend LU Qi
- UB 43 - tonify Qi and Yin of the lungs, esp. in severe a/or chronic cases
- UB 13 - LU Shu, tonify LU Qi & Yin, stop cough
- CV 4 - tonify Yin
- KD 6 - tonify KD Yin
- CV 12 - ST Mu, ST is the origin of the fluids
- LU 10 - clear empty heat in the LU
- If chronic - GV 12, clear heat in the LU
LU Dryness
- General Signs & Symptoms:
Not as severe as LU Yin Deficiency, dry cough, dry throat, hoarseness, dry skin
- Tongue:
Dry
- Pulse:
Empty, possibly Floating, empty
- General Treatment Points:
- Maciocia Treatment Points w/Valaskatagis commentary, modifications and additions
- LU 9 - moisten the LU
- CV 4 - tonify Yin
- SP 6 - tonify Yin
- CV 12 - ST Mu, ST is the origin of the fluids
- Could add KD 7 to send mist back up to moisten the LU, KD 6 would work as well
Sources and More Information
The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience.