Phlegm

[Guest guest]

This is some very basic info on Phlegm and will be used as a lead-in

for more in-depth posts. Information taken from The Foundations of

, Giovanni Maciocia, pp. 195-196, but I'm going to

paraphrase. I think I've already typed the actual passage into a

previous post which is in the message base.

 

These are important points for students to remember (and just the

bare basics):

 

Phlegm is both " a pathological condition and an aetiological factor. "

Imbalance(s) create Phlegm, and then the Phlegm goes on to create

other problems.

 

The number one cause for the formation of Phlegm is Spleen

Deficiency. One of the chief roles of Spleen Qi is to transform and

transport Fluids. If they're not getting transformed and

transported, Dampness is accumulating, and eventually Phlegm forms.

But the Lungs and Kidneys also can play roles in Phlegm

formation. " If the Lungs fail to disperse and lower fluids and if the

Kidneys fail to transform and excrete fluids, these may accumulate

into Phlegm. " Maciocia then stresses that the Spleen " is always " the

chief factor in Phlegm formation.

 

" The essential signs of Phlegm are a slippery or sticky tongue

coating and a Slippery or Wiry pulse. " (A " sign " is something the

healer can observe or feel - like the state of the tongue, the pulse,

the complexion, lumps, etc. A " symptom " is something the client

reports - like pain,insomnia, etc.)

 

The main division of Phlegm is substantial vs. non-substantial. Some

authors don't care for the non-substantial term because it makes it

sound there is nothing really there when there is. For example gall

stones and kidney stones are non-substantial Phlegm (which has

been " steamed and brewed " over a period of time). Maciocia says that

an old term for substantial and non-substantial Phlegm is " Phlegm

having a form " and " Phlegm without a form " , but this is misleading

too because gall stones and kidney stones definitely have a form. So

do bone growths (another example of supposedly formless Phlegm).

 

Phlegm in the Lungs is classified as substantial Phlegm.

 

Some examples of non-substantial Phlegm include:

 

" Under the skin " He's talking lumps (but points out not all lumps are

due to Phlegm), swellings of nerve ganglia, swollen lymph nodes, an

enlarged thyroid, and " some fibroids and lipomas. "

 

" In the channels " . Phlegm in the meridians causes numbness.

Maciocia says that there will not be swelling.

 

Misting the Heart. This is a very serious condition. " Non-

substantial Phlegm can obstruct the Heart-orifices and mist the

Mind. This gives rise to some types of mental illness such as

schizophrenia and manic-depression and also to epilepsy. " There is

also a lot of physical health problems accompaning this one.

 

" In Gall-Bladder or Kidneys. " Stones.

 

" In the joints " Bone deformities.

 

He sums up by saying, " Phlegm can affect the internal organs or the

channels and skin. "

 

Here is some additional, basic info on Phlegm: It has the greatest

affinity for the Lungs, but as seen in the previous examples, it can

wind up anywhere in the body.

 

Phlegm loves to team up with Pernicious Evils - Cold, Damp, Dryness,

Heat, Wind, and Fire. This is very important to remember because the

type of Phlegm and the cause is going to determine the exact

treatment. It's not as simple as take a Phlegm-busting herb.

Whatever Phlegm has teamed up with is also going to need to be

addressed. A lot of sages recommend not treating the Phlegm directly

but treating what's causing it. Cold-Phlegm is a good example of

this. If you want to get rid of this Phlegm, you're going to have to

warm up the body and correct whatever is causing the Cold. Trying to

attack Cold Phlegm directly can create problems.

 

All Phlegm is classified as Excess. Any Phlegm is too much. Just

like any Qi Stagnation or any Blood Stasis is too much. But, when

reading about Phlegm you sometimes will see the term " Deficiency

Phlegm " . This is not refering to the Phlegm itself (which is an

Excess), but to the cause of the Phlegm. In a way this is redundant

because the number one cause of Phlegm is Spleen Deficiency.

Sometimes the term " Excess Phlegm " gets applied to cases where the

Root includes too many fatty foods. But all Phlegm is classified as

Excess.

 

Victoria

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Joaquim,

 

I would concur with your analysis that the pathogenesis of phlegm is the

result of dehydration. It is for this reason that it would be contraindicated

to use an herb like Ting Li Zi for an extended period of time, and certainly not

alone!. However, in reviewing the indications and mechanism of TLZ--both Chen

and Bensky agree (quoting Chen): " It is most effective excess-type coughing

and wheezing, gurgling sounds in the throat and chest fullness and congestion

with discomfort ...caused by accumulation of phlegm in the lungs. " In other

words, once phlegm has already accumulated in the throat to the point where one

actually hears it as a gurgling sound, then I would contend that a short term

course of Ting Li Zi, included in a balanced formula of other herbs to transform

phlegm and stop coughing, enriching yin, and clearing heat would be indicated.

Furthermore, I still contend that there appears to be a connection between the

invisible phlegm misting the heart

channel, and the coexistance of this gurgling phlegm in the throat. I

recognize that invisible phlegm certainly has an emotional component, (see the

indications of Ban Xie Hou po tang!), as Clavey contends, but is it not possible

that the two types of phlegm are indeed related and coexist not by coincidence

but by common pathogenesis? I again refer you to the indications for Shi Chang

pu as I mentioned in a previous post, not only vaporizing phlegm blocking the

sensory orifices, but also transforming turbid dampness.

 

Sincerely,

 

Yehuda Frischman, L.Ac, CST, SER

www.traditionaljewishmedicine.com

 

 

" Dr. Jean G. F. Joaquim " <jeanvet wrote:

 

Hi all friends.

I would like to point out just an idea:

- the phlegm is a result of long therm Qi, or Xue or

fluids (Jin Ye), and them it gets stucked and become a

phlegm;

- the invisible phlegm can also be caused by emotional

disorders leading to a stagnation of the Qi;

So, if it is formed by a " Dehydration process " one

should not use diuretic herbs...

I think a good book for this discussion is the one

from Steven Clavey. Phisiology and Pathology of the

fluids in the TCM.

Yours,

Jean Joaquim, DVM, MS

www.bioethicus.com.br

 

> >

> > Dear Friends, teachers, and colleagues,

> >

> > A little over a year ago, in a different group, I

> initiated a

> discussion in which the mechanism whereby Wei Ling

> Xian is able to

> dissolve or dislodge fish bones was discussed. I had

> asked the

> question with my wife in mind. As some of you may

> know, she suffers

> from a seizure disorder. I wondered out loud, that

> if Wei Ling Xian

> is

> > able to dissolve fish bones in the throat, would

> it not also be

> useful to dissolving " invisible phlegm " or plum pit

> qi as well. My

> experience with her seizures supports Chinese

> medical literature

> which specifically attributes them to " invisible

> phlegm " misting the

> channels, for prior to the seizures (which occur

> cyclically every 3

> > to 4 weeks) there is a gradual buildup of thick,

> yet clear

> pathogenic phlegm, which she has difficulty clearing

> from her

> throat, and which at times drools out of her mouth.

> During the time

> that the seizures occur (the original seizure is

> usually followed by

> > 3-5 postictal seizures which occur within 3 or so

> days), it

> increases further, and for the next 4-5 days she has

> difficulty

> swallowing because of this pathogenic saliva like

> phlegm in her

> throat. Recently I've started to use an aspirator

> which does help a

> > bit. Yet for the next few days, it returns,

> swallowing is

> difficult, and when she speaks, she makes gurging

> sounds like she's

> under water. She also has difficulty hearing and

> understanding as

> well, another manifestation of the phlegm blocking

> the channels.

> >

> > My question is this: I know that Ting li zi is an

> herb of choice

> > when phlegm is manifested with excess and gurgling

> of phlegm in

> the

> > throat, especially for asthmatic conditions or

> pleurisy, it also

> is

> > used to reduce upper-Jiao edema, with urinary

> difficulty, and it's

> > cardiotonic and even used for congestive heart

> failure and cor

> > pulmonale. Does anyone know of studies or articles

> that

> demonstrate

> > that it can be helpful in " draining " invisible

> phlegm in excess

> > conditions, as well, and perhaps be useful in

> seizure disorders

> such

> > as my wife's?

> >

> > Sincerely,

> >

> > Yehuda Frischman

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

 

Jean G. Fernandes Joaquim

DMV, MS

Botucatu - SP - Brazil

F: 014-81238149

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://traditionaljewishmedicine.com/

 

 

 

 

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