
There are 12 patterns of the syndrome in the lung and large intestine systems.
1. Wind cold attacking the lung
[Manifestations]
Cough with thin sputum, aversion to cold with mild fever, nasal obstruction, running nose (with thin discharge), no sweating, headache and body ache, thin white tongue-coating, superficial tense pulse.
[Pathology]
a. lung qi refrained from dispersing
lung qi adversely rising
qi not spreading fluids
lung orifice blockage
b. Defensive qi and the superficial being restricted
lack of warmth from defensive qi
defensive qi being blocked
cold pathogen contracting channels
cold pathogen constricting pores
2. Wind heat attacking the lung
[Manifestations]
Cough with yellow thick phlegm, nasal obstruction with thick discharge, fever with mild aversion to cold, slight thirst, or sore throat, red tip of the tongue, thin yellow coating, superficial rapid pulse.
[Pathology]
lung qi adversely ascending due to failing in descending
wind-heat “drying” fluid into phlegm
wind-heat disturbing throat upward
wind-heat disturbing in the nose
wei defensive qi battling the pathogen
wei defensive qi being restricted from warming
3. Dryness attacking the lung
[Manifestations]
Dry cough with little sticky sputum (difficult being spit out), or chest pain (in serious cases), a thread of blood in phlegm; dry mouth, lips, nose and throat; fever, slight aversion to cold, dry stool, scanty urine; thin and dry tongue-coating, floating and rapid pulse or floating and tight pulse.
[Pathology]
a. dryness attacking lung
lung lacking moisture
cough damaging lung collaterals
b. dryness damaging body fluid
c. attacking the superficial, wei qi dysfunction
4. Cold attacking the lung
[Manifestations]
Cough, shortness of breath, white thin sputum, cold limbs, pale tongue, white coating, slow or moderate pulse.
[Pathology]
a. cold disturbing lung
lung qi rising (disharmony of dispersing and descending)
b. cold contracting
water fluid accumulation
skin losing warming
the hindering flow of qi and blood
5. Phlegm-damp blocking the lung
[Manifestations]
Cough with profuse white phlegm, oppressed chest, asthma (in severe cases), pale tongue with white greasy coating, slippery pulse.
[Pathology]
blocking lung,
lung qi adversely rising
blocking air path
6. Excessive heat in the lung
[Manifestations]
Fever, thirst, cough, asthma, flaring of nares, chest pain, sore and swollen throat, nose flapping, yellow scanty urine, constipation, red tongue, yellow coating, rapid pulse.
[Pathology]
a. heat permeating inside the lung
lung qi adversely rising heat “steaming” the throat, qi and blood stagnating lung opening into the nose, lung qi blocking: nose flapping
b. heat disturbing inside the body
7. Phlegm heat obstructing the lung
[Manifestations]
Cough with profuse yellow sputum, fullness in the chest, even asthmatic breathing with sputum gurgling in the throat, irritability, fever, thirst, or coughing stinky blood mixed phlegm, chest pain, constipation, scanty dark urine, red tongue with yellow greasy coating, slippery rapid pulse.
[Pathology]
a. pent-up lung qi
b. heat disturbing inside lung
lung collaterals
qi and blood stagnation
rotting flesh and blood
c. interior heat disturbing
8. Lung qi deficiency
[Manifestations]
A low-pitched cough worsening on exertion, clear thin sputum, shortness of breath, low voice, or spontaneous sweating, aversion to wind, easily catching a cold, tiredness, pale complexion, pale tongue with a white coating, and a weak pulse.
[Pathology]
qi adversely rising
pectoral qi weak
exertion using up qi
fluid concentrated into phlegm
wei – surface weak
9. Lung yin deficiency
[Manifestations]
dry cough with little sputum, or scanty sputum difficult spitting out, dry mouth and throat, bodyweight loss, hot sensation in the five centres, afternoon fever, night sweating, flushed cheeks, hoarseness, dry and red tongue, thready rapid.
[Pathology]
heat “burning” lung, lung qi rising
fire “burning” lung collateral
throat damaged by fire
fire disturbing interiorly

10. Damp heat in the large intestine
[Manifestations]
Abdominal pain, diarrhea with purulent and bloody stools, tenesmus, or spouting diarrhea with stinking stools, accompanied by a hot sensation in the anus, fever, thirst, scanty yellow urine, a red tongue with a yellow greasy coating, and a slippery rapid pulse.
[Analysis]
qi blood stagnation, “flesh” and blood rotting
heat pushing fluid down
qi stagnation
heat permeating the large intestine
heat damaging fluid
heat radiating out
11. Fu-excess heat in the intestine
[Manifestations]
High fever, or afternoon fever (2 to 4 pm), abdominal hardness and pain (worsening under palpation), constipation (or combining thin watery but stinky stool, sweating, thirst, even delirium, “craziness”, scanty yellow urine, red tongue, thick dry yellow coating
[Pathology]
heat damages large intestine fluid, resulting in the combination of heat and dry faces
fu organ qi obstruction
yang ming meridian qi rising in the afternoon
fluid flowing by-passing the dry hard faces
heat disturbing upward (heat)heat striving out fluid
12. Intestine dryness
[Manifestations]
Constipation with dry stools that are difficult to defecate, dry mouth or bad breath, dizziness, red tongue with yellow dry coating, thready thin pulse.
[Pathology]
large intestine dysfunction
fu organ qi stagnation
lack of fluid spreading upward
