Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs - case reference

A 28 year old woman had a cough with profuse yellow sputum which had developed two weeks ago after an invasion of Wind-Heat. She also had a feeling of oppression in the chest and felt slightly hot and thirsty. Her pulse was Slippery and the tongue had a thin-yellow coat.I diagnosed retention of Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs following an acute invasion of Wind-Heat. I prescribed 6 tablets of Ringing Metal a day. I also treated her with acupuncture twice a week. After two weeks the patient felt back to normal and the cough with sputum had gone.NB I chose Ringing Metal rather than Clear the Soul in this case because the cough was acute and a definite after-effect of the invasion of Wind-Heat

Ringing MetalPatterns: Phlegm-Heat in the LungsRinging Metal is used to treat an acute cough with expectoration of profuse, yellow sputum which follows an upper respiratory tract infection. This may occur when someone is unable to fully shake-off an invasion of Wind and is left with a lingering, acute cough. There may also be accompanying symptoms of a feeling of heat, thirst, insomnia and a feeling of oppression of the chest. Ringing Metal is specifically for Phlegm-Heat, and not for Dry-Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs. The latter manifests as a cough that is primarily dry and sounds dry but also with the difficult, occasional expectoration of scanty sputum. In the former case there will be profuse sputum and the cough is not dry.

Clear the SoulPatterns: Phlegm-Heat obstructing the chest and Mind, Lung-Qi not descendingClear the Soul (a variation of Warming the Gall-Bladder Decoction - Wen Dan Tang) is most commonly used for treating emotional tension and anxiety occurring against a background of Phlegm obstructing the Lungs and Heart. However, it can also be used to resolve residual Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs which manifests on a physical level, i.e. with a chronic cough with expectoration of yellow sputum. This condition may or may not have derived from the after effects of an attack of Wind

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