Ms. Qiu, 34, came to Guangzhou from another province ten years ago to study and has remained here since graduation. Five years ago, she began experiencing recurring nasal congestion and clear nasal discharge. When the weather turned cold or she encountered irritants like cooking fumes or dust, she would sneeze incessantly. She always carried two large packs of tissues in her backpack, constantly wiping away tears and mucus, becoming a veritable "Lin Daiyu."For someone who frequently interacts with clients, her reddened nose and incessant sneezing caused her great embarrassment.One week ago, after accidentally catching a chill, Ms. Qiu again experienced nasal congestion, itching, and runny nose, occasionally accompanied by coughing with scant phlegm. To quickly resolve this "disturbance," she sought treatment at Guangdong Provincial Hospital. Through observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation, her condition was preliminarily diagnosed as lung cold and lung qi deficiency.
Traditional Chinese medicine holds that lung qi deficiency creates openings for cold pathogens to invade the body. Combined with improper diet and emotional distress damaging the spleen, this disrupts the spleen's normal functions. As the "mother" organ of the lungs, a weakened spleen fails to support lung health, leading to symptoms like frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, and runny nose.Clinically, many patients with conditions similar to Ms. Qiu's should focus on tonifying the lungs and spleen while dispelling wind and cold to regulate their bodies. Under a doctor's guidance, it is recommended to use herbs like honey-processed ephedra and fangfeng to promote lung qi and dispel wind-cold; tribulus and xanthium seeds to eliminate wind, relieve itching, and clear nasal passages; and white atractylodes and codonopsis to boost qi, strengthen the spleen, and fortify the exterior.
Beyond personalized herbal treatment, daily dietary therapy and moxibustion can also promote lung function. Here are recommended medicinal recipes and wellness practices:
Astragalus and Green Onion Stewed Lean Pork. Take 250g lean pork, 10g Astragalus membranaceus, 15g Atractylodes macrocephala,5 scallion whites, 3-4 slices ginger, and salt to taste. Rinse all ingredients, place in a pot with 1500ml (about 6 bowls) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add Astragalus, scallion whites, ginger, and lean pork. Simmer vigorously, then reduce to low heat for 1.5 hours. Season with a pinch of salt before serving.Traditional Chinese medicine holds that Astragalus root is warming in nature, capable of tonifying qi, elevating yang, strengthening the defensive qi, and consolidating the exterior. Combined with Atractylodes, it significantly enhances qi-tonifying and spleen-strengthening effects. Scallion whites are warming, enter the lung meridian, and disperse cold while promoting qi circulation. Lean pork is sweet and salty, slightly cold in nature, entering the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. It nourishes yin, tonifies the kidneys, moistens dryness, and benefits qi and blood.This medicinal dish is suitable for rhinitis caused by deficiency of both lung and spleen.
External moxibustion treatment. Take 3g of mugwort wool, 2g of cinnamon powder, and an appropriate amount of honey. Mix the cinnamon powder with the mugwort wool, add honey, and form into a paste the size of a soybean. Apply to the Shenque acupoint (as shown in the figure, located at the navel) for about 30 minutes. Apply every other day, repeating 3-5 times. ▲