The child is 3 years old this year, has been coughing for half a month, has no fever, has phlegm, and often sleeps until midnight with a hoarse throat. I bought a few bottles of emergency syrup myself for the child to drink, but there was no improvement. The doctor said that the urgent syrup is for hot phlegm, and my child has cold phlegm, so it is not suitable.
I would like to know how to distinguish between cold phlegm and hot phlegm, and how to distinguish medication? At present, there are various drugs used to treat cough, and many people have difficulty choosing the right cough suppressant in the face of a wide variety of drugs. In fact, with just three simple steps, you can help choose the right cough suppressant.
1. Observing symptoms; Most people's coughing is caused by invasion of wind cold, wind heat, and other factors. It usually recovers within 3 weeks. At this time, it is crucial to distinguish whether it is a wind cold cough or a wind heat cough.
Wind cold cough usually causes itching in the throat, thin and white phlegm, or accompanied by symptoms such as nasal congestion, clear mucus, headache, and limb soreness. Medicines that can dispel wind and dispel cold should be chosen, such as Xiaoqinglong Granules, Tongxuan Lifei Pills, etc. For those with excessive phlegm, Snake Gall and Chenpi Oral Liquid can also be used.
Wind heat cough is generally more severe, with hoarse cough sounds, sore throat, sticky and yellowish phlegm, or accompanied by symptoms such as yellow runny nose, thirst, and headache. Suitable for selecting drugs that can dispel wind and clear heat, such as Sangju Ganmao Tablets, Qingfei Pills, Qingfei Yihuo Huatan Pills, Niuhuang Snake Gall Chuanbei Liquid, etc.
2. Listening to sound; Coughing with a low and timid voice belongs to emptiness, while loud and powerful sounds are true. If the cough is heavy and voiced, and the sound is not raised, it is generally a cold cough or phlegm dampness cough; If the coughing voice is raised, the breath is thick, and frequent attacks occur, it may be a wind heat cough.
Dry cough: Feeling dry in the mouth and throat, no matter how you cough, there is no phlegm, which belongs to the invasion of dryness. You should take nourishing yin and clearing lung pills, autumn pear paste, Chuanbei loquat dew and other moisturizing and drying products;
Coughing sound timidity: accompanied by excessive sweating and fear of cold, it is often a cough due to lung deficiency. Prescriptions commonly used include Gancao Ganjiang Tang, Shengmai San, Sijunzi Tang, etc. to consolidate lung qi; Cough is loud and high pitched: accompanied by symptoms such as bitter taste and swelling of the ribs, often caused by liver fire invading the lungs. Prescriptions commonly include Daihe San combined with Xiebai San.
3. Check sputum; If a person coughs with little or no phlegm, it belongs to dry heat and yin deficiency; Phlegm excess often belongs to phlegm dampness, phlegm heat, or deficiency cold. Thin phlegm is often associated with wind cold, while yellow and thick phlegm is often associated with wind heat.
If coughing and spitting iron rust colored phlegm or blood in the phlegm, it is mostly due to lung heat or yin deficiency damaging the meridians. Treatment should be used with Yangyin Qingfei Wan, or Tremella Lily Soup, Autumn Pear Cream, etc.
If there is a fishy smell in phlegm, it is called phlegm heat. You can choose Lingyang Qingfei Pill, Niuhuang Snake Gall Chuanbei Liquid, etc. As for other phlegm odors, they should be diagnosed and treated by professional physicians based on syndrome differentiation.
In the famous Qing Dynasty physician Cheng Zhongling's "Medical Understanding", there is a prescription specifically for relieving cough called Zhike San. Cough relieving powder can be used for all types of coughs, including new, persistent, cold, and hot. Cheng Zhongling's evaluation of this prescription is as follows: "Our side is warm and peaceful, neither cold nor hot. There is no risk of attacking the enemy, and there is a great power to open the door and drive away thieves. It is easy to dispel foreign evil, and the lung qi is peaceful."
The composition of cough relieving powder: 5g of Platycodon grandiflorus, 5g of Aster, 5g of Baibu, 5g of Baiqian, and 5g of Licorice.
① Mix all the medicinal herbs, add 350 milliliters of water, and soak for half an hour.
② Pour the soaked medicinal herbs and water into the pot (ceramic, sand pot, stainless steel can be used, iron pot, copper pot are prohibited).
③ After boiling over high heat, reduce the heat to two small bowls (about 200 milliliters) and pour out the medicine.
Usage: Twice a day, take half an hour warm after breakfast and dinner. Drink continuously for three days.
Avoidance: Taking medication based on syndrome differentiation for those over 3 years old. Fava bean disease can be used.
How does this method solve cough relief? Jingjie brings out the cold evil from the body through sweating. Ziwan, Baibu, and Baiqian are all excellent cough suppressants in traditional Chinese medicine. Whether you have a cold and hot cough, or a new and persistent cough, they can all have the effect of lowering qi and phlegm.
The medicinal properties of Platycodon grandiflorus are upward, which can promote lung qi. Finally, use some dried tangerine peel to regulate qi, and licorice to blend various herbs.
The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non professionals in traditional Chinese medicine are not allowed to try medication.