Cough

Etiology
Causative factors may be exogenous or endogenous.
Exogenous factors are
1. Wind-Cold
2. Wind-Heat
Both of these attacks the Lung from the outside, preventing it from performing its function of dispersing.
Endogenous factors are
1. Dryness of the Lung due to Yin Xu resulting in impairment of its descending function.
2. Yang Xu of the Spleen leading to accumulation of Damp and formation of Phlegm.
Impair the function of the Lung from inside the body.

Differentiation
1. EXOGENOUS PATHOGENIC FACTORS
a) Wind-Cold type: Chills, fever, headache, nasal obsturction, choking cough. T- thin white coating. P- superficial
.b) Wind-Heat type: Fever without chills, thirs, cough with purulent thick sputum, yellow tongue coating, superficial rapid pulse.
Treatment- Points are mainly selected from the Taiyin (Lung) and Yangming (Large Intestine) channels to activate the dispersing function of the Lung and relieve the exterior symptoms. For Wind-Cold type, acupuncture may be combined with moxibustion, whie for Wind-Heat type use acupuncture only.
Points:
Lieque- Lu 7 and Hegu- LI 4 Yuan-Luo points are used to eliminate Wind and relieve exterior symptoms.
Feishu- UB 13 back shu point activates the dispersing function of the Lung.
Chize- Lu 5 clears the Lung and relieves cough.

2. ENDOGENGOUS FACTORS
a) Dryness of the Lung due to Yin Xu: Dry cough with no or scanty sputum, dry or sore thorat. There may be bloody sputum or even hemoptysis, afternoon fever, malar flush. T- red with thin coating. P- feeble rapid.
Method: The back-Shu and front-Mu points of the Lung are taken as the pain points to tonify the Yin and activate the descending function of the Lung.  Moxibustion is not advisable.
Points: Feishu- UB 13 and Zhongu- Lu1(acupressure), a combination of back-Shu and front-Mu points are used to regulate the respiratory system.
Lieque- Lu 7 and Zhaohai- K6 a pair of the 8 master points, ease the throat through its action in nourishing the Yin and activating the descending function of the Lung.
For hemoptysis add
Kongzui- Lu 6 Xi-Cleft point of the Lung
Geshu- UB 17 Influential point dominating blood.
These two points are used to achieve a hemostatic effect.
b) Yang Xu of Spleen: Cough with excessive sputum which becomes severe in winter, anorexia, listlessness. T- thick sticky slippery white-coated. P- usually deep and slow.
Treatment: Apply needling with reinforcing method with moxibustion.
Points: Pishu- UB 20, Zhongwan- Ren 12, Zusanli- St 36 strengthen the Spleen and Stomach to eliminate Damp and resolve Phlegm.
Application of moxibustion to Feishu- UB 13 and Gaohuang UB 43 activates and gives warmth to the Qi of the Lung.
Cupping: Fengmen- UB 12, Feishu- UB 13.