This is the first time I’ve noticed Western and Chinese medicine using the same language to describe an aspect of an illness : phlegm

 

I’ve wanted to write about phlegm, but it’s a long story and more challenging to explain, so I’ll keep it short.  Because of the RNA virus, covid19, now is the perfect time…

 

Traditional Chinese medicine have long used the concept of phlegm to describe many conditions.  Phlegm is not reserved only for something that can be expelled through an orifice, phlegm can quietly take up residence inside the body, never to be seen on the outside.  We know it’s on the inside of the body through specific symptoms as it can stay in one place, or several places, and literally coat and stick to cells and tissue.  Imagine the phlegm we know so well being stuck inside, and it is easy to imagine how it can wreak havoc. 

 

Before the quarantine, I saw people who managed to come in when they were well enough to leave the house after experiencing the same symptoms as covid19.  However, there were two people who never received treatment of any kind before, during or after symptoms of coughing, shortness of breath/panting, exhaustion, etc. since 1) the end of December and 2) mid-January:

 

They both called in March.  Both continued to experience intermittent breathing difficulty through the beginning of April, sometimes it was “intense”.  They are different ages, have different lifestyles, live in different climates and have different health histories.  After asking many questions over the phone, I was able to get them traditional Chinese herbal formulas the second week of April.  They each received two formulas.  However, even though they were having a similar experience, the formulas were slightly different because of their health histories, lifestyle and climate.  The formulas were similar in that they helped to expel phlegm, open the chest and take a deep breath.  After a little over one week of taking the formulas, both no longer experience difficulty with breathing.  The answers to many illnesses are growing in the ground.

 

Specific herbs and herbal formulas (and acupuncture) can help resolve phlegm either internally, via expectoration, or bowel movements.  The important thing is to move it out or resolve it. This is not only true for viruses and many types of dis-ease, but for seasonal allergies as well.