Traditional Chinese medicine believes that this disease falls under the categories of "cough," "asthma," and "lung atrophy." It is often caused by external pathogens entering through the mouth and nose or through the skin and hair, leading to the obstruction of lung qi and disruption of its purifying function, resulting in cough. Alternatively, the invasion of external pathogens may trigger latent phlegm in the lungs, causing phlegm to rise and qi to be obstructed, leading to panting. In cases of prolonged illness and weakened constitution, external pathogens may take advantage of the deficiency to invade internally, damaging the lung collaterals and body fluids, resulting in the loss of nourishment to the lungs and the coughing up of bloody phlegm.

bubble_chart Modern Research

Pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration syndrome is a group of clinical manifestations with distinct characteristics caused by the body's allergic reactions to various Chinese Taxillus Herb parasites, protozoa, fungi, viruses, drugs, etc. It is characterized by pulmonary infiltration accompanied by an increase in blood eosinophils. Clinically, it is characterized by cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath or asthma, low-grade fever, and lack of strength. Based on its clinical manifestations and pathological changes, it can be classified into simple pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration, prolonged pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, asthmatic pulmonary eosinophilic infiltration, and pulmonary necrotizing vasculitis.

Modern medicine believes that the main pathology of this disease is the infiltration of a large number of eosinophils in the pulmonary interstitium, alveolar walls, alveolar cavities, and terminal bronchiolar walls; or the formation of eosinophilic granulomas in the bronchial walls; a few chronic sexually transmitted disease cases have fibrous tissue hyperplasia. This suggests that the disease is closely related to type I, III, and IV immune hypersensitivity reactions.

1. History: In the living or working environment, there is a history of infection with various Chinese Taxillus Herb parasites, or inhalation of sensitizing Mongolian snakegourd root, organic dust, and drug allergies.
2. Symptoms and signs: Manifested as cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath or asthma, low-grade fever, and lack of strength. Chest examination may reveal wheezing or no abnormal signs.
3. Laboratory tests: Blood tests often show leukocytosis, with eosinophils accounting for 20% to 80% of the differential count; a large number of eosinophils may be found in the sputum.
4. X-ray examination: Patchy or cloud-like scattered or migratory shadows.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Wind-cold Obstructing the Lung︰Cough with thin white sputum, aversion to cold with fever, chest tightness or pain, shortness of breath, mental fatigue and lack of strength, absence of sweating. Pale tongue with thin white coating, floating pulse. Expel cold, disperse wind, ventilate the lung, and relieve cough. Modified Apricot Kernel and Perilla Powder. Perilla Leaf 12g, Peucedanum 10g, Bitter Apricot Seed 10g, Platycodon Root 10g, Dried Tangerine Peel 12g, Submature Bitter Orange 15g, Pro Formula Pinellia 10g, Poria 15g, Fresh Ginger Rhizome 5-7 slices, Liquorice Root 5g. For severe cough with copious sputum, add Coltsfoot Flower 10g, Aster Root 10g, and Perilla Fruit 12g. For pronounced aversion to cold and fever, add Schizonepeta 10g and Saposhnikovia Root 10g. For accompanying chest tightness and hypochondriac pain, add Bupleurum 10g, Peony Root 15g, and Corydalis Tuber 12g.
2. Wind-heat Invading the Lung︰Cough with yellow or white sticky sputum that is difficult to expectorate, chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing in the throat, rapid panting preventing lying flat and affecting sleep, even blood-streaked sputum, accompanied by mild fever, aversion to wind, cold, dry mouth with a preference for cold drinks, scanty yellow urine, and dry stool. The tongue is red with a yellow greasy coating, and the pulse is slippery, floating, and rapid. Treatment involves dispersing wind and clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and relieving asthma. Modified Panting-Arresting Decoction combined with Pepperweed and Jujube Lung-Draining Decoction. Ingredients: Ginkgo seed 10g, Bitter Apricot Seed 10g, Skullcap Root 12g, White Mulberry Root-Bark 12g, honey-fried Ephedra 6g, Pro Formula Pinellia 10g, Cultivated Purple Perilla Fruit 10g, Coltsfoot Flower 10g, Bitter Apricot Seed 10g, Liquorice Root 5g, Pepperweed Seed 15g, Chinese Date 5 pieces. For intense interior heat, add raw Gypsum 30g (to be decocted first) and Gardenia 12g. For severe phlegm and qi stagnation, add Bamboo Shavings 10g, fresh Bamboo Juice 20g (to be taken separately), and Radish Seed 10g. For severe constipation, add raw Rhubarb Rhizome 10–20g (steeped in tea and taken separately). For significant hemoptysis, add Hairyvein Agrimonia Herb 15g and Common Bletilla Pseudobulb 15g.
3. Phlegm and Blood Stasis Intermingling︰Cough with copious sputum, blood-streaked sputum, chest tightness, shortness of breath, purplish-dark lips and face, or paroxysmal choking cough, cough-induced pain in the chest and hypochondrium, low-grade fever in the afternoon, emaciation, and in severe cases, scaly skin, bloody stool, hematuria. The tongue texture is purplish-dark, with engorged or distended sublingual veins, and the pulse is wiry-choppy or thin-rapid. Treatment involves clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm, invigorating the blood to unblock collaterals. Modified Clearing the Lungs and Resolving Phlegm Decoction combined with Blood House Stasis-Expelling Decoction: Gardenia 12g, Skullcap Root 15g, White Mulberry Root-Bark 12g, Clam Shell 30g (to be decocted first), Trichosanthis Fruit Shell 10g, Thunberg Fritillary Bulb 12g, Carthamus 12g, Red Peony Root 10g, Sichuan Lovage Rhizome 12g, Salvia 15g, Pseudoginseng 3–5g (powdered and taken orally), Hairyvein Agrimonia Herb 12g, Platycladus 10g. For yellow and thick sputum, add Tabasheer 12g and Pumice 15g; for white and sticky sputum, add Pinellia 10g, Bile Arisaema 12g, and White Mustard Seed 10g; for profuse hemoptysis, add Lotus Rhizome Node 15g, Carbonized Human Hair 6g, and Donkey-hide Gelatin 12g (melted); for prolonged stasis entering the collaterals, add Leech 10g, Earthworm 10g, and Pangolin Scales 10g.
4. Lung Deficiency with Fluid Retention︰Cough with shortness of breath, wheezing in the throat, copious sputum production, spontaneous sweating, aversion to cold, mental fatigue and lack of strength, pale yellow complexion, emaciated body. Pale red tongue with thin greasy coating, thready weak or feeble and foreeless pulse. Tonifying the lung and replenishing qi, resolving phlegm and relieving asthma. Modified Jade Screen Powder combined with Lung-Nourishing Decoction. Astragalus Root 30-60g, White Atractylodes Rhizome 15g, Saposhnikovia Root 10g, Tangshen 15g, Ophiopogon Tuber 10g, Schisandra Fruit 10g, Pro Formula Pinellia 12g, Dried Tangerine Peel 12g, Trichosanthis Fruit Peel 15g, Poria 12g, Bitter Apricot Seed 10g; Platycodon Root 10g, Liquorice Root 5g. For severe aversion to wind-cold, add Cinnamon Twig 10g, Fresh Ginger Rhizome 5-7 slices, Chinese Date 7 pieces; if accompanied by poor appetite, loose stool, abdominal distension and fullness, add Radish Seed 12g, Hawthorn Fruit 15g, Medicated Leaven 10g; if there is marked shortness of breath and wheezing aggravated by exertion, add Tokay Gecko 3-5g (powdered and taken orally), Aquilaria 10g.
5. Lung Yin Deficiency︰Dry cough with scant sputum, blood-streaked sputum, or even coughing up fresh blood, chest tightness and shortness of breath, afternoon fever, dull complexion or flushed cheeks, tidal fever with night sweats, dry throat. Dry red tongue with little or no coating, thready and rapid weak pulse. Nourish yin and clear heat, moisten the lungs and relieve cough. Modified Lily Bulb Metal-Securing Decoction: Lily Bulb 20g, Ophiopogon Tuber 15g, Scrophularia Root 15g, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root 12g, Prepared Rehmannia Root 12g, Chinese Angelica 10g, Peony Root 10g, Platycodon Root 10g, Sweet Wormwood 12g, Neopicrorhiza 10g, Tendrilleaf Fritillary Bulb 10g, Stemona Root 10g, Liquorice Root 5g. For severe lung yin deficiency, add Glehnia 15g and Polyghace Seche 15g; for significant hemoptysis, add Common Bletilla Pseudobulb 20g, Skullcap Root 12g, Coptis Rhizome 10g, and Hairyvein Agrimonia Herb 12g; for late afternoon tidal fever, add Chinese Wolfberry Root-bark 10g and Anemarrhena 12g.