Both Heat and Cold types may come with excess Phlegm, so, for example, we can have a Phlegm-Heat or Phlegm-Cold types Asthma.
It is also important to ascertain if it is an excess or deficient condition. If the person is strong with strong symptoms, it is a condition of excess, and stronger medicines including purgatives can be useful. If the condition is chronic, or the person is old or weak, invariably there is deficiency and Lung tonics are required.
From a Humoral perspective, we may differentiate it thus:
Bile: wheezing, flaring nostrils, red face, red tongue, fast pulse; most associated with inflammation or allergy
Phlegm: wheezing, excess mucus, mucus rattling in the throat, wet or white tongue coating; most associated with congestive Asthma
Wind: wheezing, dry mouth, worse when stressed or nervous; most associated with Nervous asthma.
Chinese Medicine has some other useful differentiations. Firstly, acute or chronic. Acute Asthma may be associated with an acute attack of Wind-Heat or Wind-Cold. This occurs during or just after a Cold or Flu, and may become chronic if not treated properly. . Another useful observation in chronic Wheezing and Breathlessness is Yang deficiency. In this case, usually seen in the elderly, there is l;ower Back pain and weakness, difficult, frequent or nocturnal urination, feeling of coldness, low and slow pulse. See also: Treatment of Asthma from Wirtzung
Western Tradition
Simples
Hyssop Maidenhair Frankincense Almond Licorice Turbith Birthwort Colocynth Fox Lungs
Coltsfoot Rue Saffron Walnut Fig Agaric Squill Sarcocolla Earthworm
Exterior Wind-Cold (Acute) Chills (more severe), with Fever and no sweat, aversion to cold and wind, cough and wheezing, muscle aches, thin white coat on tongue, floating pulse Ma Huang Tang Xiao Qing Long Tang
Exterior Wind-Cold with Yang Deficiency As above but with more severe Cold symptoms. Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Tang
Exterior Wind-Cold with Interior Heat (Acute) Chills and Fever, no sweat, body aching, cough, thin coat on tongue, surface pulse that is tight Ding Chuan Tang Da Qing Long Tang
Phlegm-Heat Cough with yellow phlegm, short of breath, chest fullness, nausea, dark urine, yellow tongue coat, rapid pulse Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan Bei Mu Gua Lou San Ren Shen Ge Jie San
Lung Heat Chills, high Fever, Cough, wheezing, with or without sweating, nasal flaring when breathing, thirsty, yellow tongue coat and a rapid pulse Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang
Lung Yin Deficiency Wheezing, dry mouth and throat, hard-to-clear sputum, red tongue without coat, small and rapid pulse Ma Wei Di Huang Wan Mai Men Dong Tang
1. Toasted Linseed, powder and mix with Almond oil and Honey to form an Eclegma (Licking medicine) Good for Asthma, difficulty Breathing, and phlegmatic Cough. (Pharmacopoeia Persica, 1681)
NIGELLA AND CINNAMON FORMULA Nigella seed Cinnamon 10 grams ea. Honey 20 grams Powder and make a paste. This was studied and found effective to reduce Cough and Wheezing. (see here)
ECLEGMA OF NUTS Walnuts Pine nuts 40 drams ea. Almonds 45 drams Licorice juice 25 drams Form an Eclegma. For Asthma, difficulty Breathing, and phlegmatic Cough. (Pharmacopoeia Persica, 1681)
LOHOCH OF SQUILL Squill 3 drams Orris 2 drams Horsehound Hyssop 1 dram ea. Powder and mix with Honey. For Asthma and Humid Cough. (Pharmacopoeia Persica, 1681)
PILLS FOR ASTHMA FROM PHLEGM Pills of Agaric 2 scruples Foetid Pills 1 scruple Agaric 0.5 scruple Rock Salt 1 grain Form 9 pills with Syrup of Licorice. (Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485)
The following are from the Syrian “Book of Medicine“, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913:
DECOCTION FOR ASTHMA & DIFFICULTY BREATHING Raisins, stoned Fenugreek equal parts Decoct in Rain Water. Give a draught several times daily. ‘It gives relief immediately’.
DECOCTION FOR CHRONIC ASTHMA Figs Rue Oregano equal parts Decoct and add Honey.
PILLS FOR ASTHMA AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH (1) Sulphur Wild Rue seed Birthwort Wormwood Frankincense Gum Ammoniac equal parts Beat with Vinegar and form pills the size of bean. Take 3 morning and evening.
PILLS FOR ASTHMA AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH (2) Aniseed Sulphur 6 drams each Gum Ammoniac Castoreum Nigella 4 drams each Beat with water and form pills the size of bean. Take 5 morning and evening, taking oxymel after.
ASHES OF MILLIPEDES ‘Throw two measures of the insects that collect under the water jars and are called “millIpedes” into a potter’s vessel, heat them over the fire, and when they are white rub them down and mix the powder with boiled honey, and administer in the form of a linctus one spoonful fasting’. DECOCTION FOR ASTHMA OF ZACHARIA. Fig Raisins stoned 10 drams Dates 7 drams Celery seed Fennel seed Maidenhair Licorice Hyssop Horehound Fenugreek 5 drams Decoct in sufficient water Take 1 oz. with Honey
DECOCTION FOR ASTHMA FROM CRASS HUMORS OF HAMECH. Celery root Fennel root Anise root 6 aureos* Licorice 4 aureos Sweet Almond Bitter Almond 4 drams Anise Hyssop Mallow seed 5 drams Raisins Jujubes 20 drams Figs 6 *Aureos = 8.18 grams Decoct in 7 lbs to the third part; give with honey or Sugar Penids.
ELECTUARY FOR ASTHMA. Licorice juice Violet 10 drams Bitter Almond Marshmallow seed Tragacanth Fennel seed 3 drams Mix with Mucilage of Psyllium, Linseed and Quince seed and syrup of Violet to form an Electuary.
GINSENG AND WALNUT TEA Ginseng 4 grams Walnuts 5 pieces Decoct. This is good for Wheezing from Lung and Kidney weakness, as seen in the aged or in chronic Asthma.
SCHISANDRA AND EARTHWORM DECOCTION WU WEI DI LONG TANG Schisandra Wu Wei Zi Earthworm This has been studied and found effective to relieve inflammation associated with Asthma.
HAWTHORN AND WALNUT TEA Hawthorn (Shan Zha) 50 grams Walnut (Hu Tao Ren) 150 grams Soak the Walnuts, rinse, add water and grind to a paste. Wash then beat the Hawthorn, boil three times in water, discard the fruit and reduce to 1 liter. Add White Sugar (200 grams) and boil to a syrup, then slowly add the Walnut paste while stirring. This is good for Lung deficiency Cough and Wheezing.
WHEEZING DECOCTION (Ding Chuang Tang) Ephedra Ma Huang 3 grams Phellodendron Huang Bai 5 grams Ginkgo nut 15 grams Green tea 6 grams Sugar to taste Used for acute attacks of bronchial asthma, including allergy-induced..
