Phlegm movement/removal

Formulas that actively and intensively remove phlegm, especially invisible phlegm, may cause unpleasant feelings and sensations at first because they provoke the movement of phlegm in the body. The practitioner should warn the patient about this in advance. 

Spleen and Stomach, transform dampness and promote digestion, particularly the metabolism of fats. If hyperlipidemia has developed and has resulted in detectable damage to the heart, brain and vascular system, herbs to strongly remove dampness and phlegm, clear heat, stimulate Qi movement and blood circulation, nourish the Yin and pacify the Liver should be added to the formula. In all conditions, herbs that tonify the Spleen and Kidney should be prescribed. 

Herbs that activate Qi movement in the Stomach, Large Intestine and Liver are selected. Herbs that regulate the blood, clear heat, remove phlegm, soothe the Stomach-Qi and tonify the weakness of Qi, blood, Yin or Yang can be added if these disorders are present. 

When the pathogenic heat disturbs the Qi movement and consumes the Yin, phlegm might be formed. These three herbs are able to remove phlegm and clear heat. They can be added to the formula as assistants if phlegm-heat is present. 

These two herbs can clear Stomach-heat, remove phlegm from the Stomach and soothe the Stomach-Qi. They can be used when the heat disturbs the Qi movement of the Stomach and its digestive function. They can effectively treat nausea, vomiting and poor appetite. 

These herbs are pungent in nature and enter the Lung and Stomach meridians. They can promote the Qi movement and remove the dampness and phlegm. The difference between them is that Chen Pi is warm and Zhi Ke is cold in temperature thus they can be selected separately depending on treatment need. 

Gua Lou Ren and Zhi Shi are cold in temperature. Both can clear heat in the Lung and Large Intestine, remove phlegm in the Lung and at the same time promote bowel movement. They are principally selected in the formula to treat cough with green sputum and fullness in the chest and abdomen. They can descend the Qi in the intestines, as well as treating constipation. 

Middle-Jiao to prevent tonifying herbs obstructing the Qi movement the latter can remove the invisible phlegm and connect the Heart with the Kidney, thereby calming the mind. 

Second, herbs that regulate the Qi movement and water metabolism in the Middle-Jiao, remove dampness and phlegm and thereby enhance the ability of the herbs that promote food digestion are selected. 

Formulas that remove food accumulation should be used with caution during pregnancy as they contain a number of herbs that activate Qi movement to remove food, phlegm and dampness. 

Lai Fu Zi is pungent, sweet and neutral, and enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. Lai Fu Zi is a strong herb to remove food accumulation. In addition, it can descend the Lung-Qi, soothe the Stomach-Qi and promote bowel movement. It can also eliminate phlegm in either the Lung or the Stomach. 

Moreover, some herbs enter the Large Intestine meridian, can descend the Qi and promote bowel movement in order to enhance the herbs that descend the Qi of the Lung and remove phlegm. This strategy regulates the function of the Lung. 

Lung-Qi as they make the Qi movement in the Lung more active. In this way, the heat and phlegm can be removed properly. 

Herbs that remove different obstructions in order to promote the Qi movement are used, such as herbs that eliminate phlegm, remove food stagnation, promote bowel movement,... 

Assistant (A) Promote the Qi movement, warm the interior, eliminate dampness and phlegm, tonify the Qi so as to promote blood circulation and remove congealed blood. (B) Nourish the blood and Yin, protect the Stomach and Spleen to reduce the side effect of the herbs that stimulate blood... 

Lian Qiao can particularly disperse the constrained Qi of the Heart Chai Hu is able to disperse the constrained Qi of the Liver and Gall Bladder Jie Geng can disperse the Lung-Qi and remove phlegm Mai Ya can ascend the Stomach-Qi and protect the function of the Spleen. They are often selected as corrective assistants in the formula to open obstructions and promote Qi movement. 

Among these herbs, Ban Xia can soothe the Stomach-Qi and Chen Pi can promote the Qi movement in the Upper- and Middle-Jiao. Both can remove the dampness, phlegm and food accumulation that often arises in the same syndrome. Xiang Yuan and Fo Shou are able to harmonize the Qi of the Liver and Stomach, and are particularly used in the condition where the Liver overacts on the Stomach. Xiang Fu is the most commonly used herb... 

Tian Ma is sweet and neutral, and enters the Liver meridian. It has a moderate and moist nature. It is the first-line choice to extinguish Liver-wind because it not only pacifies the Liver and extinguishes wind, and treats the manifestations (dizziness, headache, dry and tired eyes), but also treats the cause (deficiency of Liver-Yin and blood). It can remove wind-phlegm and open the collaterals, and is used to treat dizziness with nausea and vomiting. If it is combined with herbs that promote the Qi movement and blood circulation, it can treat stiffness, pain, numbness and tingling of limbs, such as in the sequelae of cerebrovascular accident. 

Chuan Bei Mu and Zhu Ru are cold and have the functions of clearing heat and removing phlegm. They can be selected as assistants in the formula to remove phlegm-heat, a product from disturbed Qi and water movement in the body. When phlegm obstructs the meridians, spasms and twitches may start. 

Zhu Ru is sweet and slightly cold, and enters the Lung, Stomach and Gall Bladder meridians. It is often used as assistant in the formula to ease the Stomach-Qi and remove phlegm-heat, which is produced by disturbed Qi and water movement in the body. 

---