Chronic Cough with White Phlegm? Understanding Damp-Phlegm.

What is "Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs"?

This pattern is a perfect example of how different systems in the body are interconnected. While the symptoms are in your Lungs, the root of the problem usually lies with your Spleen, your body's digestive center.

Here’s how it works:

  • The Spleen is the Source: A healthy Spleen transforms the food you eat into energy (Qi). But if your Spleen is weak (often due to diet, worry, or overwork), it can't process fluids properly. These unprocessed fluids turn into a murky, sticky substance called Dampness.
  • Dampness Congeals into Phlegm: Over time, this Dampness thickens and congeals, becoming Phlegm.
  • The Lungs are the "Storage Container": Because the Spleen is the source of Phlegm and the Lungs are the "container" for it, this is where the Phlegm often ends up, obstructing your breathing.

So, while you feel it in your chest, we must treat both the symptom (the Phlegm in the Lungs) and the root cause (the weak Spleen).

This pattern is characterized by a copious amount of phlegm that is easy to cough up. You might experience:

  • The Cough: A chronic, persistent cough with lots of phlegm.
  • The Phlegm: This is the key sign. The phlegm is white, watery, or frothy, and you can bring it up easily. It is often worse in the mornings.
  • Breathing: A feeling of oppression or fullness in the chest, and sometimes shortness of breath, especially when lying down.
  • General Signs of Dampness: You may also feel nauseous, have no appetite, or experience a feeling of heaviness or fogginess.

This is a "Cold" pattern, as there are no signs of heat (like yellow phlegm or fever).

Your acupressure treatment was designed to do two things: transform the Phlegm in your Lungs and strengthen your Spleen to stop it from producing more.

Lifestyle Advice: Dry the Dampness, Stop the Source

Your diet is the most powerful tool you have to resolve this. You must stop putting phlegm-creating foods into your body.

1. You MUST Change Your Diet:

  • Strictly AVOID all Phlegm- and Damp-Producing Foods: This is non-negotiable for recovery.
    • Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are the biggest culprits. They must be eliminated.
    • Sugar & Sweets: Sugar creates dampness.
    • Greasy, Fried Foods.
    • Cold & Raw Foods: Salads, smoothies, and iced drinks weaken the Spleen, making it produce more dampness.
  • Eat Foods that Strengthen the Spleen & Resolve Phlegm:
    • Your diet should be based on warm, cooked meals.
    • Grains: Barley is excellent for drying damp. Rice and oats are supportive.
    • Vegetables: Onions, garlic, mushrooms, radishes (especially daikon), and turnips.
    • Aromatic Spices: Cardamom and ginger are very helpful.
    • A Little Pungent & Bitter: Small amounts of bitter greens (like rocket) and pungent flavours can help.

2. Gentle Movement:

  • Gentle, rhythmic movement helps to circulate Qi and fluids.
  • Walking and Tai Chi are excellent. Deep breathing exercises can help to strengthen the Lungs.

3. Acupressure at Home:
This powerful trio addresses the root cause, the phlegm itself, and the Lungs.

  • Stomach 40 (Fenglong - "Abundant Bulge"): The single most important acupuncture point for resolving Phlegm anywhere in the body.
    • Location: On the outside of your lower leg, about halfway between your knee and your ankle, and two finger-widths out from the crest of your shin bone. It's in the belly of the muscle.
    • How to: Apply deep, firm pressure for 1-2 minutes.
  • Spleen 9 (Yinlingquan): A master point for draining the Dampness that creates the Phlegm.
    • Location: On the inside of your lower leg, in the depression just below the bulge of your knee bone (the medial condyle of the tibia), behind the shin bone.
  • Conception Vessel 12 (Zhongwan): A great point to strengthen the Spleen and Stomach, the root of the problem.
    • Location: On the midline of your abdomen, halfway between the tip of your breastbone and your navel.
    • How to: Gently place a flat palm over the area and make slow, clockwise circles for a few minutes.

Resolving chronic phlegm takes time and dietary discipline. By strengthening your digestion and avoiding the foods that create phlegm, you can clear your lungs and breathe freely again.