1
Wind-cold attacking the lung
- Key distinguishing signs
- Acute blockage with clear discharge, sneezing, chills and no sweat, tight floating pulse
- Treatment principle
- Disperse cold, diffuse the lung and open the orifices
Cold & Allergybí sè
Nasal congestion
Also called:stuffy noseblocked nose
From the TCM perspective: Nasal blockage: wind-cold or damp-heat in the lung
Overview
Nasal congestion is blockage of nasal passages causing breathing difficulty and a muffled voice. TCM attributes acute cases to wind-cold or wind-heat obstructing lung diffusion, and chronic allergic/inflammatory cases to damp-heat or phlegm with weak defensive qi.
☯Common patterns (syndrome differentiation)
2
Wind-heat / damp-heat
- Key distinguishing signs
- Blockage with thick yellow discharge, red throat, mild fever, red tongue with yellow coat
- Treatment principle
- Clear heat, drain dampness and open the orifices
3
Defensive qi / spleen-lung deficiency
- Key distinguishing signs
- Recurrent blockage with thin discharge, fatigue, poor appetite and frequent colds, pale tongue and weak pulse
- Treatment principle
- Tonify qi, consolidate the exterior and open the nose
4
Qi stagnation and blood stasis
- Key distinguishing signs
- Persistent blockage, dark swollen turbinates, reduced smell, recurrent headache, dark tongue and rough pulse
- Treatment principle
- Move qi and quicken blood to open the passages
Daily self-care
- Rinse the nose with warm saline and keep passages moist.
- Humidify air, elevate the head slightly in bed, and avoid allergy triggers and smoke.
- Drink warm fluids—ginger for cold, mint/chamomile for heat.
When to seek medical help
The following warning signs require prompt medical evaluation — do not rely on self-treatment:
- Severe facial pain with fever, bloody/green discharge or swelling around the eye.
- Breathing difficulty especially in infants, or total blockage after injury/foreign body.
- Symptoms over 10 days without improvement, or worsening after initial improvement.
Medical disclaimer: Educational content about traditional Chinese medicine for information only; it is not a diagnosis or treatment and does not replace a qualified clinician. If symptoms worsen or warning signs appear, seek medical care.