What Are the Symptoms of Lung Heat?

Lung-heat is a diagnostic pattern commonly encountered in clinical practice for lung disorders in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and it is the counterpart to lung-cold.

According to TCM theory, lung-heat primarily arises from external invasion by wind-heat pathogenic factors, pre-existing internal accumulation of phlegm-heat, or habitual consumption of alcohol and spicy, rich, or greasy foods—leading to internal retention of phlegm-heat.

Clinically, lung-heat manifests mainly as coughing and expectoration. The sputum is typically yellow, thick, and sticky. Patients also exhibit signs of heat, such as facial redness, a red tongue with a yellow, greasy coating, preference for cold drinks, aversion to heat, dryness of the throat and pharynx, sore throat, and pharyngeal congestion. These symptoms collectively constitute the clinical presentation of lung-heat, and treatment typically involves herbs that clear lung-heat.