- Types of Cough in Traditional Chinese Medicine View
Wind-Cold Cough
Dry cough at night. Most common caused by exogenous cold. The symptoms include heavy cough, thin and white sputum, associated with fear of cold, no sweat, headache, nasal congestion, sneeze, clear and thin mucus, itchy throat, no dry-mouth and others. White coating tongue, mostly associated with fear of cold.
Wind-Heat Cough
The symptoms include continual cough, hacking cough, thick yellow sticky sputum, associated with heatiness and sweating, headache, sore throat, thirst, sticky and yellow mucus. Red tongue with yellow coating.
External Fire
The symptoms include dry cough no sputum or less but sticky sputum，difficult to cough up or scanty bloody phlegm, associated with dry and itchy throat, dry lips and nasal and others.
Wet Cough
Most common in weak elderly. The symptoms include heavy and hacking cough, thick and sticky sputum in grey-white, worsen after consuming sweet or oily food, associated with chest fullness, short of breath, poor appetite, fatigue, loose stool and others.
Chronic Cough
The symptoms include enduring cough, short cough or scanty bloody phlegm, associated with dampness and heat, spontaneous sweating, fatigue and others.
Lung Qi Deficiency Cough
Most common in those with inadequate lung and weak body. The symptoms include chronic cough, thin white and little sputum, associated with asthma, weakness, spontaneous sweating, palpitations, pale, thin and white coating tongue, weak pulse and others. Mostly happen to children and elderly.
The symptoms include continual cough, hacking cough, thick yellow sticky sputum, associated with heatiness and sweating, headache, sore throat, thirst, sticky and yellow mucus. Red tongue with yellow coating.
External Fire
The symptoms include dry cough no sputum or less but sticky sputum，difficult to cough up or scanty bloody phlegm, associated with dry and itchy throat, dry lips and nasal and others.
Wet Cough
Most common in weak elderly. The symptoms include heavy and hacking cough, thick and sticky sputum in grey-white, worsen after consuming sweet or oily food, associated with chest fullness, short of breath, poor appetite, fatigue, loose stool and others.
Chronic Cough
The symptoms include enduring cough, short cough or scanty bloody phlegm, associated with dampness and heat, spontaneous sweating, fatigue and others.
Lung Qi Deficiency Cough
Most common in those with inadequate lung and weak body. The symptoms include chronic cough, thin white and little sputum, associated with asthma, weakness, spontaneous sweating, palpitations, pale, thin and white coating tongue, weak pulse and others. Mostly happen to children and elderly.
- 中医角度的咳嗽类型
风寒咳嗽
干咳，晚间多见。多系外感风寒所致，也成为凉咳嗽。表现为咳嗽声重、痰色白稀薄，伴有畏寒、不出汗、头痛、鼻塞音重、打喷嚏、流清涕、咽喉痒、口不干等症状。患者舌苔白，多伴有怕冷现象。
风热咳嗽
此类咳嗽的特点是频咳、咳声洪亮、痰黄黏稠，伴有发热汗出、头痛、咽痛、口渴、鼻涕黄浊而黏稠等症状。患者舌质红、舌苔黄。
此类咳嗽表现为干咳无痰，或痰少而黏、不易咳出，或痰中有血丝，伴有咽干喉痒、鼻唇干燥等。
痰湿咳嗽
此类咳嗽以体弱年长者居多，特点是咳声重浊，痰多而黏腻、色灰白，进甘甜油腻食物后加重，伴有胸闷、呼吸急促、食少、体倦、便溏等症状。
久咳阴伤
此类咳嗽的特点是久咳干咳，咳声短促，或痰中夹有血丝，常伴有午后颧红潮热、盗汗、神疲等症状。
肺气虚咳
此类咳嗽多见于平素体弱、肺气不足的患者，表现为咳嗽日久不愈，痰少而色白清稀，伴有气喘、无力、自汗、心悸，且面色苍白、舌质淡、苔薄白、脉细弱无力等。以儿童和年长者居多。
