In Singapore, cough has become an "old acquaintance" for many, thanks to air-conditioned chill, street fumes, and sudden sun-and-rain weather. Especially that stubborn cough clinging on for weeks or even months – disrupting sleep, interrupting conversations, leaving the throat itchy and dry, turning cough syrup into little more than sweet water. Cough long enough, and your spirit simply drains away.
Which of these sounds familiar?
When is your cough worst? Does it strike when you lie down, or dutifully "report in" at 4-5 AM? Night coughs often link to deficiency heat or phlegm-fluid; morning coughs often need spleen/stomach regulation to clear phlegm-dampness.
What's the cough's "tune"? A hollow, dry hack with no phlegm, or a chest-rattling gurgle with abundant mucus? Dry, tearing coughs often point to dryness or yin deficiency; gurgling phlegm sounds often signal damp-turbidity.
What's your phlegm like? White, thin, and foamy? Yellow-green and sticky? Or just stuck, impossible to expel? White phlegm often means cold-dampness; yellow phlegm often means stagnant heat; sticky, hard-to-expel phlegm often indicates fluid depletion.
How does your body react? Coughing until you leak urine? Coughing causing rib-side pain? Or even coughing until you gag? These signals point to kidney qi deficiency, liver qi stagnation, or stomach qi rebellion.
Singapore's Kong Fang Tong: Physician Qiu Baorun Treats Stubborn Coughs with Truly Personalized Prescriptions
Clearing Lung Heat & Moistening Lung Dryness: For hoarse coughs, dry/sore throats, and yellow/sticky phlegm, Physician Qiu often uses Mulberry Leaf, Loquat Leaf, Fritillaria Thunbergii, and Glehnia Root. It’s like adding water to a scorched pot, gently lowering the drying heat.
Warming the Lungs to Transform Fluids & Strengthening the Spleen to Expel Dampness: For white/watery phlegm worsened by cold, and a constant feeling of phlegm stuck in the chest, he commonly combines Dried Ginger, Asarum, Pinellia, Poria, and Atractylodes. It's like warming up, dissolving, and draining the body's excess cold "stagnant water."
Soothing Liver Qi & Downbearing Counterflow to Stop Cough: For coughs flaring with stress, feeling like a surge of qi triggers it, or even causing rib-side distension/pain, he adds Bupleurum, Bitter Orange, Inula Flower, and Hematite. "Smooth the stuck qi, and the cough settles," he says.
Nourishing Yin, Tonifying Kidney & Securing the Root: For long-term dry coughs with little phlegm, worsening at night, accompanied by sore lower back/weak knees, and hot palms/soles, he uses Rehmannia, Ophiopogon, Schisandra, and Cornus. "This cough is like a 'lamp running out of oil.' Moistening the lungs isn't enough; you need to add oil at the kidney 'root'."
Soothing the Throat & Local Relief: Throat discomfort often persists regardless of cough type. Physician Qiu selects throat-benefiting herbs like Indian Trumpet Flower Seed, Platycodon, and Raw Licorice. He may also recommend Kong Fang Tong's special lozenges or herbal nebulization for local relief.
Case Study
Patient: Mr. Wang, Age 44.
Initial Visit: Recurrent vague throat discomfort, worsened for over a month.
History: Symptoms worsened with work stress or emotional upset. Accompanied by itchy throat, dry cough, occasional throat foreign body sensation, dry mouth, copious phlegm. Normal appetite and bowel movements. Poor sleep. Diagnosed with chronic pharyngitis by specialist.
Examination (Initial): Alert, even breathing. Tongue pale-red with thin white coating. Pulse wiry-thin.
TCM Diagnosis: Plum Pit Qi (Chronic Pharyngitis).
Pattern: Qi Stagnation & Fluid Congealing.
Treatment Principle: Move Qi, Resolve Stagnation, Strengthen Spleen, Generate Fluids.
Formula: Modified Ban Xia Hou Po Tang (Pinellia & Magnolia Bark Decoction).
Prescription: Pinellia (Zhi) 10g, Magnolia Bark (Hou Po) 15g, Codonopsis (Dang Shen) 15g, Poria (Fu Ling) 20g, Atractylodes (Bai Zhu) 10g, Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi) 15g, Perilla Leaf (Zi Su Ye) 15g (added last), Forsythia (Lian Qiao) 15g, Lily Bulb (Bai He) 20g, Curcuma (Yu Jin) 15g, Raw Licorice (Sheng Gan Cao) 10g. 7 doses. Decoct in water, 1 dose daily, morning & evening.
Second Visit: Symptoms significantly reduced. Formula adjusted based on presentation, continued for 7 doses.
Outcome: Full recovery after finishing the herbs.
Stopping the cough isn't the finish line. True peace comes when your body regains its balance, no longer easily disturbed by that hacking sound!
TCM emphasizes pattern differentiation and treatment. Prescriptions are highly personalized. Specific herbs, dosages, and usage MUST be determined and adjusted by a qualified TCM physician based on your individual diagnosis. NEVER self-medicate based on this information.
