Of course, in Chinese medicine (CM), cough is related to the Lungs. But cough in CM can have several causes and approached differently depending on your presentation. For example, dry cough is considered Lung Heat. ‘Cool the Lungs’ with specific herbs and acupuncture points becomes the course of action.
Phlegmy, mucousy cough can be Phlegm-Heat (yellow mucus), Phlegm-Cold (clear/ white mucus) or even toxic Heat (greenish mucus).
But not always it’s the Lungs that are the root-cause of coughing.
For example, some people have to cough after eating a meal. It’s a sensation that most of us recognise from eating very spicy food. If it happens all the time, then it is the Chinese ‘Spleen’, which is a placeholder for the digestive system, that is weak and once the Spleen is stronger, the Lungs will stop misbehaving.
So as always, find the trail of symptoms to the root-cause ✨