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The Lung in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Alternative Medicine and Natural Health

The Lung is considered a yin organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not surprisingly, it controls respiration and, because of this fact, it also controls Qi (the vital energy) as Qi is derived from the air we breathe. The Lung’s job is to absorb this energy and make it descend and disperse throughout the body. A failure of Lung Qi to descend – rebellious Lung Qi – can lead to some very typical Lung symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath.

The Lung is also responsible for the Wei or Protective Qi. This can be interpreted loosely as the immune system. Acute infectious diseases, such as colds and flus, are thought in Chinese medicine to be a result of the Protective Qi struggling with external influences such as the invasion of Cold, Heat or Dampness. The Lung provides our defense against the immediate negative influences of the world. This is also reflected in the emotion associated with the Lung: grief. Grief is an immediate response to a negative impression and disease states brought on by grief can be treated effectively with acupuncture points related to the Lung. Evidence of this relationship can be shown in that grief is often accompanied by sobbing, an interruption in the smooth function of the Lungs due to emotion.

The Lung also regulates fluid metabolism throughout the body. We see this in cases of urinary retention which can be related to the Lung. We also see it in edema. Lung edema occurs in the upper part of the body or Upper Jiao. (Lower body edema is related to the Kidneys.) A familiar example of this would be the edema that often accompanies allergic reactions - note again the immediate nature of Lung imbalances – this usually occurs in the face or lips.

Chinese medicine is about functional relationships. The Lung is paired with the Large Intestine. It is also related to the skin and the body hair, as well as the nose. Due to these relationships, constipation or diarrhea, rough or dry skin, excess sweating, thin or dry body hair and problems with the nose or smell, can all be related to imbalances in the Lung and treated with points on the Lung meridian (or herbs that affect the Lung).

So we can see that the Lung in TCM is associated with a variety of symptoms, some readily associated with the Western idea of lung, such as cough, and some quite different, such as rough skin. An acupuncturist treating a Lung imbalance would make further distinction by determining what pattern of imbalance best describes the patient. The Lung may be described, for instance, as Qi Deficient or Yin Deficient, or may be invaded by Heat, Cold, Dampness or Dryness, or be obstructed by Phlegm.

The energetic meridian associated with the Lung passes down the radial side of the inner arm. An acupuncturist treating a Lung imbalance would most likely choose points along this meridian.