The Lung in Traditional Chinese Medicine encompasses functions beyond respiration.
Energetic functions
- Governs Qi and respiration. Participates in the production and distribution of Qi: Zong Qi and Wei Qi.
- Purging and descent: participates in fluid metabolism together with Spleen and Kidney.
- Sense of smell.
- Its peak energy is from 3 to 5 in the morning.
Related physiological structures
The Lung system includes the two lungs, bronchi, trachea, throat and nose. Lung is the only organ that has direct access to the exterior through the respiratory pathways, whereas the rest of Zang organs are located inside. For this reason it is said that Lung communicates with the surface. It also has a relationship with the skin.
Psycho-emotional functions
Lung houses the Po, the Corporeal Soul, the instinctive soul. It is affected by sadness, worry, affliction, emotions held and not expressed.
Main symptoms of dysfunction
- Shortness of breath or breathing difficulty
- Chest oppression
- Cough
- Suffocation and sweating with minimal effort
- Tendency to catch cold
- Rhinitis, runny nose
- Pharyngitis, laryngitis
- Loss of voice
- Skin problems
- Paleness
Related syndromes and pathologies
Combined syndromes
- Heart- and Lung-Qi deficiency
- Spleen- and Lung-Qi deficiency
- Lung- and Spleen-Yang Deficiency
- Lung- and Kidney-Yin Deficiency
- Liver-Fire Insulting the Lung
Pathologies
Channels
Return to Zang Organs