Hello everyone, I am Dr. Wang. Many people think that phlegm is just the sticky substance coughed up from the throat. Once it's cleared out, everything's fine.

Actually, that's just "the tip of the iceberg." In traditional Chinese medicine, what's truly troublesome are those invisible phlegms that you can't see or cough up, but are "lurking" in your five internal organs.

What exactly is this "invisible phlegm"?

Simply put, it's like the "wet trash" in the body.

When our spleen and stomach function well, the essence of food and drink we consume can be properly transformed and transported, turning into qi and blood to nourish the whole body. But once the spleen and stomach become weak, their transportation and transformation ability declines, and much of the body fluid and dampness cannot be metabolized. These "damp waste" accumulate over time, gradually turning into viscous "phlegm."

This phlegm is not docile; it will follow the blood and qi to wander throughout the body causing trouble:

It can run under the skin, possibly turning into small mysterious lumps, nodules, or bumps on your body.

If it goes to the brain and blocks the clear orifices, it can cause dizziness, a stuffy head, feeling groggy and sluggish, and 整天不清醒 throughout the day.

If it reaches the heart and mixes with blood stasis, it can easily cause blood vessels to become congested, leading to chest tightness, palpitations, and 埋下隐患 for cardiovascular issues.

Staying in your stomach and intestines, it will make you lose appetite, feel bloated, feel like nothing tastes good, and easily cause nausea and vomiting, so your body naturally doesn't get the nutrition it needs.

That's why traditional Chinese medicine often says "all diseases are caused by phlegm," and many difficult and puzzling conditions are often behind this "invisible phlegm."

Clearing "hidden phlegm," the ancients had a classic approach

Since this phlegm is so troublesome, how can it be sent away?

Tang Dynasty's King of Medicine Sun Simiao had a time-honored formula passed down through the ages—Wen Dan Tang, which is specifically designed to handle this kind of "hidden phlegm." Its power lies in the fact that it doesn't just dispel phlegm; instead, it follows a well-structured method, summarized in four words: break, transform, clear, and replenish.

The entire formula consists of only six simple herbs, but their combination is exquisitely refined:

Pioneer Force (Breaking): Bitter Orange It acts like a "demolition team," forcefully breaking through the obstructed Qi mechanism, loosening and dispersing the solidified phlegm lumps, paving the way for subsequent cleanup work.

Main Force (Transforming): Pinellia ternata, Tangerine Peel These are the "golden partners" for resolving phlegm and drying dampness. Pinellia ternata is responsible for transforming the already formed phlegm-dampness, while Tangerine Peel helps regulate the Qi mechanism of the spleen and stomach, restoring their ability to transform and transport, reducing the production of new phlegm at the source. One is responsible for "cleaning up the trash," and the other for "repairing the trash disposal," with clear division of labor.

Cleanup Force (Clearing): Bamboo Shoot Rhizome Phlegm-dampness that lingers in the body for too long can easily accumulate heat, causing restlessness, insomnia, and irritability. Bamboo Shoot Rhizome is cooling and specifically targets this heat, while also calming the mind, helping you sleep soundly at night.

Logistics Force (Supporting): Ginger, Licorice Root The entire formula is "tackling tough challenges," which may affect the spleen and stomach, the foundation of the body. Ginger and Licorice Root are the "logistics support," gently protecting our middle Jiao spleen and stomach, ensuring that while phlegm is dispelled, the body's foundation is not harmed.

You see, the Wen Dan Tang formula not only powerfully eliminates hidden phlegm-dampness but also considers its root cause (spleen and stomach), takes into account potential secondary issues (suppressed heat, restlessness), and finally stabilizes the "posterior support." The thinking is clear, progressive layer by layer, this is where the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine formulas lies.

Warm reminder: This article is aimed at popularizing traditional Chinese medicine knowledge. Wen Dan Tang is good, but when it comes to each individual, constitutions vary greatly. If you feel troubled by phlegm-dampness in your body, you must consult a professional TCM practitioner for syndrome differentiation, use medicine under the guidance of a doctor, and never self-prescribe medication!