Patient's question:
The child is now four years old and has poor physical health. They are particularly prone to catching colds, and almost every cold leads to bronchitis. The main symptoms are excessive phlegm and coughing, and recovery is very slow once they catch a cold. In June of this year, a cold caused bronchitis that hasn't fully healed yet, with symptoms fluctuating between mild and severe. During August, they had two consecutive acute tonsillitis episodes, both treated with intravenous antibiotics. In October, things were relatively better, with milder symptoms of phlegm and coughing, and they didn't need to take any medication. However, seven days ago, the cough and phlegm suddenly worsened, and there was wheezing in the trachea. The doctor diagnosed bronchitis, and they took antibiotics (Cefixime) for six days. Now, they still have a cough and excessive phlegm.Doctor's answer:
Hello: The following methods are for reference only: Acute bronchitis in children is often secondary to upper respiratory tract infections or tracheitis, characterized by congestion, edema, ciliary cell damage, hypertrophy, and increased secretion of mucus glands in the bronchial mucosa. It is related to the invasion of pathogens in the lung and spleen meridians. Acute bronchitis occurs when the lung and spleen meridians are affected by cold or heat, and its treatment is divided into two categories: wind-cold cough and wind-heat cough.Wind-cold cough is frequent and severe, with or without thin white phlegm, stuffy nose with clear mucus, itchy throat with a heavy voice, or accompanied by fever and chills, or general discomfort. The condition is classified as wind-cold closing the lung, with impaired lung qi ventilation. Treatment should focus on dispelling wind and cold, ventilating the lung, and stopping cough. Modified Xingsu San is used.
The formula includes: 6 grams each of apricot kernel, perilla leaves, prepared pinellia, and Poria, 5 grams each of parsnip root, platycodon root, and licorice, 3 grams each of dried tangerine peel and tangerine essence, 2 slices of fresh ginger, and 3 jujubes. Boil in water and drink. Add 5 grams of stemona for severe cough. Add 3 grams of ephedra for no sweating in winter. If fever is severe with sweating, add 10 grams of raw gypsum and boil together.
Wind-heat cough is more common when upper respiratory infections turn into heat, with heat forcing the lung to cause cough with difficult phlegm, yellow phlegm that is hard to expel, and congestion, redness, or fever and sweating in the throat. The condition is classified as wind-heat invading the lung, with impaired lung clarity. Treatment should focus on dispelling wind and resolving heat, and clearing the lung to stop cough.
The formula includes: 15 grams of mulberry flower, 10 grams each of Forsythia, mulberry leaves, and chrysanthemum, 6 grams each of parsnip root, stemona, platycodon root, and burdock seed, 5 grams each of apricot kernel, mint, and licorice, 12 grams of reed root, all boiled in water and drunk. For severe fever, add 5 grams each of scutellaria and anemarrhena, and 10 grams of raw gypsum; for severe cough with excessive phlegm, add 10 grams of Trichosanthes fruit and 5 grams of Fritillaria cirrhosa, all boiled together.