Wen Dan Decoction foot baths have been recommended for a long time. Today, I will share two cases of regulating phlegm-dampness constitution, with different triggers but similar results. Often, having comparisons, distinctions, and references leads to deeper thinking, understanding the reasons behind phenomena, which helps one better understand their constitution and achieve more effective regulation.Case 1: Reader Chen, female, 42 years old. She reported that since June of this year, she often felt discomfort in her throat, with intermittent phlegm that she could not clear; sometimes, she felt like something was stuck in her throat. Frustrated, she sought medical help, and the Western doctor diagnosed her with chronic pharyngitis, prescribing anti-inflammatory medication. After a week of medication, the sensation of a foreign body in her throat persisted, and she also experienced frequent stomach discomfort, leading her to stop the medication. One day, she contacted me to describe her situation. Through further communication, I learned that this woman had no emotional issues but had a weak spleen and stomach since childhood, often experiencing abdominal bloating and could not consume cold or greasy foods; otherwise, she would lose her appetite for several days. Additionally, this friend had a swollen tongue with a white greasy coating…
At this point, many friends with a background in TCM have already determined that this is a symptom of Mei He Qi (plum pit qi). After understanding the above situation, I informed Chen that she had a spleen deficiency phlegm accumulation type of Mei He Qi, as her spleen and stomach were unable to transform and transport, leading to phlegm accumulation, which caused her throat discomfort. Due to her poor spleen and stomach function and her aversion to oral medications, I suggested using Wen Dan Decoction foot bath packets (for damp-cold) for regulation. After using 20 packets, she reported that the sensation of a foreign body in her throat was gone, and phlegm significantly decreased, only coughing up a little in the morning. I then recommended another 20 packets for consolidation, along with a dietary therapy formula of Chen Pi (tangerine peel), ginger, and jujube tea to resolve phlegm, expel cold, and regulate the stomach, promoting recovery speed.Case 2: Zang, male, 65 years old. His daughter consulted on his behalf. His situation is more complex, with three high conditions (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia) and fatty liver. Most puzzling is that recently, lumps appeared on his arms and legs, the size of quail eggs, soft to the touch and movable. When they first appeared, he was quite frightened, and after seeking medical attention, he was told they were lipomas, a type of benign tumor that could be surgically removed. Although relieved, upon further understanding, I realized that surgical removal only addresses the symptoms, and there is a high chance of recurrence in the short term. We cannot have him continuously suffer from this issue!One day, his daughter communicated with me and learned that before her father fell ill, his diet was rich and greasy, with a lot of fatty and sweet foods, and he enjoyed smoking and drinking. It was only after his health issues arose that he abandoned these bad habits, and now his diet is generally healthy. Looking at it this way, it is not surprising that the above symptoms occurred. In TCM, lipomas are referred to as tan he (phlegm nodules), which are actually lumps formed by the accumulation of phlegm and turbidity. To verify, I asked: Is the elderly man somewhat overweight, easily drowsy during the day, and snoring at night? All questions received affirmative answers. In fact, when phlegm-dampness develops to a certain extent, these symptoms will manifest in the body. I also examined the elderly man’s tongue: it had a greasy coating, especially thick and yellow on the posterior part, with some cracks, which aligns well with the characteristics of the three highs and phlegm-dampness.
Considering that the patient’s phlegm-dampness had developed to a certain extent, I suggested using Wen Dan Decoction foot baths (for damp-heat) combined with oral administration of Hawthorn (Shan Zha) and Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) powder for regulation, once in the morning and once in the evening, for a 20-day cycle. In terms of diet, it should be light and simple, avoiding rich foods. After a month, his daughter came to inform me: She felt her father had become much clearer in spirit and was not as confused as before. He himself also felt much better than before, and the most gratifying thing was that those “quail egg” lumps had shrunk significantly, making him very happy and giving her a sense of accomplishment.These two cases effectively demonstrate the efficacy of Wen Dan Decoction in addressing phlegm-dampness issues.Phlegm can be divided into broad and narrow categories. Narrowly defined, phlegm generally refers to respiratory secretions that can be expectorated, hence it is also called external phlegm. Reader Chen in Case 1 was more affected by this type of external phlegm. Broadly defined, phlegm refers to internal phlegm, which is formed mainly from the body’s internal fluids that, under the influence of pathogenic factors, lose their normal pathways and patterns, gradually accumulating and condensing into a viscous, harmful liquid. This liquid is generally not expectorated but remains in the body, causing pathological changes. “Phlegm follows qi and reaches everywhere,” thus it can produce various diseases. Elder Zang in Case 2 is in this situation.Wen Dan Decoction is one of the top ten classic formulas in TCM. Even in modern times, this formula has been greatly promoted, safeguarding the health of the people. Wen Dan Decoction can resolve phlegm-dampness, transforming phlegm and benefiting the gallbladder to assist the movement of qi throughout the body. By resolving phlegm and benefiting the gallbladder, when the gallbladder is clear, qi can flow, leading to a great liberation of the body.► What kind of formula is it?
Wen Dan Decoction: 30g Fu Ling (Poria), 6g Ban Xia (Pinellia), 6g Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange), 6g Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried Licorice), 6g Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), 6g Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings).
It is better to use for foot baths!Why foot baths instead of drinking? Does foot bathing work better? Because “dampness obstructs the spleen,” those with phlegm-dampness often have spleen deficiency, and their spleen and stomach’s ability to transform and transport is poor, making it difficult to absorb the medicinal properties through the spleen and stomach. Therefore, for those with spleen deficiency and dampness, the absorption ability of the spleen and stomach is not as good as that of the meridians in the soles of the feet. Additionally, the ankle area has three yang meridians and three yin meridians, with 66 acupoints, allowing the warm medicinal liquid to directly act on the acupoints, facilitating transdermal absorption. This is similar to the method of applying medicine to the navel. Drinking medicine is not as effective as foot bathing. Allowing the medicinal components released from the foot bath packets to be absorbed into the body through the meridians is a more effective method.
▼Wen Dan Decoction foot bath packetsHigh-quality ingredients, outstanding effectsClick the image below to purchase