In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the stage of pulmonary carbuncle is divided according to the different stages of the disease course and clinical manifestations. According to your description, the identification period can be divided into four stages: initial stage, carbuncle stage, ulcerative stage and recovery stage. In these four stages, the quantity, color, quality, taste, and clinical manifestations of sputum are different, and I will describe the characteristics of each of these four stages below.
In the initial stage, the phlegm appears white or yellow, has a small amount, has a viscous texture, and has no special odor. At the same time, patients may have symptoms of pulmonary health such as chills, fever, and cough. At this stage, ** should be based on dispelling wind and relieving the surface, promoting lung and dissolving phlegm, and some Chinese herbal medicines with the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cough and phlegm can be used**.
After entering the carbuncle stage, the amount of phlegm increases, the color changes to yellow-green, the texture becomes more viscous, and sometimes it is accompanied by a fishy odor. The patient's temperature may rise, and symptoms such as chills, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain may occur. These are all manifestations of phlegm, heat, stasis, and poison in the lungs. At this stage, ** should be based on clearing heat and detoxifying, dissolving blood stasis and dispersing knots, and some Chinese herbal medicines with the effects of draining pus and detoxifying, invigorating blood and removing stasis can be used**.
When the disease progresses to the ulcerative stage, the patient will discharge a large amount of foul-smelling purulent sputum or pus-bloody sputum, which is as thick as rice porridge and has an unusually fishy smell. At this stage, it should be mainly to drain pus and detoxify, nourish yin and clear heat, and some Chinese herbal medicines with the effect of draining pus and nourishing yin, clearing heat and detoxifying can be used.
After entering the recovery period, the color of the sputum gradually becomes lighter, the volume decreases, the texture becomes thinner, and the odor is reduced. At this time, the righteous qi gradually recovered, and the carbuncle and ulcer began to heal gradually. At this stage, it should be mainly based on nourishing qi and nourishing yin, invigorating blood and removing blood stasis, and some Chinese herbal medicines that have the effect of nourishing qi and nourishing blood, invigorating blood and removing blood stasis can be used.
In conclusion, the different stages of the disease differentiation period have different clinical manifestations and sputum characteristics. It is necessary to choose the appropriate Chinese herbal medicine according to the characteristics of different stages to achieve the best effect. At the same time, patients also need to pay attention to the improvement of diet and lifestyle habits to promote the development of the disease.