Modern medicine interprets the concept of phlegm-fluid in Donguibogam from several angles. Palpitations, anxiety, and chest tightness closely correlate with autonomic dysfunction or cardiac neurosis. The autonomic nervous system regulates vital bodily functions without our conscious direction, including heart rate, respiration, and digestion. When stress, irregular routines, or inflammation disrupt this balance, the disruption mirrors the effects of phlegm-fluid in Donguibogam.
Chronic stress leads to excessive sympathetic activation, elevating heart rate and blood pressure while keeping the body in continuous tension. Concurrently, parasympathetic nerve function declines, impairing rest and recovery. This autonomic nervous system imbalance can produce irregular heartbeats such as arrhythmia and palpitations, along with chest discomfort and dyspnea. Mentally, it may manifest as anxiety, restlessness, and episodes resembling a panic attack. Just as trapped phlegm-fluid obstructs the movement of qi and creates a sensation of chest fullness, prolonged sympathetic activation impairs normal heart and lung function, locking the body into an ongoing alert state.
Recent research indicates that autonomic dysfunction is closely tied to hypofunction of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve links the brain to the heart, lungs, and digestive organs, playing a key role in physical relaxation and inflammatory regulation. When vagus nerve activity drops, symptoms such as indigestion, anxiety, and abnormal heart rhythm can emerge. In addition, research on the gut-brain axis demonstrates that gut dysbiosis affects neurotransmitter synthesis, which can induce anxiety and depression. Donguibogam's understanding of phlegm-fluid extends beyond localized water qi stagnation to encompass systemic inflammatory responses, nervous system imbalances, and gastrointestinal disruption. Behind symptoms once dismissed as merely psychological, a stagnant and imbalanced internal system closely resembling phlegm-fluid may be present.
