"Doctor, my nose feels fine, but something keeps draining down my throat. I clear my throat every morning, and I break out in a cold sweat trying to hold in my cough in front of people." This is something heard very frequently in the clinic. The sticky sensation described as phlegm in Donguibogam can be explained in modern medicine as post-nasal drip syndrome and chronic cough.
These symptoms occur because mucus excessively secreted from the nasal and throat mucosa drips down the back of the throat, and the causes are diverse and complex. Otorhinolaryngologic diseases such as allergic rhinitis or sinusitis are basic causes, and gastroesophageal reflux disease can also cause it by irritating the esophagus and bronchus. It may also be an early symptom of respiratory diseases such as asthma or bronchiectasis. Even medications being taken, such as an ACE inhibitor among hypertension drugs, can be a cause of dry cough.
What is important here is that just like the disharmony of qi described in Donguibogam, modern medicine pays attention to autonomic nervous system imbalance. When stress is severe or one suffers from chronic fatigue, the sympathetic nerve becomes excessively heightened, which affects blood flow volume and mucus secretion in the nasal and throat mucosa. The quality of mucus turns sticky and its discharge becomes poor, which can worsen postnasal drip. Furthermore, as acid reflux or allergic reactions continue chronically, the bronchial mucosa becomes hypersensitive, repeating a vicious cycle where coughs easily erupt at the slightest irritation.
Recently, the gut-lung axis theory has also been drawing attention. If gut health is poor, it influences the systemic inflammatory response, which can reduce the immunity of the lungs and bronchi. This shares much in common with Donguibogam's emphasis on the importance of the spleen and stomach, the digestive system, alongside the lung. This is why an integrative approach is needed to restore balance throughout our entire body and resolve the fundamental cause, rather than merely suppressing symptoms. If it is a chronic discomfort that cannot be resolved with simple cold medication, it is time to understand and care for the deeper signals of the body.
