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📖 Donguibogam > Neijing Pian (Chapter of the Inner Canon)
Why Body Aches, Muscle Pain, Flu-Like Symptoms, and Myalgia Appear First with Every Change of Season
Translation Disclaimer
This content is a carefully translated version of traditional Korean medical records (Donguibogam) and its modern interpretations. While prepared by specialized medical translators, it is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health decisions.
Modern Symptoms
Why are we experiencing this pain?
"When the mornings and evenings turn chilly, do you find yourself first experiencing a scratchy, dry, or irritated throat and a runny nose? Do you feel uniquely frustrated that you always seem to catch a common cold with every change of season, and just a little fatigue leads to a swollen throat and the onset of a cough? It's okay; if we listen to the subtle signals our body sends, we can absolutely overcome these challenges healthily."
Modern Medical Proof
The Frontline Respiratory Organ: The Vital Role of the Lungs That Activates the Immunity Switch
Just as Korean traditional medicine viewed the lungs as our body's 'Huagai (acupuncture point CV20)' and the frontline with the outside world, modern medicine also highly emphasizes the immunological significance of the lungs. Beyond merely being an organ responsible for oxygen exchange, the lungs can be considered a 'large immune organ' directly exposed to the external environment through our body's largest surface area (approximately 70-100 square meters, half the size of a tennis court!). Every moment we breathe, countless microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, and pollutants floating in the air attempt to reach the alveoli. To block these invaders, the lungs are equipped with a highly sophisticated immune system. First, the cilia of the nose and bronchial mucosa move incessantly like tiny brooms, pushing foreign bodies outwards. The mucous layer plays a role in stickily capturing harmful substances. Deeper inside, guardian cells called alveolar macrophages are constantly on standby, immediately engulfing and eliminating invaders. Specialized immune cells like lymphocytes and dendritic cells are also distributed throughout lung tissue, accommodating and remembering the immune response, establishing an organ defense posture. The reason why people are particularly prone to a common cold during changes of season is that rapid temperature changes and dry environments weaken these immune defense systems of the lungs. Cold and dry air can damage the bronchial mucosa and reduce the motility of the cilia. This creates an environment where viruses or bacteria can penetrate more easily. Furthermore, if our body excessively secretes stress hormones such as cortisol due to stress or sleep deprivation, the activity of immune cells decreases, and inflammatory responses can be easily induced. These complex factors reduce the immunity of the lungs, ultimately appearing as the signal of a 'common cold'. Recently, research is also actively underway showing that lung inflammatory responses can lead to systemic chronic inflammation, or are closely linked to gut health, such as the gut-lung axis. This suggests that lung health is not merely a respiratory organ problem, but is closely related to systemic immune balance. Therefore, taking good care of the lungs is not just about common cold prevention, but becomes a very important key to maintaining the immunity of our entire body.
Warm Your Lungs: Lifestyle Habits to Activate Your Immunity Switch
2 steps you can take right now
1
💧 A Sip of Lukewarm Water
A Habit for Moisture. During dry seasonal transitions, your lungs are often the first to dry out and weaken. Even if you don't feel thirsty, make it a habit to sip warm or lukewarm water frequently throughout the day. Keeping your bronchial mucosa moist is very helpful in protecting your lungs from external harmful substances. It's far more effective to drink small amounts often than a large quantity all at once.
2
🧘♀️ Gently Open Your Shoulders and Back to Fully Expand Your Lungs. Kyphotic posture hinders your lungs from sufficiently expanding and breathing freely. When sitting, simply straightening your lumbar region and leaning your shoulders slightly back can create more space for lung expansion. Gentle stretching like rotating your shoulders or gentle stretching can effectively relax the muscles around your lungs, aid blood circulation, and activate lung function.
Traditional Wisdom
If You Catch a Common Cold Every Change of Season, the Donguibogam Says Your Lungs Are the First to Tire
The 'lungs' in our body have often been compared to a reliable guardian protecting a forest, or a splendid and important 'Canopy of the Lungs (Huagai)' in a palace, like an umbrella covering the king's shoulder. They are located in the highest part among zang-fu organs and play a very important role in protecting other organs from external invasions. That's why the Donguibogam sometimes called the lungs the 'prime five zang organs'.
The lungs are not merely an organ that just breathes. They act as a 'gateway' that directly communicates with the external Qi, to oversee our body's surface, specifically the skin and hair. Like our body's coat, they are the first to encounter and block external noxious influences such as Pathogenic Wind, Cold, and particulate matter from the outermost layer. What happens if these external Qi are too strong, or if the lungs are fatigued and weakened? The external noxious influence called 'Wind-Cold' can easily enter the body through the skin and hair.
When this noxious influence enters, the lungs are the first to be affected. It's like our body's outermost defense line has been breached. That's why cold symptoms like a scratchy, dry, or irritated throat, cough, and a runny nose appear first. If the lungs are healthy, they can repel such external invasions without faltering, but when immunity drops and the body is fatigued, the lungs easily tire and weaken, causing these symptoms to recur. For those who uniquely suffer from a common cold every change of season, you can think of this as your lungs asking for help, saying, "Please protect me."
Original Donguibogam Record
肺者 華蓋也 在五臟之上 故爲五臟之長... 風寒之邪 從皮毛而入 則肺受之
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Author: AI Donguibogam Research Team
We analyze Heo Jun's 'Donguibogam', a UNESCO Memory of the World, using modern data science and AI. Our goal is to reinterpret the wisdom of traditional medicine hidden in ancient texts to suit the lifestyles of busy modern people and deliver it in an easy-to-understand way.
Caution (Disclaimer): This content is for providing health information based on historical literature and cannot replace medical diagnosis and treatment. If you have any health problems, please consult a specialist (doctor/oriental medical doctor).