Dear patients, how can the dry heat mentioned in Donguibogam be explained in modern medicine? In fact, smoking, especially all forms including e-cigarettes, launches a critical, multi-pronged attack on throat health. The throat stinging, chronic cough, and foreign body sensation caused by smoking are the results of complex physiological changes that cannot simply be dismissed as just because of smoking.
First is direct mucosal irritation and an inflammatory response. Countless chemical substances, such as nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings found in cigarette smoke or e-cigarette liquids, cause direct physical and chemical irritation to the mucosal cells of the throat. This induces an acute inflammatory response, which, if persistent, develops into chronic pharyngitis. Continuous irritation damages the mucosal epithelial cells, weakening their protective barrier and leaving them vulnerable to invasion by external bacteria or viruses. Donguibogam's concept of dry heat can be understood as a comprehensive expression of this state where the mucosa dries out and suffers hypofunction due to repeated inflammation.
Second is the hypofunction of cilia and abnormal mucus secretion. Inside our throat are cilia, microscopic hair-like structures, that play a vital role in filtering foreign substances entering the bronchus and expelling them outward. However, harmful substances in cigarette smoke paralyze or destroy the motility of these cilia. When cilium function declines, foreign substances easily accumulate in the throat, and phlegm is not properly discharged, causing you to feel a foreign body sensation in throat as if something is stuck. In addition, chronic irritation can cause hypersecretion from mucous glands to produce sticky phlegm, or conversely dry out the mucosa to trigger a dry cough. This aligns with the Donguibogam concept of fire phlegm (hwadam), where phlegm congealed with heat rises upward to block the throat.
Third is altered neural sensitivity and chronic cough. Smoking continuously stimulates the nerve endings in the throat, raising their sensitivity. This makes the cough reflex trigger easily even from minor stimuli. Once the nerves become hypersensitive, they react excessively to normal air or tiny foreign particles, leading to a chronic cough. This kind of cough not only strains the lungs and bronchus, but can also worsen other conditions like reflux esophagitis.
Fourth is microvascular injury and circulatory disorders. Nicotine in cigarette smoke constricts blood vessels and causes microvascular injury, hindering the blood supply to the throat area. Impaired blood circulation delays the recovery of damaged mucosal cells and prevents inflammatory substances from being properly drained, worsening the chronic state. Furthermore, the activity of immune cells is inhibited, lowering resistance to infection. This is analogous to how dry heat of the lungs in Donguibogam exhausts the body's body fluids and degrades function over time.
Dear patients, smoking harms the throat in these diverse ways, and beyond simple, temporary discomfort, it can lead to serious consequences such as voice changes and an increased risk of laryngeal cancer in the long term. Now is the time to break away from the careless thought of it is just from smoking, properly understand the precious warning signs your body sends, and take active action. I will always warmly support and help you by your side.
