Chronic Pharyngitis - Lung-Kidney Yin Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Chronic Pharyngitis · Lung-Kidney Yin Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Head

Pattern Overview

Lung-Kidney Yin Deficiency is the core pattern in chronic pharyngitis, characterized by pharyngeal mucosal atrophy, dry throat with mild pain, dry cough with scanty sputum, afternoon aggravation, and hoarseness. The core pathogenesis is Lung-Kidney Yin deficiency with deficiency fire blazing upward, causing pharyngeal mucosal atrophy, reduced glandular secretion, and chronic irritation.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Dry throat with mild pain, dry cough with scanty sputum, afternoon aggravation |

| Associated Symptoms | Hoarseness, heat in palms and soles, dry mouth, soreness in the lower back and knees |

| Tongue and Pulse | Red tongue with little or peeling coating, thready and rapid pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Lung-Kidney Yin deficiency with deficiency fire blazing upward |

| Etiology | Prolonged voice overuse, smoking, chronic illness, aging, constitutional Yin deficiency |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| Taixi (KI3) | Depression between medial malleolus and Achilles tendon | Source point of Kidney meridian; nourishes Kidney-Yin |

| Zhaohai (KI6) | 1 cun below the medial malleolus | Nourishes Yin and moistens the throat |

| Lieque (LU7) | Above the wrist, on the radial side, in the depression between the tendons | Diffuses the Lung and relieves cough |

| Lianquan (RN23) | In the depression above the Adam’s apple, at the midpoint of the upper border of the thyroid cartilage | Local point; moistens the throat |

| Yuji (LU10) | On the thenar eminence, at the midpoint of the 1st metacarpal | Spring point of Lung meridian; clears Lung Heat and relieves sore throat |

Clinical Recommendation: Filament needle, reinforcing method; may combine with moxibustion at Zhaohai to nourish Yin.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Bai He Gu Jin Tang (百合固金汤) or Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang (沙参麦冬汤)

Composition:

Lily Bulb (Bai He), Rehmannia (Sheng Di), Prepared Rehmannia (Shu Di), Ophiopogon (Mai Dong), Scrophularia (Xuan Shen), Angelica (Dang Gui), White Peony (Bai Shao), Fritillaria (Bei Mu), Glehnia (Sha Shen), Polygonatum (Yu Zhu), Licorice (Gan Cao)

Action: Nourishes Lung-Kidney Yin, moistens the throat, and relieves cough.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Severe dry throat | Add Shi Hu, Tian Hua Fen to generate fluids and moisten dryness |

| Dry cough | Add Xing Ren, Pi Pa Ye to moisten the Lung and stop cough |

| Hoarseness | Add Pang Da Hai, Mu Hu Die to moisten the throat and improve voice |

| Deficiency fire | Add Zhi Mu, Huang Bai to clear deficiency heat |

| Soreness in lower back and knees | Add Du Zhong, Niu Xi to strengthen the lower back |

Western Mechanism Reference

Pharyngeal mucosal atrophy with reduced glandular secretion, pharyngeal epithelial cell apoptosis, and mucous gland atrophy. Lung-Kidney Yin Deficiency corresponds to chronic atrophic pharyngitis, where mucosal atrophy and reduced glandular secretion contribute to dry throat and chronic irritation.

References

  1. Otolaryngology of TCM - Chronic Pharyngitis with Lung-Kidney Yin Deficiency.

  2. Zang-Fu Pattern Differentiation: Lung-Yin Deficiency + Kidney-Yin Deficiency → Cross-layer.

  3. WHO. (2023). Respiratory health. World Health Organization.

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