Syndrome of phlegmatic dampness retention in lung refers to the syndrome due to failure of the lung to disperse and descend resulting from retention of phlegmatic dampness in the lung. This syndrome is caused by retention of phlegm coagulating from fluid in the lung due to asthenia of splenic qi and failure of transformation and transportation; or by prolonged cough impairing the lung, weakened function of the lung to transport fluid which leads to accumulation of dampness into phlegm and retention of phlegm in the lung system; or by invasion of exogenous cold and dampness into the lung which prevents the lung from dispersing and descending, leading to failure of the lung to transport fluid, accumulation of fluid into phlegm and retention of phlegm in the lung.

Clinical manifestations:
Cough with profuse whitish sputum easy to expectorate or with clear, thin and frothy sputum, even asthmatic breath with sputum rale, pale tongue with whitish greasy fur and slippery pulse, usually seen in chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema, chronic pulmonary heart disease and lung cancer, etc.

Analysis of symptoms:
Cough and profuse sputum are due to retention of phlegmatic dampness in the lung and upper adverse flow of pulmonary qi (whitish, sticky and easy to expectorate sputum is due to retention of phlegmatic dampness in the lung; while clear, thin and frothy sputum is due to retention of fluid in the lung) ; chest oppression, even asthmatic breath with sputum rale are due to retention of phlegm and fluid in the respiratory tract and inhibited flow of pulmonary qi; pale tongue with whitish greasy or whitish slippery fur , slippery pulse or soft and slow pulse are signs of exuberance of internal phlegmatic dampness.

Key points for syndrome differentiation:
Cough, asthmatic breath, profuse whitish sputum which is either sticky and slippery or thin and clear.