The treatment of gastroesophageal reflux cough with lung-spleen theory

Chronic cough is one of the most common diseases of the respiratory system. It refers to the unexplained chronic cough in which cough is the only or cardinal symptom in clinically, lasting for more than 8 weeks, chest physical examination and chest X-ray chest film without obvious lesions. As it has been reported, gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC) accounts for about 10% to 40% causes of chronic cough. Patients with GERC only have respiratory symptoms but no obvious gastrointestinal symptoms, so this kind of cough is ignored by patients and doctors easily, and resulting in missed diagnosis. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made some achievements in the etiology, disease mechanism, formulas, medicinals and therapy of GERC. Especially the pattern differentiation and treatment of GERC has become mature gradually. In this article we discussed the treatment of GERC cough with lung-spleen theory mainly.