Part 2 of 6 in the allergic rhinitis series. Part 1 is what allergic rhinitis is and what histamine does; part 3 is the measures at home; part 4 is air-conditioning and haze; part 5 is when to see a doctor first; part 6 is what an online consultation does.

"So what does TCM say about my nose?" That is a natural next question once the Western account has been laid out.

Part 1 followed the histamine chain. This part changes language: how TCM theory reads the nose. One thing first — what follows is how the theory explains it, not a diagnosis of you.

The short version

• The TCM "lung" is not the anatomical organ but the name of a set of functions — "a functional system composed of the lung, large intestine, skin, body hair, nose and lung meridian", in the World Health Organization's TCM terminology standard.
• In that language the nose is the lung's opening, and nasal discharge belongs to the lung too — both the standard's own sentences.
• One more entry in the same WHO standard: "The lung dislikes cold" — intolerant of cold, connected with the skin and body hair, its qi easily damaged by exogenous pathogenic cold.
• The theory has no histamine layer. It describes a "surface": the lung diffuses qi outward, the "Wei" keeps that surface, and the nose is an opening in it.
• Neither account translates the other. "Wei-defensive qi" is not another name for the immune system, and histamine is not the laboratory version of "wind-cold".
• The theory's direction is habit-level: no cold draught on the face, a warm drink in the morning, a warm nose and neck, sleep at a fixed time.

First, the things that cannot wait

Difficulty breathing, wheezing, speaking in short phrases, or blue lips — call 999 now, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

A nosebleed lasting longer than 10 to 15 minutes, or bleeding that seems excessive — the NHS nosebleed page puts this one in A&E. Call 999 now, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Persistent one-sided blockage, repeated nosebleeds, or blood-streaked discharge — have a doctor establish the cause first; do not treat it as allergic rhinitis yourself.

The full list is in part 5.

⚠️ A safety note: TCM and Western medicine complement each other; it is not a choice between them. If you are under medical treatment, TCM care is a layer added on top — not a layer swapped in.

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

I. The TCM "lung" is the name of a set of functions

In TCM theory the "lung" is not quite the anatomical organ. The World Health Organization's TCM terminology standard defines the entries that touch the nose this way:

• Lung system (肺系): "A functional system composed of the lung, large intestine, skin, body hair, nose and lung meridian."
• The lung opens into the nose (肺开窍于鼻): "The nose is the opening of the lung."
• The fluid of the lung is nasal discharge (肺在液为涕): "Nasal discharge is associated with the lung."
• The lung dislikes cold (肺恶寒): "The lung is intolerant of cold and connected with the skin and body hair. Lung qi is easily damaged by exogenous pathogenic cold."

Those four are the standard's definitions, not this article's.

The standard has another entry on wind: it "may cause a wide variety of conditions", is "the spearhead of exogenous pathogenic factors and liable to associate itself with cold, dampness, dryness and heat". That is why TCM describes recurring sneezing and clear discharge in the language of "wind-cold" — the theory's language, not a diagnosis of you.

II. That "surface"

The theory has no histamine layer. It uses a different model: the body has a "surface", and the lung is in charge of it. The World Health Organization's standard defines the relevant entries this way:

• The lung governs the skin and body hair (肺主皮毛): "The lung warms and nourishes the skin and body hair, regulates the opening and closing of the sweat pores and safeguards the surface of the body."
• The lung governs upward and outward diffusion (肺主宣发): "the upward and outward diffusion of lung qi".
• Wei-defensive qi (卫气): "Opposite to the Ying-nutrient qi. It travels outside the vessels and is transformed from the nutrients of water and food." A second entry, Wei-defence circulates outside the vessels (卫行脉外): "Wei-defence is yang and resolute in nature. It travels outside the vessels."
• Wind floats and ascends (风性轻扬): "Wind is characterized by upward flowing. It easily affects the head, face, surface of the body and yang meridians." Wind opens and disperses (风性开泄): "Wind loosens the interspace between skin/muscle fibers and opens the skin pores, resulting in sweating and aversion to wind."
• Pathogenic factors attacking orifices (邪害空窍): "Pathological states caused by pathogenic factors invading the mouth, nose, ears and eyes."

Read together with section I's "The lung opens into the nose" and "The lung dislikes cold", this is the theory's barrier model: the lung diffuses qi outward to the surface, the surface is kept by the "Wei", and the nose is an opening in that surface; wind-cold coming in through the surface and the nose meets this layer first.

That last paragraph is this article's reading of the definitions above, not the standard's own sentence — the standard defines each entry separately and has no single line joining them.

III. Two accounts, neither a translation

The two accounts describe the same kind of experience, and neither is a translation of the other: the NHS speaks of an immune reaction, histamine and blood vessels; the theory speaks of qi, the surface and the orifices.

"Wei-defensive qi" is not another name for the immune system, and histamine is not the laboratory version of "wind-cold". The two vocabularies are easiest to mix up where they sound alike.

How either account applies to you is a question for after the consultation, not for this section.

IV. What the theory points to

In daily life, the theory's direction is a handful of habit-level things.

① No cold draught straight at the nose and mouth — the aircon vent, the fan, the wind on a motorbike.

② A warm drink first thing in the morning, before heading out.

③ Warm the nose and neck on waking — a thin scarf.

④ Sleep at a fixed time, avoid late nights, and keep the bedroom clean. The Hong Kong Department of Health's Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office lists sleeping at fixed times and avoiding late nights and lying in, and attending to the hygiene of living quarters, among its principles.

The first three are drawn from "The lung dislikes cold", not set out by any page. They are directions, not a prescription; which of them matters for you is a question for after the consultation.

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

The words in this part

All six definitions are from the World Health Organization's TCM terminology standard.

• Lung system (肺系) — the lung, large intestine, skin, body hair, nose and lung meridian as one functional system.
• The lung opens into the nose (肺开窍于鼻) — the nose is the lung's opening; this article's starting point.
• The lung dislikes cold (肺恶寒) — intolerant of cold, connected with the skin and body hair, its qi easily damaged by exogenous pathogenic cold.
• Wei-defensive qi (卫气) — opposite to the Ying-nutrient qi, travelling outside the vessels, transformed from the nutrients of water and food. Not another name for the immune system.
• Wind opens and disperses (风性开泄) — wind loosens the interspace between skin and muscle fibres and opens the pores, resulting in sweating and aversion to wind.
• Pathogenic factors attacking orifices (邪害空窍) — pathological states caused by pathogenic factors invading the mouth, nose, ears and eyes.

Frequently asked

Why do I sneeze the moment I wake up — how does the theory read it? The theory's reading: the nose is the opening of the lung and the lung dislikes cold (both the WHO standard's own sentences), the early morning is cool, and wind-cold enters easily through the nose — the theory's language, not a diagnosis of you. What the Western side does about it is part 3; if symptoms worsen or affect your sleep, the NHS says see a doctor.

The other five parts

• Part 1: How allergic rhinitis happens, and what histamine does
• Part 3: At home: bedding, dust, rinsing the nose
• Part 4: Air-conditioning, haze, masks and the pharmacy
• Part 5: When to see a doctor first
• Part 6: What an online consultation does

👉 If you are not sure where to even start describing a nose problem that keeps coming back, you are welcome to book an online consultation with HansMed, where a practitioner registered under the T&CM Act 2016 can assess it with you; if anything in "First, the things that cannot wait" above or in part 5 applies, see a doctor first.

Sit with a licensed TCM practitioner from wherever you are.

HansMed Modern TCM

Sources

• World Health Organization, WHO international standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine, 2022 — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240042322
• Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office, Department of Health, Hong Kong, Health Maintenance and Common Bare-handed Exercises — https://www.cmro.gov.hk/html/gb/useful_information/public_health/exhibit_boards/Health_Maintenance_and_Common_Bare-handed_Exercises.html
• NHS, Antihistamines, page last reviewed 16 May 2023 — https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/antihistamines/
• NHS, Allergic rhinitis, page last reviewed 08 January 2026 — https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/allergic-rhinitis/
• NHS, Nosebleed, page last reviewed 05 December 2023 — https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nosebleed/

本文是「鼻敏感」系列的第 2 篇，共 6 篇。第 1 篇讲鼻敏感是什么、组织胺做什么，第 3 篇讲家里的做法，第 4 篇讲冷气与烟霾天，第 5 篇讲什么时候要先看医生，第 6 篇讲线上问诊会做什么。

「我这个鼻子，中医会怎么说？」这是听完西医那一套之后，很自然会接着问的一句。

第 1 篇讲的是组织胺那条线。这一篇换一套语言：中医理论怎么看鼻子。先说清楚一件事——以下是理论怎么解释，不是给您的诊断。

一分钟看完

• 中医理论里的「肺」不是解剖学上那个器官，而是一组功能的名字。世界卫生组织的中医术语标准把「肺系」定义为由肺、大肠、皮肤、体毛、鼻和肺经组成的功能系统。
• 鼻在这套语言里是「肺的开窍」，鼻涕也归在肺——两条都是那份标准的原句。
• 同一份标准还有一条「肺恶寒」：肺不耐寒，与皮肤、体毛相连；肺气容易被外来的寒邪所伤。
• 理论没有组织胺这一层。它讲的是身体有一层「表」：肺把气布散出去，体表由「卫」守着，鼻是这层表上的开口。
• 两套说法不是互译。「卫气」不是免疫系统的另一个名字，组织胺也不是「风寒」的化验室版本。
• 理论给的方向是几件习惯层面的事——冷风不直吹口鼻、晨起喝温的、暖鼻颈、定时睡眠。

先说不能等的几件事

呼吸困难、喘鸣、说话时断句、嘴唇发紫——请立刻拨打 999，或前往最近的医院急诊部。

流鼻血超过 10 到 15 分钟，或出血量大——NHS 的流鼻血页把这一项放在急诊。请立刻拨打 999，或前往最近的医院急诊部。

单侧持续鼻塞、反覆流鼻血，或鼻涕带血——先让医生查明原因，不要当成鼻敏感自己处理。

完整的清单，见第 5 篇。

⚠️ 安全提醒：中医与西医是互相补位的关系，不是二选一。若您正在西医治疗中，中医调理是加上去的一层，不是拿来替换的那一层。

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

一、中医的「肺」是一组功能的名字

在中医理论里，「肺」不完全等于解剖学上的器官。世界卫生组织的中医术语标准把和鼻子有关的几条这样定义：

• 肺系 lung system：由肺、大肠、皮肤、体毛、鼻和肺经组成的功能系统。
• 肺开窍于鼻：鼻是肺的开窍。
• 肺在液为涕：鼻涕与肺相关。
• 肺恶寒：肺不耐寒，与皮肤、体毛相连；肺气容易被外来的寒邪所伤。

以上四条是那份标准的定义，不是本文的说法。

标准另有一条讲「风」：风可以引起很多种病，是外来致病因素的先头，容易与寒、湿、燥、热相合。所以中医常用「风寒」这一类的语言，来描述反覆的喷嚏和清涕——这是理论的语言，不是给您的诊断。

二、那一道「表」

理论没有组织胺这一层。它用的是另一套模型：身体有一层「表」，由肺管着。世界卫生组织的标准把相关的几条这样定义：

• 肺主皮毛：肺温养皮肤与体毛，调节汗孔的开合，并护卫体表。
• 肺主宣发：肺气向上、向外的布散。
• 卫气 Wei-defensive qi：与营气相对；行于脉外，由水谷的营养所化。另有一条卫行脉外：卫气属阳，性质刚悍，行于脉外。
• 风性轻扬：风的特性是向上飘动，容易侵犯头面、体表和阳经。风性开泄：风使皮肉之间的间隙疏松、汗孔张开，因而出汗、怕风。
• 邪害空窍：致病因素侵犯口、鼻、耳、目所造成的病理状态。

把这几条和第一节的「肺开窍于鼻」「肺恶寒」放在一起读，就是理论的屏障模型：肺把气向外布散到体表，体表由「卫」守着，鼻是这层表上的开口；风寒从体表和鼻窍进来，先碰到的是这一层。

上面这一段是本文对这几条定义的整理，不是标准的原句——标准把每一条分开定义，没有一句话把它们串起来。

三、两套说法，不互译

两套说法讲的是同一类经验，但不是互译：NHS 讲的是免疫反应、组织胺与血管，理论讲的是气、表与窍。

「卫气」不是免疫系统的另一个名字，组织胺也不是「风寒」的化验室版本。两边的词长得像的时候最容易混。

哪一套说法在您身上怎么用，是看诊后的事，不在这一段里。

四、理论给的方向

落到生活上，这套理论的方向是几件习惯层面的事。

① 别让冷风直吹口鼻——冷气出风口、风扇、摩托车上的风。

② 晨起先喝一杯温的，再出门。

③ 起床时先让鼻子和颈部暖起来——围一条薄围巾。

④ 定时睡眠，避免熬夜，并注意居室卫生。香港卫生署中医药规管办公室的养生原则写的是「定时睡眠，避免熬夜和久卧」，以及「须注意居室卫生」。

前三项是从「肺恶寒」这一条推出来的方向，不是哪一页写明的做法。它们是方向，不是处方；哪一项对您有意义，是问诊后的事。

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

这篇出现的几个词

六个定义都出自世界卫生组织的中医术语标准。

• 肺系 lung system——由肺、大肠、皮肤、体毛、鼻和肺经组成的功能系统。
• 肺开窍于鼻——鼻是肺的开窍；这一句是这篇的起点。
• 肺恶寒——肺不耐寒，与皮肤、体毛相连；肺气容易被外来的寒邪所伤。
• 卫气 Wei-defensive qi——与营气相对，行于脉外，由水谷的营养所化。不是免疫系统的另一个名字。
• 风性开泄——风使皮肉之间的间隙疏松、汗孔张开，因而出汗、怕风。
• 邪害空窍——致病因素侵犯口、鼻、耳、目所造成的病理状态；「窍」指的就是这几个开口。

常见问题

早上一起床就打喷嚏，理论怎么解释？ 理论的解释是：鼻是肺的开窍、肺恶寒（两条都是世卫标准的原句），清晨气温低，风寒容易从鼻窍而入——这是理论的语言，不是给您的诊断。西医那边的做法在第 3 篇；症状加重或影响睡眠，NHS 说看医生。

这个系列的另外五篇

• 第 1 篇：鼻敏感是怎么发生的，组织胺做什么
• 第 3 篇：家里怎么处理：床单、灰尘、洗鼻子
• 第 4 篇：冷气、烟霾、口罩和药剂行
• 第 5 篇：什么时候要先看医生
• 第 6 篇：线上问诊会做什么

👉 如果您不确定「我这种反覆发作的鼻子情况，该从哪里说起」，欢迎透过汉方中医的线上问诊，由依 2016 年 T&CM 法令注册的医师为您评估；若有本文「先说不能等的几件事」或第 5 篇列出的情况，请先看医生。

无论身在何处，与持证中医师对坐。

汉方现代中医

资料来源

• 世界卫生组织，WHO international standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine，2022 — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240042322
• 香港卫生署中医药规管办公室，〈中医养生及常见的徒手养生保健运动〉— https://www.cmro.gov.hk/html/gb/useful_information/public_health/exhibit_boards/Health_Maintenance_and_Common_Bare-handed_Exercises.html
• NHS，Antihistamines，页面最后审阅 2023 年 5 月 16 日 — https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/antihistamines/
• NHS，Allergic rhinitis，页面最后审阅 2026 年 1 月 8 日 — https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/allergic-rhinitis/
• NHS，Nosebleed，页面最后审阅 2023 年 12 月 5 日 — https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nosebleed/