COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is classified into four stages in Western medicine based on lung capacity. Stage one exhibits mild symptoms with 80% lung capacity, escalating to stage four with less than 30% capacity, posing potentially life-threatening conditions (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, 2021).

In contrast, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) categorizes COPD under a disharmony pattern termed Cold-Phlegm, attributed to a fire deficiency impacting the spleen's fluid management (Chen et al., 2014, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine). These divergent frameworks provide unique diagnostic and therapeutic insights, although empirical research is needed to validate and potentially integrate these perspectives (Liu et al., 2017, BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies). Both approaches contribute to a multifaceted understanding of COPD, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary research.