this is painful obstruction of the throat due to damp-heat collecting in the lungs.

when damp-heat or a damp-warm-febrile disease invades the body, it often begins by attacking the lungs. damp-heat constrains the qi level of the lungs, which results in obstruction of the throat. damp-heat attacking the blood level of the lungs causes sore throat.

the red tongue and rapid pulse reflect the presence of heat, while the thick tongue coating and slippery pulse indicate dampness. if the damp-heat only penetrates to a relatively superficial level, the tongue coating will be white and the pulse will float; if it penetrates deeper, the tongue coating will turn yellow and the pulse will no longer float.