Exterior Syndrome(表证)

Exterior Syndrome(表证):

It refers to the symptoms appearing when pathogenic factors like six excesses and pestilence invade the body through the skin, body hair, mouth and nose, when the healthy qi fights against them in the superficial portion. It often occurs at the primary stage of externally contracted disease.

Clinical Manifestations: Aversion to wind and cold and cold a the beginning, or aversion to cold and fever, headache and general pain, sneezing, stuffy nose, nasal discharge, itchy and aching throat, mild coughing, panting, light red tongue with thin coating and floating pulse.

Syndrome Analysis: The confrontation between the healthy qi and pathogenic factors in the superficies would disturb the normal diffusion and warming function of defensive qi, so there appear aversion to cold and fever. Exogenous pathogens lingering in the superficies lead to blockage of channels, which causes headache and general pain. As the lung governs skin and body hair and connects with the nose, when the skin and body hair are attacked, the lung, nose and throat are involved, resulting in sneezing, stuffy nose, and clear nasal discharge, itchy and aching throat. Coughing and panting are caused by failure of lung qi to diffuse. Since they are still in the superficies, the pathogenic factors don't affect the function of stomach qi. At this moment, there is still light red tongue with thin coating. When the combat between the healthy qi and pathogenic factors is in superficies, the vessel qi is aroused, so there appears the floating pulse.



Light Red Tongue with Thin Coating