Dry-Cold
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Cold The concept of Dryness
Key attributes
Chinese name: 凉燥 Pinyin name: Liáng Zào
Pattern nature: Full
Causes
Common causes: External Cold and Dryness
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Fever Dry skin No sweat Coughing Headaches and four other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Dry tongue with a white thin dry coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Warm the Interior, clear Dryness, moisten the Lungs
Common formulas: Xing Su San
Pathology
During late autumn, Dry-Cold can penetrate the Defensive Qi and disturb its circulation in the Channels. The fight between the Defensive Qi and the external Pernicious Influence causes fever. The aversion to cold is due to the weakened Defensive Qi failing to warm the skin and muscles. The Cold also constrains the skin pores, hence the symptom of no sweat.
The Dryness goes to the head and causes headache. It also disturbs the Lungs Qi circulation and its descending, thus the symptom of coughing but with scanty or no sputum. It dries Body Fluids and therefore nose, mouth, throat and lips are dry. Dryness make patients feel thirst, while they don't have the desire to drink due to Cold Evil.
The combined Pernicious Evils stay Exterior, hence the coating is white and the pulse is Floating.
Causes
External Cold and Dryness : It happens more often in late autumn when the combination of Cold and Dryness is at its peak.
Diagnosing Dry-Cold
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin) or floating (Fu)
Tongue description: Dry tongue with a white thin dry coating
Main symptoms: Fever Dry skin No sweat Coughing Headaches Dry mouth Dry throat Scanty sputum Aversion to cold
Diagnosis commentary: The key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the fever, aversion to cold, headache, dry nose, mouth and throat as well as coughing without sputum.
Treating Dry-Cold
Treatment principle
Warm the Interior, clear Dryness, moisten the Lungs
Herbal formulas used to treat Dry-Cold
Xing Su San
Source date: 1798 AD
Number of ingredients: 11 herbs
Key actions: Clears Dry-Cold. Disseminates the Lung Qi and relieves cough. Transforms thin mucus.
Formula summary
Xing Su San is a 11-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1798 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that disperse Dryness and moisten.
Besides Dry-Cold, Xing Su San is also used to treat Body Fluids Deficiency or Dry-Heat or Dry-Fire.