Differentiation of Syndromes and Treatment

In diagnosis signs and symptoms must be found out with the specific diagnostic methods (four examinations) to know the nature of the disease.
For example, if a patient with common cold presents fever, aversion to cold, anhidrosis, shortness of breath, headache and general pain, floating or tense pulse and thin white coating, the following conclusion is reached:

Syndrome Analysis of Syndrome Syndrome Differentiation Major Symptoms Fever, aversion to cold—contraction of external pathogenic factors Anhidrosis and tense pulse— severe exterior excess syndrome Thin and white coating—exterior syndrome due to wind-cold Floating and tense pulse—exterior syndrome Exterior syndrome—floating pulse Cold syndrome—aversion to cold Excess syndrome—anhidrosis and tense pulse Yin syndrome—external contraction of cold Minor Symptoms Severe shortness of breath—disturbance of lung qi Headache and general pain—obstruction in meridians

The example above illustrates the process of syndrome differentiation in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
After determination of the syndrome, how is treatment give? According to the theory in Traditional Chinese medicine, it is appropriate to prescribe medicinal herbs that disperse cold and release the exterior.

Medicinal Herbs Main Action Sovereign ingredient: Herba Ephedrae—dispelling cold, ventilating the lung to relieve shortness of breath Minister ingredient: Ramulus Cinnamomi—warming meridians and dispelling cold, harmonizing the ying and wei systems To induce sweating and release exterior To ventilate the lung to relieve shortness of breath Adjuvant ingredient: Semen Aarmeniacae— alleviating cough and shortness of breath. Courier ingredient: Redix Glycyrrhizae—regulating the action of other herbs and reducing the drastic action of Herba Ephedra and Ramulus Cinnamomi. To moisten the lung and relieve cough To harmonize the action of other herbs