Exterior relieving therapy is used for dispelling pathogens from the superficial body. Our skin is the outermost shelter from exogenous pathogens, so when it is disturbed, symptoms such as chills, fever, headache, sweating problem, neck stiffness, generalized aches and a floating pulse will appear. Herbs that are pungent in flavor and with cooling or warming properties are selected.

Some popular pungent and cooling herbs are peppermint, mulberry leaf, cicada slough, great burdock fruit and weeping forsythia capsule. In external medicine, physicians usually use the therapy for infections of the upper body or skin problems such as hives, cervical carbuncles or acute mastitis, that present with redness and pain in the lesions, or sore throat, or acute and extensive skin rashes. The important accompanied signs in individuals are slight chills, fever, little sweating, thirst, yellowish urine and floating and rapid pulse. Sample Prescription: Burdock Fruit Decoction for Releasing Muscles (niu bang jie ji tang). The formula comprises mostly of pungent and cool ingredients that dispel pathogens from the superficial body so as to expel wind and heat, and alleviate phlegm and swelling.

Some popular pungent and warming herbs are schizonepeta herb, ledebouriella root, ephedra, cassia twig and fresh ginger. In external medicine, physicians usually use the therapy for painful and swelling wounds, or extensive skin rashes like hives and early stage measles that present in pale color and numbness. The important accompanied signs in individuals are chills, slight fever, no sweating, headache, general aching, a white tongue coating, and the pulse is floating and tense. Sample Prescription: Schizonepeta & Ledebouriella Antiphlogistic Powder (jing fang bai du san).