Taiyang syndrome

The Taiyang syndrome is an exterior syndrome often seen at the initial stage of exogenous disease. The main pathological manifestations are fever, aversion to cold, stiffness and pain at the posterior aspect of the head and neck, and a superficial pulse.

Taiyang dominates the exterior of the body, serving as the screen to the six meridians. When pathogenic wind cold invades the body, Taiyang is the first to be affected. Hindrance of wei yang from dispersing induces fever and aversion to cold. Injury of the Taiyang Meridian by pathogenic factors leads to disorders of the qi of the meridian, which, by its pathway, manifests as stiffness and pain of the posterior aspect of the head and neck. A superficial pulse appears when the pathogenic factor invades the muscles and body surface, and the antipathogenic qi moves outwards to resist it. As patients have different body constitutions and the invading pathogenic factors may differ in nature and severity, pathological changes and clinical manifestations of the Taiyang syndrome will vary. Sweating with a superficial and slowing - down pulse suggests invasion of Taiyang by wind, while absence of sweating with a superficial and tense pulse points to invasion of Taiyang by cold. Acupuncture treatment is aimed at eliminating exterior syndromes and promoting smooth circulation of the qi of the meridian. Points are selected from the Du Meridian and the Taiyang Meridians of Hand and Foot.