Half Exterior Half Interior
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 Exterior The concept of Interior
Key attributes
Chinese name: 半表半里 Pinyin name: Bàn Biǎo Bàn Lǐ
Pattern nature: Full
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Anxiety Vomiting Dry cough Dizziness Restlnessness and four other symptoms
Pulse type(s): Wiry (Xian)
Tongue description: Red tip with yellow and white coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Harmonize the Exterior and the Interior
Common formulas: Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Pathology
The differentiation of Exterior and Interior is not made on the basis of what caused the condition, but on the basis of the location of the disease. The Exterior mainly refers to skin, muscles and channels, while the Interior refers to deeper levels such as internal Organs.
When the Exterior patterns are not cured completely, the external Pernicious Influences can penetrate further into the Interior Organs. The Half Exterior and Half Interior pattern happens during this transforming stage. It explains the typical manifestation of cold and hot feeling rotation.
Any Lesser Yang diseases are half Exterior half Interior according to the Six Stages Theory. That the Evils has left the Great Yang Stage, but haven't enter the Yang Bright Stage.
This pattern impairs the Gallbladder Channel function, hence the symptoms of chest fullness and distention as well as bitter taste in the mouth.
It also causes Heat in the Gallbladder and disharmony between the Liver and Stomach, therefore the patients develops the symptoms of restlessness, anxiety, feeling of vomiting, poor appetite and dizziness.
Diagnosing Half Exterior Half Interior
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): Wiry (Xian)
Tongue description: Red tip with yellow and white coating
Main symptoms: Anxiety Vomiting Dry cough Dizziness Restlnessness Poor appetite Chest fullness Blurred vision Bitter taste in the mouth
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the rotation of cold and hot sensation.
Treating Half Exterior Half Interior
Treatment principle
Harmonize the Exterior and the Interior
Herbal formulas used to treat Half Exterior Half Interior
Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Treats the Lesser Yang Channels (Gallbladder and Triple Warmer). Regulates the Liver and Spleen functions. Addresses combined Yin-Yang symptoms of External and Internal, Excess and Deficiency, and Hot and Cold.
Formula summary
Xiao Chai Hu Tang is a 7-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that harmonize lesser Yang-warp disorders.
Besides Half Exterior Half Interior, Xiao Chai Hu Tang is also used to treat Phlegm-Fluids in the Stomach and Small intestine or Lesser Yang stage.