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.
Severe fever and chills without sweating can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like severe fever and chills without sweating here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here severe fever and chills without sweating is often associated with generalized body pain and irritability in the pattern “Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of severe fever and chills without sweating we’ve identified that a herbal formula called Da Qing Long Tang can help treat the patterns behind the symptom.
Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause severe fever and chills without sweating
In Chinese Medicine severe fever and chills without sweating is a symptom for the pattern "Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
Ephedra (Ma Huang) is the king ingredient for Da Qing Long Tang, a formula used for Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation
Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Tight (Jin), Floating (Fu)
In addition to severe fever and chills without sweating, other symptoms associated with Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation include generalized body pain and irritability.
Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation is often treated with Da Qing Long Tang, a herbal formula made of 7 herbs (including Ephedra - Ma Huang - as a key herb). Da Qing Long Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that clear wind-cold", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Promotes sweating".
Read more about Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation here
A herbal formula that might help with severe fever and chills without sweating
Da Qing Long Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Promotes sweating. Releases the Exterior. Clears Interior Heat.
Why might Da Qing Long Tang help with severe fever and chills without sweating?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation' of which severe fever and chills without sweating is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Exterior Cold Invading With Interior Heat From Stagnation include generalized body pain and irritability.
Ephedra might help with severe fever and chills without sweating
Why might Ephedra (Ma Huang) help with severe fever and chills without sweating?
Because it is a key herb in Da Qing Long Tang, a herbal formula indicated to treat the pattern 'Exterior Cold invading with Interior Heat from Stagnation' (a pattern with severe fever and chills without sweating as a symptom)
Ephedra is a Warm herb that tastes Bitter and Pungent. It targets the Bladder and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Releases the surface through sweating. Promotes the circulation of Lung Qi and stop wheezing. Promotes urination.
Other symptoms often associated with severe fever and chills without sweating
Generalized body pain Irritability Feeling of heaviness Superficial edema in the extremities Alternating fever and chills Absence of sweating