Exterior cold with interior heat biǎo hán lǐ rè · 表寒里热

A mixed pattern in which signs described as exterior cold, such as chills, absence of sweating and body aches, appear together with signs described as interior heat, such as thirst, a red tongue or a rapid pulse.

Mixed patterns are the norm rather than the exception in real consultations, and this is why formulas are so often modified: a single label rarely fits the whole person. Presentation of this kind should still be medically assessed, since chills with fever of unclear cause is not something to manage at home.