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Whenever a person is infected by external pathogenic factors, treatment should be initiated immediately and regulation carried out promptly. If one hesitates or endures the symptoms for several days before seeking care, the pathogen will penetrate deeply, making it difficult to effect a cure. This is particularly severe in children and women.

Generally speaking, diseases of Shanghan (Cold Damage) originate from Wind-Cold pathogens. When the pathogen remains at the exterior level, there is no case where warming and covering cannot dissipate it. However, if one waits until the pathogen enters the interior, the disease will inevitably become chronic. If an individual does not recover, close relatives who are in frequent contact may inhale the pathogenic qi through the nose, leading to transmission. The severity of such diseases depends largely on whether treatment is administered early or late. Therefore, when preparing decoctions, one should not hesitate due to day or night; as soon as signs of illness are perceived, prompt treatment should be undertaken to facilitate recovery. Zhang Zhongjing stated: "When administering diaphoretic decoctions warm, although the prescription may specify three doses per day, if the condition is severe and unresolved, the frequency should be accelerated, allowing all three doses to be consumed within half a day." This reflects the principle of rapid treatment. If there is any indication that the medicine is incompatible with the condition, the prescription should be altered immediately upon perception. In cases of severe intensity, observation should continue day and night; if one dose fails to reduce the pathogen, another dose should be administered. At most, three doses are usually required to achieve resolution through sweating. If sweating occurs but the pathogen is not expelled, this indicates a critical prognosis.

The onset of Warm Diseases (Wenbing) and Summerheat Diseases (Shubing) stems from Cold toxins hidden within during winter. Thus, they manifest as Wenbing in spring and Shubing in summer. Since these arise from the transformation of Cold toxins, they are collectively referred to under the category of Shanghan. Zhang Zhongjing stated: "Fever without aversion to cold accompanied by thirst characterizes a Warm Disease." Summerheat disease is even more severe. The term "Summerheat disease" refers to Heat disease; although distinct from Cold patterns, it is named according to the season and does not necessarily imply that all such diseases are purely heat-related. Furthermore, individuals suffering from heatstroke in summer are also termed to have Shubing; this is not a pattern of retained Cold toxin. In Zhang Zhongjing's classification, this is called "Zhong Ye" (Heatstroke). For detailed meaning, refer to the section on Summerheat Patterns.

First, the treatment of Wenbing and Shubing generally favors cooling and dispersing methods. However, this approach is only appropriate when both the exterior and interior exhibit heat signs. If, during any season, Cold pathogens invade and the exterior pathogen has not yet resolved, even if the body surface feels hot like fire, but there are no internal heat signs to justify it, one must not rigidly classify it as heat merely based on the names "Warm Disease" or "Summerheat Disease," nor indiscriminately use cooling herbs.

Second, if abnormal warmth occurs in winter, or if the seasonal influence involves excessive ministerial fire heat leading to heat symptoms, it is termed "Winter Warmth" (Dongwen). This differs significantly from typical Winter Shanghan; the method should employ cooling and resolving strategies, adhering to the principle of treating the syndrome rather than the season. Conversely, if Cold prevails in summer, warming methods are similarly indicated.

The *Suwen · Cizhi Lun* states: "Excess Qi with cold body results from Cold damage; Deficient Qi with hot body results from Summerheat damage." The *Shanghan Lun* states: "Surging pulse with cold body results from Cold damage; Weak pulse with hot body results from Summerheat damage." These discussions on Cold and Summerheat damage do not refer specifically to Wenbing and Shubing, but rather to conditions contracted from seasonal pathogens in summer. One must distinguish between Cold and Summerheat; Cold requires warming, while Summerheat requires clearing. "Cold body" refers to aversion to cold after contracting Cold; "Hot body" refers to fever after contracting Heat. It does not mean that only cold bodies constitute Cold damage or only hot bodies constitute Summerheat damage. Although one text speaks of Excess/Deficient Qi and the other of Surging/Weak Pulses, the terminology differs while the underlying logic remains consistent. Therefore, when assessing Qi, one must observe physical appearance and complexion; when assessing Pulse, one must examine the root vitality. Integrating these observations leads to precise understanding.