Syndrome differentiation and treatment
The therapeutic principles of epidemic parotitis mainly concentrate on clearing away heat and removing toxin in combination with the auxilliary methods of softening and resolving the hard mass. For the patients with mild syndrome at the early stage, heat and toxin lie in the exterior, so the main therapeutic methods are expelling wind and clearing away heat; for the patients with severe syndrome of epidemic parotitis, heat and toxin stagnate, thus the therapeutic methods include clearing away heat and removing toxin; for the patients with diffuse swelling with lingering hard mass of the parotidean region, softening and resolving the hard mass, clearing away heat and resolving phlegm are advisable in treatment. If deteriorated syndromes occur clinically such as pathogenic factors sinking in the heart and liver or heat and toxin involving testis and abdomen, methods like calming the liver to stop endogenous wind or soothing the liver and dredging collaterals are advisably adopted in combination.

1. Common syndromes
(1) Stagnation of toxic warmth in the exterior
Main symptoms and signs: Low fever, slight aversion to wind and cold, diffuse swelling with local burning sensation but no redness on one side or both of the parotidean region which is painful when the mouth is open, uncomfortable mastication, sore throat, thirst, red tongue with whitish and thin or yellowish and thin fur, floating and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic methods: Dispelling wind, clearing away heat, resolving the mass and relieving swelling.

(2) Stagnation of toxic heat
Main symptoms and signs: High fever without abatement, headache, vomiting, thirst with the profuse drink, diffuse swelling of the parotidean region which is painful when the mouth is open, difficult mastication, hard parotidean swelling worsened by pressure, sore throat, red tongue with yellowish fur, rapid and forceful pulse.
Therapeutic methods: Clearing away heat, removing toxin, softening and resolving the hard mass.

2. Deteriorated syndromes
Pathogenic factors sinking in the heart and liver
Main symptoms and signs: High fever without abatement, headache, vomiting, unconsciousness or somnolence, stiff neck and nape, frequent clonic convulsion, swelling, distension and pain of the parotidean region which is hard and worsened by pressing, red tongue with yellowish fur, rapid and forceful pulse.
Therapeutic methods: Clearing away heat, removing toxin, stopping endogenous wind and inducing resuscitation.