1. Syndrome of attack by wind and heat
Main symptoms and signs: Hypoacusis with sudden onset, tinnitus like blowing wind, clean audiotory canal without perforation of the tympanic membrane found by examination, sound-perceiving deafness discovered by audiometry, accompanying symptoms of headache, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, cough, expectoration, pharyngeal pain, or fever and aversion to cold, red lingual tip,floating and rapid pulse.

2. Syndrome of liver fire stirring the upper
Main symptoms and signs: Onset after great anger or emotional depression with sudden hypoacusis, intra-aural distension  and  fullness  with  booming  tinnitus,complete tympanic membrane or with congestion found by examination, sound-perceiving deafness discovered by audiometry, dizziness, flush and conjunctival congestion, red tongue with thin yellowish fur, taut and rapid pulse.

3. Syndrome of stagnation of phlegm and fire
Main symptoms and signs: Sudden hypoacusis or with accompanying tinnitus, cloudiness of the tympanic membrane, sound-perceiving deafness found by audiometry, thoracic fullness, nausea, expectoration with yellow colour, red tongue with yellowish and greasy fur, slippery and rapid pulse.

4. Syndrome of blood stasis due to qi stagnation
Main symptoms and signs: Sudden onset of hypoacusis or with tinnitus like the cicada's singing, cloudy tympanic membrane or with white spots, sound-perceiving
deafness found by audiometry, inapparent general symptoms, deep purple tongue with whitish fur as well as unsmooth pulse.