Syndrome differentiation and treatment
The pathogenic factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma are very complicated and related to emotional depression, external attack by pathogenic factors, food injury, and bad hobbies, etc. Its pathological changes are as follows. The visceral dysfunction in transportation causes qi stagnation, blood stasis and phlegm coagulation. In this case, pathogenic fire generated from long-term stagnation and obstruction will be confined inside the body. This state consumes qi and impairs yin. Finally, qi and blood will decline gradually and vital qi will be used up. According to the different pathogeneses, the syndromes of nasopharygeal carcinoma can be classified into phlegm coagulation intermingled with blood stasis, accumulation of pathogenic fire and deficiency of vital qi due to excessive pathogenic factors. The therapeutic methods should be promoting qi flow and removing blood stasis, eliminating phlegm and softening hard masses, purging fire and removing toxin, diminishing swelling and  softening hard masses or strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney as well as removing toxin and eliminating hard masses respectively.

1. Syndrome of phlegm coagulation intermingled with blood stasis
Main symptoms and signs: Nasal obstruction, profuse bloody nasal discharge, profuse phlegm, or no marked symptoms, the nodular lump in the nasopharyngeal region with reddish colour or dark red colour discovered by the nasopharyngoscopy, cervical lymphadenectasis, normal or purplish tongue with whitish thin or whitish greasy fur.
Therapeutic methods: Promoting qi flow and removing blood stasis, eliminating phlegm and softening hard masses.

2. Syndrome of accumulation of pathogenic fire
Main symptoms and signs: Nasal obstruction and rhinorrhage possibly with yellowish thick sputum and bloody nasal discharge, irascibility, restlessness, insomnia, severer headache, tinnitus, distension of eyes, dry mouth, bitter taste in the mouth, cauliflower-like nasopharyngeal carcinoma with ulceration, oozing of blood and attachment of more secretion, marked cervical lump, red tongue with yellowish thick fur, taut and slippery or taut and rapid pulse.
Therapeutic methods: Purging fire and removing toxin, diminishing swelling and softening hard masses.

3. Syndrome of deficiency of vital qi due to excessive pathogenic factors
Main symptoms and signs: Headache, nasal obstruction, filthy nasal discharge, dark turbid blood with foul odour, light-headedness or blurred vision, distortion of the mouth and eyes, short breath with disinclination to speak or stutter, tinnitus, deafness, pale complexion, listlessness, aversion to food, epigastric distension and hypochondriac fullness, large hard cervical lump, pale tongue with whitish or greyish greasy fur, thready and weak pulse.
Therapeutic methods: Strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney, removing toxin and eliminating masses.