(Department of Pathology, College of Oriental Medicine, Woosuk University)
The causes of disease as well as the mechanisms that result in the presenting signs and symptoms of patients are basic elements in oriental medicine. The location of the disease is the region on which the cause and the nature of the disease acts. Syndrome reflects the cause of the disease and the pathological change and the location of the disease. It is customary to classify the location of the disease into two major categories. First is based on the exterior and interior and the second is based on the five internal organs. Exterior syndrome is caused by the invasion of exopathogen in skin and hair, channels and collaterals. Interior syndrome refers to the syndrome located deeply in the interior of the body such as five internal organs. The location of the disease is very important to distinguish different syndromes in the diagnosis and the treatment of a disease.