Blood Stagnation

The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.

Pathology

Blood Stagnation - also often referred to as "Blood Stasis" - is where the Blood flow is heavily restricted in all or parts of the body. It is one of the most important diagnostic conditions in Chinese Medicine because it is frequently the cause of intractable pain syndromes anywhere in the body.

It differs from Qi Stagnation: pain associated with stagnant Qi tends to move and change locations and intensity of sensation, while Stagnant Blood results in a fixed stabbing pain. Also when a stagnant Qi doesn't lead to skin symptoms, Blood Stagnation often leads to signs on the skin such as purple blotches or bruises, purple lips,  face and nails.

The causes for Blood stagnation can include:

• Qi Stagnation: this is the most common cause of Blood Stagnation since Qi moves Blood. As a result if Qi stagnates then Blood stagnates.
• Qi Deficiency: again, Qi moves Blood. Therefore it is logical that if Qi becomes too weak, this would result in its Blood-moving function not being performed optimally.
• Heat in the Blood: this may cause the Blood to condense and therefore stagnate.
• Blood Deficiency: since Qi and Blood move together, a Blood Deficiency over the long term may result in a Qi Deficiency which, as explained above, may induce Blood Stagnation.
• Interior Cold: Cold congeals Blood which slows down its flow.
• Phlegm: although Phlegm doesn't directly induce Blood Stagnation, it is an aggravating factor.
• Liver disorders: since the Liver "stores the Blood".
• Spleen disorders: since a function of the Spleen is to maintain Blood in the vessels.
• Traumas or severe injuries
• Difficult childbirth, abortion, miscarriage and menopause
• Some gynecological diseases

Blood Stagnation is a condition of toxicity which the main distinguishing symptom is pain that is fixed in one place, and is of a boring or stabbing character. Most commonly the pain is located in the lower abdominal area. 

To determine this, lie on your back with legs flexed, then rather gently at first, palpate the lower abdomen below the umbilicus, especially the left and right sides. If there is severe Blood Stagnation, you will usually feel pain upon palpation. Milder Stagnation may result in lumps or swelling in the area.

Other symptoms of Blood Stagnation can include traumatic swelling, blotchy skin, increase in skin capillaries, red spots and varicosities, coarseness of the skin and discoloration, itchy scalp, shoulder stiffness, dizziness and numbness. The tongue may exhibit a purplish cast especially noticeable on the sides, and there may be a tendency to bleed. There may be a feeling of abdominal fullness, even when there isn't any, especially in women before menses. 

The Organ that is most frequently affected by Blood Stagnation is the Liver. Other Organs that are commonly affected are the Heart, Lungs, Stomach, Intestines and Uterus.

Causes

Precursor patterns: Blood Stagnation can derive from Qi Deficiency Qi Stagnation Heat in the Blood Phlegm Damp-Phlegm in the Lungs Phlegm Misting the Heart Phlegm-Fire harassing the Heart Phlegm Fire harassing the Pericardium Pericardium Qi Stagnation Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs Lung and Heart Qi Deficiency

Emotional stress: Prolonged or intense emotional stress disturbs the Mind (Shen) and causes disharmony in Organs, Qi and Blood. According to TCM, all 7 emotions (Anger, Joy, Sadness, Worry, Pensiveness, Fear, and Shock) has some effect on Qi and Blood Stagnation. Pensiveness and Worry are supposed to knot Qi the most and cause Qi Stagnation, which then lead to Blood Stagnation. On the other hand, the Liver stores the Blood and this function can be largely disturbed by anger.

Traumas or severe injuries: Traumas or severe injures such as bruises, sprains and swelling can cause Blood stasis under skins.

Difficult childbirth, abortion, miscarriage and menopause: Difficult childbirth, abortion, miscarriage and menopause or other genealogical diseases can cause Blood Stagnation.

Diagnosing Blood Stagnation

Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Treating Blood Stagnation

Treatment principle

Invigorate Blood and Qi, Unblock the Liver Stagnation 

Herbal formulas used to treat Blood Stagnation

Related conditions

Please keep in mind that a Western Medicine condition can be caused by several Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony and vice versa. As such a patient suffering from one of the conditions below will not necessarily be suffering from Blood Stagnation, it is just one pattern that's commonly associated with the condition. Click on a condition to learn what other patterns it's associated with.

Intermenstrual bleeding Heavy menstruation Abnormal uterine bleeding Scanty menstruation

Consequence patterns

Heat in the Blood

When Blood stagnates, it blocks the vessels and accumulate Heat, which then cause bleeding with very dark Blood. 

Loss of Blood

When Blood stagnates, it blocks the vessels and accumulate Heat, which then cause bleeding with very dark Blood and often clots. The volume is comparatively scanty as the majority of Blood are stagnated. 

If the Loss of Blood is caused by other type of Heat in the Blood, the quantity is often profuse and the color is red or dark.