What are the symptoms of blood stasis?

Qi and blood stasis refers to the stagnation of qi and blood, which is explained from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine. When qi and blood stasis occurs, the body's qi and blood often do not flow smoothly, resulting in poor blood circulation, which in turn causes a variety of symptoms. The most common one is chest and rib fullness. Due to blood stasis, some cardiovascular diseases may be induced, causing breathing abnormalities, resulting in symptoms such as palpitations.

Symptoms of Qi and Blood Stasis

1. Qi stagnation and blood stasis refers to a pathological state in which blood circulation is obstructed and blood stasis occurs due to stagnation of Qi.

2. Qi stagnation and blood stasis are mostly caused by emotional injury, depression, and Qi stagnation, which lead to blood stasis. The liver is responsible for regulating qi and storing blood. The regulating function of liver qi plays a key role in regulating qi. Therefore, qi stagnation and blood stasis are often closely related to liver failure to regulate qi.

3. Clinically, common symptoms include fullness and pain in the chest and flanks, mass accumulation, and accumulation of symptoms. The lungs control qi, regulate the body's qi, and assist the heart in transporting blood. If pathogens block the lung qi and the functions of ascending and descending are impaired, over time it can lead to qi stagnation and blood stasis in the heart and lungs, resulting in symptoms such as cough, asthma, palpitations, chest pain, and blue lips and tongue.

4. Qi stagnation can lead to blood stasis, and blood stasis must be accompanied by qi stagnation. Because Qi stagnation and blood stasis are mutually causal and often coexist at the same time, it is often difficult to clearly distinguish which comes first. Factors such as sprains and trauma can lead to the simultaneous formation of qi stagnation and blood stasis. However, no matter what the cause of qi stagnation and blood stasis is, it is necessary to distinguish the priority of qi stagnation and blood stasis.

Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Qi stagnation and blood stasis (syndrome) treatment

Main symptoms: stabbing pain that is resistant to pressure, persistent pain, dull or dark complexion.

Side effects: chest and flank distension, wandering pain, irritability or depression; or delirium, or madness; or hard lumps under the flanks; or bluish lips, nails, and skin; or thirst but wanting to spit out water instead of swallowing it; or purple spots on the skin, or silky blood streaks on the skin, or exposed blue veins in the abdomen, or swollen and painful blue veins in the lower limbs; or black stools like tar; or dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and persistent lochia, with dark purple blood mixed with blood clots.

Tongue and pulse: The tongue is dark purple or has ecchymosis, the pulse is thin and wiry or deep and wiry, or it is intermittent.

Treatment principles: Promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, promote qi circulation and relieve pain.

Representative prescriptions: Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction, Shentong Zhuyu Decoction, Fuyuan Huoxue Decoction, Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction, Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction, Gexia Zhuyu Decoction, etc.