QiLifeQi Obstruction 气滞血瘀
When Qi stagnation persists long enough it impedes the blood, and the two together produce fixed pain and obstructed circulation.
Pinyin: Qi Zhi Xue Yu · updated
In Chinese medicine, Qi is said to command the blood. Qi moves, and the blood follows. When Qi is stuck for long enough, the blood it was carrying stops moving with it — and this combination is treated as a distinct pattern rather than two separate ones.
The result is more fixed and more stubborn than either pattern alone. Instead of symptoms that shift and come and go, they settle in one place and stay. This is why the classical framework links long-standing emotional constraint with circulation problems, and why chronic pain that has outlived its original cause is usually read this way.
The practical emphasis is on sustained, rhythmic movement rather than intense effort, and on warmth, since cold stiffens what is already obstructed. Where the obstruction involves an area of genuine concern, that is a conversation to have with a clinician rather than a self-care project.
Signs that suggest this pattern
No single sign establishes a pattern — Chinese medicine reads combinations, not isolated symptoms. If several of these are familiar and have been for a while, it is worth running the TCM Symptom Pattern Decoder to see what the combination scores.
- Pain that stays in one place
- A dark or purple tongue
- Dark circles and a dusky complexion
- Tenderness at a specific point that does not shift
- Symptoms that persist long after the trigger has passed
Acupoints used for this pattern (3)
Every point below opens the full library entry, including location, technique, frequency and the cautions attached to it.
SP10 · Xuehai
The sea of blood. Traditionally used for poor circulation, bruising, dull complexion and menstrual irregularity.
Spleen meridian
BL17 · Geshu
The blood's influential point. Traditionally used for blood stasis, fixed pain and dull skin tone.
Bladder meridian
LR3 · Taichong
The classic point for stuck Qi: irritability, tension headaches, sighing, rib-side tightness and premenstrual symptoms.
Liver meridian
Foods listed against this pattern (6)
Nature and flavour are the traditional classification. Read the avoid note before changing anything you eat regularly.
Hawthorn
Moves blood and helps digest heavy, greasy food. Used for food stagnation and stasis.
Warm · Sour, sweet
Spinach
Nourishes blood and moistens the intestines. Traditionally used for dry stool and a pale complexion.
Cool · Sweet
Rose bud
Moves stuck Liver Qi and lifts a low mood, while gently moving blood.
Warm · Sweet, slightly bitter
Turmeric
Moves blood and breaks stasis. Traditionally used for fixed, stabbing pain and stiff joints.
Warm · Pungent, bitter
Black fungus
Nourishes blood and gently moves it. Traditionally used for dry stool and sluggish circulation.
Neutral · Sweet
Peach kernel
Moves blood and breaks stasis. Traditionally used for fixed pain and dry stool.
Neutral · Bitter, sweet
Tea formulas listed against this pattern (1)
These are traditional reference formulas. Doses shown are traditional reference amounts, not a prescription — check with a qualified practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, on medication, or managing a condition.
Which assessment identifies this pattern
TCM Symptom Pattern Decoder
Twenty-eight questions across eight patterns, ranked by fit rather than a single verdict. Free, no email, results you can act on.
TCM Body Constitution Test
Nine types, 27 questions, about five minutes. No email, no sign-up — you get the result immediately and an explanation of what it means.
Patterns that often appear alongside this one
Blood Stasis
Blood stasis describes circulation that has slowed or become obstructed — dark complexion, fixed pain and a purple or dark tongue.
Liver
The Liver governs free coursing — the smooth movement of Qi throughout the body — and stores blood between uses.
Yin Deficiency
Yin deficiency is insufficient cooling, moistening fluid — you run warm and dry, and rest does not fully restore you.
Qi Stagnation
Qi stagnation is Qi that cannot move — emotion, breath and digestion pile up, and the pressure shows up in the chest, throat or mood.
Qi Constraint
Qi constraint describes Qi that moves but distends and refuses to disperse — the pressure builds in a specific place instead of clearing.
Related vocabulary
Search terms this page covers: qi and blood stagnation, qi stagnation blood stasis, poor circulation, chest tightness, fixed pain.