Blood Stasis as a Pathological Condition (Yu-xue)

pathology

Yu-xue — blood stasis, in which blood flows slowly or accumulates, losing its ability to nourish the tissues. Causes: qi stagnation, cold (which thickens the blood), heat (which thickens the blood when body fluids are damaged), trauma, chronic illness, and qi deficiency. Symptoms: stabbing pains in a fixed location that worsen at night; dark blood and clots; a dark tongue or spots on the tongue; lumps. Blood stasis and qi stagnation are often interrelated, so they are frequently treated together—by moving both the blood and the qi.