It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.

As such Tao He Cheng Qi Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat three different patterns which we describe below.

But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:

Leiomyoma Retained placenta Prolonged lochia Perimenopausal syndrome Cystitis Prostatitis Gonorrhea urethritis Ulcerative colitis Traumatic headache Cerebral contusion Migraine Trigeminal neuralgia Schizophrenia Histerical psychosis Epilepsy Conjunctivitis Hordeolum Blepharitis Pterygium Gingivitis Cerebrovascular disease Atherosclerosis Hypertension Myocardial infarction Varicose veins Urticaria Seborrheic dermatitis Erysipelas Scarlet fever Allergic purpura Eczema Pelvic inflammatory disease

Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Tao He Cheng Qi Tang treats leiomyoma" for instance. Rather, Tao He Cheng Qi Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind leiomyoma.

Now let's look at the three patterns commonly treated with Tao He Cheng Qi Tang.

Blood (Xue) is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Blood in Chinese Medicine

Blood Stagnation

Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Firm (Lao), Wiry (Xian)

Tongue color: Reddish-Purple

Symptoms: Lumps Tremor Numbness Dark face Dizziness Purple lips Purple nails Blotchy skin Restlessness Itching scalp Painful period Abdominal mass Scanty periods Abdominal pain Abdominal masses Skin capillaries Hesitant periods Tendency to bleed Premenstrual pain Dark colored blood Traumatic swelling Shoulder stiffness Absence of menstruation Boring fixed stabbing pain Frequent bleeding episodes Dark clots in menstrual blood Abdominal distention and fullness

Tao He Cheng Qi Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Blood Stagnation. This pattern leads to symptoms such as dark face, purple lips, boring fixed stabbing pain and abdominal masses. Patients with Blood Stagnation typically exhibit choppy (Se), firm (Lao) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as Purple tongue .

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... read more about Blood Stagnation

Blood (Xue) is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Blood in Chinese Medicine

Greater Yang Accumulation of Blood

Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Rapid (Shu), Fine (Xi)

Symptoms: Restlessness Blood in urine Hypogastric fullness Hypogastric distention

Tao He Cheng Qi Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Greater Yang Accumulation of Blood. This pattern leads to symptoms such as hypogastric distention, hypogastric fullness, blood in urine and restlessness. Patients with Greater Yang Accumulation of Blood typically exhibit deep (Chen), rapid (Shu) or fine (Xi) pulses.

This is one of the four patterns of the Greater Yang stage, the fourth stage of the Six Stages theory.

In this pattern the External Pathogen has created an accumulation of Heat in the Bladder and the Lower Burner. In this pattern, the Heat has reached the Blood level.

This accumulation itself... read more about Greater Yang Accumulation of Blood

The Triple Burner is a so-called "Fu" Organ. Learn more about the Triple Burner in Chinese Medicine

Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner

Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Full (Shi)

Symptoms: Thirst Amenorrhea Night fever Irritability Dysmenorrhea Restlnessness Delirious speech Lower abdominal pain

Tao He Cheng Qi Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner. This pattern leads to symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, night fever, delirious speech and irritability. Patients with Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner typically exhibit choppy (Se) or full (Shi) pulses.

Learn more about Heat and Blood Stagnation in the Lower Burner