Qi and Blood Deficiency
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Educational content • Consult qualified TCM practitioners for diagnosis and treatment
Diagnostic Signs
Pale tongue with thin white coating
Slowed-down (Huan), Weak (Ruo), Fine (Xi)
Key Characteristic Symptoms
Diagnostic Considerations
Tey characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the general weakness and fatigue, aversion to speak, short of breath as well as pale face and lips.
Causes & Pathology
Common Causes
Working long hours, often in a confined space, with unreasonable deadlines under conditions of stress can largely consume both Qi and Blood. Furthermore, this often results in skipped, late or irregular meals which further contributes to Qi and Yin Deficiency.
Long term sickness consumes both general Qi and Blood.
Pathological Mechanism
The Qi and Blood are from the some origin and these two elements are transformable between each other. The Qi creates the Blood, and vice versa the Blood supplies Qi. Therefore it is quite common both patterns appear at the same time.
When general Qi is Deficient, the patients lack the energy to speak, to move, to eat or to do any exercises. The weakened Qi also makes it hard to defense the body against any external Pernicious Influences or the six Evils.
As for Blood Deficiency, the patients don't have enough Blood to nourish the brain (hence the dizziness and poor memory), the limbs (thus the numbness in arms and legs), the skin, nails and hair (thus the dryness there) and the eye (hence the blurred vision). The patients also surfer from insomnia, dream disturbed sleeps, slight anxiety and depression.
For women, Qi and Blood Deficiency can also give rise to scanty periods, late periods or even complete absence of periods.
Treatment Approach
Treatment Principle
Tonify both Blood and Qi, invigorate Blood and Qi circulation, tonify the Spleen.
Recommended Herbal Formulas
Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations
Balance diets and try these foods that rich in nutrition but also easy to digest such as rise, meat, fish, shrimps. Avoid cold, raw, spicy or greasy foods.
Try an diet that is good in Blood generation, such as red meat, spinach or animal livers.
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Pattern Relationships
Derives From
Qi DeficiencyRelated Conditions
This pattern can manifest as: