Stabbing pain according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Stabbing pain can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like stabbing pain here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here stabbing pain is often associated with blotchy skin, dark face and purple lips in the pattern “Blood Stagnation”.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of stabbing pain we’ve identified five herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat stabbing pain.
Blood Stagnation, a "pattern of disharmony" that can cause stabbing pain
In Chinese Medicine stabbing pain is a symptom for the pattern "Blood Stagnation". Below is a small explanation for it with links for more details.
Peach Kernels (Tao Ren) is the king ingredient for Tao He Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Blood Stagnation
Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Firm (Lao), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Reddish-Purple
Blood Stagnation, like the name indicates, is when Blood flow becomes Stagnant. It can happen in the whole body or in specific Organs. 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 body.
In addition to stabbing pain, other symptoms associated with Blood Stagnation include blotchy skin, dark face and purple lips.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Blood Stagnation is associated with health issues such as Scanty Menstruation, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding or Heavy Menstruation.
Blood Stagnation is often treated with Tao He Cheng Qi Tang, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Peach Kernels - Tao Ren - as a key herb). Tao He Cheng Qi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Dispels Heat and".
Five herbal formulas that might help with stabbing pain
Dan Shen Yin
Source date: 1801 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Invigorates the Blood and removes Blood Stagnation . Promote Qi movement . Relieves pain .
Why might Dan Shen Yin help with stabbing pain?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Why might Tao He Cheng Qi Tang help with stabbing pain?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
Da Huang Mu Dan Pi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Clears Stagnant Heat in the intestines. Reduces swelling and disperses lumps.
Why might Da Huang Mu Dan Pi Tang help with stabbing pain?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Promotes Blood and lymphatic circulation, thus eleminates Blood Stagnation. Softens and resolves hard lumps such as cysts and fibroids.
Why might Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan help with stabbing pain?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
Di Dang Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Breaks up and dispels Blood Stagnation .
Why might Di Dang Tang help with stabbing pain?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat stabbing pain
Why might Peach Kernel (Tao Ren) help with stabbing pain?
Because Peach Kernel is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat stabbing pain as a symptom, like Tao He Cheng Qi Tang or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Peach Kernels is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Large intestine and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood and breaks up Stasis. Moistens the Intestines. Relieves coughing.
Why might Liquorice (Gan Cao) help with stabbing pain?
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat stabbing pain as a symptom, like Tao He Cheng Qi Tang or Chai Hu Shu Gan San for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Lung, the Spleen and the Stomach.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Why might Szechuan Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) help with stabbing pain?
Because Szechuan Lovage Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat stabbing pain as a symptom, like Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang or Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Szechuan Lovage Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Gallbladder, the Liver and the Pericardium.
Its main actions are: Regulates and moves the Blood. Relieves Wind-Cold and pain. Circulates the Qi in the Upper Burner, relieving headaches.
Why might Dong Quai (Dang Gui) help with stabbing pain?
Because Dong Quai is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat stabbing pain as a symptom, like Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang or Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Dong Quai is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Liver and the Spleen.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation.
Why might Safflower (Hong Hua) help with stabbing pain?
Because Safflower is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat stabbing pain as a symptom, like Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang or Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Safflowers is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Stagnant Blood and regulates menses. Relieves pain caused by Blood Stasis.
Other symptoms often associated with stabbing pain
Blotchy skin Dark face Purple lips Abdominal masses Purple nails Painful period Dark clots in menstrual blood Traumatic swelling Itching scalp Skin capillaries