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.
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
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".
The top herbs in Dan Shen Yin are Red Sage Roots (Dan Shen), Sandalwood (Tan Xiang) and Amomum Fruits (Sha Ren)
Source date: 1801 AD
Number of ingredients: 3 herbs
Key actions: Invigorates the Blood and removes Blood Stagnation . Promote Qi movement . Relieves pain .
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
The top herbs in Tao He Cheng Qi Tang are Peach Kernels (Tao Ren), Rhubarb (Da Huang) and Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi)
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
The top herbs in Da Huang Mu Dan Pi Tang are Rhubarb (Da Huang), Mirabilites (Mang Xiao) and Mudan Peony Bark (Mu Dan Pi)
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Clears Stagnant Heat in the intestines. Reduces swelling and disperses lumps.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
The top herbs in Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan are Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi), Poria-Cocos Mushrooms (Fu Ling) and Red Peony Roots (Chi Shao)
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.
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
The top herbs in Di Dang Tang are Leeches (Shui Zhi), Tabanus Horseflies (Meng Chong) and Peach Kernels (Tao Ren)
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Breaks up and dispels Blood Stagnation .
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which boring fixed stabbing pain is a symptom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Blotchy skin Dark face Purple lips Abdominal masses Purple nails Painful period Dark clots in menstrual blood Traumatic swelling Itching scalp Skin capillaries