Acupuncture Milsons Point

Blood stasis (Xue Yu) is a pathological condition in which Blood circulation becomes sluggish or obstructed, failing to flow smoothly through the vessels and meridians. It is both a pattern and a pathogenic factor — Blood stasis can result from other conditions (trauma, Cold, Qi stagnation, Heat) and can itself cause further disease. It is one of the most clinically significant patterns in TCM, implicated in a wide range of chronic and acute conditions.

The cardinal symptom of Blood stasis is fixed, stabbing pain that is worse at night and worse with pressure. The location of pain is constant, unlike the moving distension of Qi stagnation. Other characteristic signs include a dark or purple complexion, dark circles under the eyes, spider veins or varicose veins, dark purple tongue (or purple spots on the tongue), menstrual clots with dark blood, and masses or lumps. The pulse is typically choppy or wiry.

Blood stasis commonly arises from prolonged Qi stagnation (since "Qi is the commander of Blood" — when Qi stops moving, Blood follows), from Cold (which congeals Blood), from trauma (which disrupts circulation locally), or from Heat (which can scorch and thicken Blood). Treatment uses Blood-invigorating herbs such as Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), Tao Ren (peach kernel), Hong Hua (safflower), and Chuan Xiong (Sichuan lovage). Acupuncture at points like SP-10 (Xuehai, "Sea of Blood") and BL-17 (Geshu, the Back-Shu point of the diaphragm) is used to invigorate Blood circulation.