Blood Disorder
AliasHemorrhage
Traditional Chinese Medicine Definition
Blood patterns, which fall under the category of qi, blood, and fluid diseases in traditional Chinese medicine, are patterns caused by factors such as exuberant heat in the zang-fu organs, qi deficiency and blood stasis, and trauma, leading to blood failing to follow its normal pathways and extravasating onto the body surface or into the zang-fu organs. The classical TCM text Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine records: "Blood patterns refer to blood not following the meridians, overflowing outside the vessels, either ascending to overflow from the mouth and nose, or descending to overflow from the two excretions, or accumulating internally in the zang-fu organs, or extravasating externally onto the skin and muscles, all invariably caused by blood heat, blood deficiency, and blood stasis."
In clinical practice, blood syndrome manifests as various bleeding symptoms, such as hemoptysis, hematemesis, epistaxis, etc. The core pathogenesis involves either heat forcing the blood to move or Qi deficiency failing to control the blood. Common triggers include emotional stagnation, irregular diet, excessive fatigue, and more. During differentiation, it is essential to differentiate between cold and heat, deficiency and excess, such as hemoptysis (due to lung heat) presenting with cough, blood-streaked sputum, dry mouth, and dry nose; hematemesis (due to stomach heat) presenting with bright red blood, burning pain in the epigastrium, halitosis, and constipation. The direction of regulation suggests that in the clinical treatment of blood syndrome, it is necessary to follow principles such as clearing heat, moistening the lungs, calming the collaterals and stopping bleeding, clearing the stomach fire, and resolving blood stasis. The specific treatment method should be selected according to the specific syndrome type. It is important to note that the regulation of blood syndrome should focus on the whole body, combining the patient's constitution and changes in the condition, and using a comprehensive approach involving herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and other means.
Common Syndrome Types and Key Points of Differentiation
Coughing up blood (due to lung heat)
Main Manifestations: Cough, blood-tinged sputum, dry mouth and nose
Management Approach: Clear Heat and Nourish the Lungs, Calm the Veins and Stop Bleeding
Vomiting blood (due to stomach heat)
Main Manifestations: Vomiting bright red blood, burning pain in the epigastrium, halitosis, constipation
Management Approach: Clear the Stomach and Reduce Fire, Dissolve Stasis and Stop Bleeding
The above syndrome information is based on traditional Chinese medicine textbooks and clinical standards. Specific differentiation should be completed by a practicing traditional Chinese medicine physician in person.
Physician's Clinical Insights
In clinical practice, the bleeding in patients with blood syndrome is often related to internal disturbance by heat, and clearing heat and cooling the blood is the key to treatment.
— Zhu Yongbing Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
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This page is for the popular science of traditional Chinese medicine knowledge and does not constitute medical advice. Specific diagnosis should be completed by a licensed traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in person.
This article has been reviewed by licensed TCM physicians at Hangzhou Kezhentang TCM Clinic. It is for TCM popular science reference only and does not involve specific treatment plan recommendations.
References: Internal Medicine of TCM (13th Five-Year Plan Textbook), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Effectiveness Standards for TCM Diseases and Syndromes (ZY/T001.1-94), Classification and Codes of TCM Diseases and Syndromes (GB/T 15657-2021)