What is Qi stagnation and blood stasis?

Blood stasis is a pathological condition in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to TCM theory, “Qi commands blood, while blood nourishes Qi”; Qi and blood are interrelated and mutually dependent.

If internal emotional depression or external trauma occurs, it may lead to Qi stagnation and blood stasis—two pathologies that reciprocally influence each other. Prolonged emotional depression impairs the smooth flow of Qi and blood, resulting in internal blood stasis.

Conversely, pre-existing blood stasis—due to trauma or accumulation of phlegm-dampness—can obstruct blood circulation and thereby induce Qi stagnation. Thus, in clinical practice, Qi stagnation and blood stasis frequently co-occur, and treatment often involves strategies to regulate Qi and resolve blood stasis.

The primary manifestation is obstruction or impaired flow, clinically presenting predominantly as pain—specifically, migratory pain (pain that moves from one location to another).

In contrast, pain due to blood stasis is typically fixed in location. Therefore, although Qi stagnation and blood stasis often occur simultaneously, they may also present independently.