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Qi Stagnation

When our qi, or energy, flows freely and unrestrained throughout our bodies and our circulation is healthy, we are full of vitality and our minds are at ease. If that energy begins to stagnate, however — due to things like stress, emotions or even over-eating — our free-flowing highways of energy can quickly become traffic jams, leading to symptoms like fullness or distention in the body, irritability, pain and more.

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What is Qi Stagnation in Chinese Medicine?

Chronic stress and a busy lifestyle are two of the most common causes of qi stagnation. Emotional trauma, or suppressed emotions, can also play a major part in developing this type of imbalance. When a person experiences qi stagnation, our muscles tend to become more tense and circulation is often affected, resulting in pain. Over time, unresolved stagnation can further affect circulation, leading to what Chinese medicine calls blood stagnation or blood stasis. These are other underlying root causes of pain trapped within the body.

Besides pain, symptoms of qi stagnation often include feeling irritated easily, having emotional ups and downs, PMS in menstruating women, and digestive issues.

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What Causes Qi Stagnation?

  • high stress
  • overwork without sufficient rest
  • suppressed emotions
  • emotional trauma
  • poor boundaries leading to anger/resentment
  • prolonged qi deficiency
 

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Qi Stagnation?

  • abdominal distention
  • bitter taste in the mouth
  • breast distention (especially premenstrual)
  • depression
  • difficulty swallowing
  • easily angered
  • feeling of oppression of the chest
  • feeling of a lump in the throat
  • infertility
  • irregular menstruation
  • irritability or anger
  • moodiness
  • muscular pain
  • ​numbness or tingling in limbs
  • pain along the ribs
  • painful periods
  • sighing often
  • stiffness or heaviness in limbs
  • stomachache
  • swelling

Which Organ Systems Can Be Affected by Qi Stagnation?

The Liver, Lung and Stomach can all develop patterns of qi stagnation. Keep in mind that Eastern medicine looks at the body in a much different way than Western medicine, and the organs affected can be determined through tools such as reading the pulse and looking at the surface of the tongue. It's helpful to visit a licensed, NCCAOM-certified acupuncturist, who can help you to pinpoint your specific areas of imbalance and provide a more customized treatment plan. ​

How Can I Treat Qi Stagnation?

Besides acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary adjustments, the following are helpful to take into consideration:

1. Diet & Nutrition: Pungent foods and spices that aid digestion are beneficial for qi stagnation. It can be beneficial to avoid too many proteins in one meal and to eat more lightly and simply, including more of the ingredients and foods listed below. Avoiding red or processed meats, alcohol, fried and/or processed foods, and limiting coffee intake is helpful.

2. Morning Elixir: Start the day with a glass of warm water with lemon or apple cider vinegar to support the liver and aid in cleansing.

3. Emotional Support: Stress management tools, like meditation or mindfulness, can be helpful to do regularly, as can seeking therapy or energy work from reiki practitioners or chakra healers.

4. Proper Exercise & Movement: It's important to keep moving to prevent stagnation in the body, Keep exercises moderate and stick to activities that are enjoyable and lower-impact, like walking, hiking, swimming, or dancing.

5. Teas or Supplementation: Supplements like dandelion root or milk thistle are helpful for cleansing and supporting the liver. Dandelion root is also a wonderful tea. You can also try lavender, peppermint, lemon balm, chammomile or green tea. It's best to drink these daily.

What Foods are Best for Treating Qi Stagnation?

Vegetables:   
artichokes, asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, dark leafy greens, eggplant, garlic, kale, kelp, kohlrabi, leeks, microalgae (spirulina/chlorella), mustard greens, onions, radishes, seaweed, taro root, turnips, water chestnuts, watercress, small amounts of pickled vegetables

Fruit: 
cherries, cranberries, cucumber, grapefruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, lychee, melons, oranges, peaches, plums, strawberries, tangerines

Grains:
amaranth, buckwheat, millet, polenta, quinoa, rice

Nuts & Seeds:
chestnuts, pine nuts, walnuts

Beans & Legumes:
mung beans, tempeh, tofu

Herbs & Spices: 
basil, brown sugar, cardamom, cayenne, chili pepper, chives, cloves, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill seed, fennel, ginger, hawthorne berry, horseradish, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, oregano, star anise, turmeric

Beverages & More:
black tea, chamomile tea, dandelion root tea, green tea, lavender tea, lemon balm tea, miso, peppermint tea, soy sauce, vinegar
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