Can Liver Qi Stagnation Heal Itself? How to Alleviate It?

If liver qi stagnation is caused by emotional distress, it can heal itself by regulating emotions and maintaining a cheerful mood.

However, if it is caused by spleen deficiency and excessive dampness, self-healing is difficult because dampness is heavy, turbid, and sticky, and eliminating dampness is a lengthy process.

Causes of Liver Qi Stagnation

The cause of liver qi stagnation is emotional injury and unfulfilled desires, which leads to feelings of repression and discomfort. Patients with liver qi stagnation can eat more foods that soothe the liver and regulate qi, such as celery, mugwort, tomatoes, radishes, and citrus fruits.

Manifestations of Liver Qi Stagnation

Frequent SighingFrequent sighing indicates a problem in the body, which may be due to liver qi stagnation or qi deficiency. Occasional sighing can be adjusted by relaxing, but frequent sighing may indicate liver qi stagnation, qi deficiency, or lung qi not dispersing.
IrritabilityBeing easily angered may be a sign of illness, referred to as “excessive anger” in TCM. Excessive anger is mainly related to the liver, including liver qi stagnation, liver fire rising, and spleen deficiency with liver excess. Although mental health practices can help regulate and calm anger, it is important to appropriately vent emotions when feeling particularly agitated.

Methods to Alleviate Liver Qi Stagnation

Acupoint MassageMassaging acupoints such as Tai Chong (LV3), Dan Zhong (RN17), and Nei Guan (PC6) helps to open the chest and regulate qi. Place your palm on your abdomen and massage around the navel in a clockwise direction for 50 times, then counterclockwise for another 50 times.
Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade)Practicing Ba Duan Jin helps nourish the liver and regulate qi. The movement “Looking Back at the Five Labors and Seven Injuries” mainly involves twisting the spine, which helps relax the nerves on both sides of the spine, promoting qi circulation, invigorating blood, and relieving liver stagnation.
Foot PushingStart with the left foot, then the right foot, pushing from the top of the foot along the seams towards the toes, applying appropriate pressure until a slight soreness is felt, with 50 pushes for each foot.
Leg PushingSit with the left leg bent and the knee flat, placing both hands on the inner thigh of the left leg, then push forward towards the knee with force. Repeat for the right leg, with 50 pushes on each side.
Rib PushingClench both fists, bend the elbows, and use the elbow joints to squeeze the ribs, then perform arm straightening and bending movements, rubbing the upper arms against the ribs until they feel warm.
Singing Out LoudIn TCM, it is believed that “the liver is associated with anger and the voice with calling out,” so singing out loud can help relieve liver qi. Those with poor appetites may find their appetite increases when they sing, as “the spleen is associated with intention and the voice with singing.” Additionally, singing accelerates breathing, which promotes the circulation of qi and blood, aiding in the recovery of righteous qi.

Teas for Soothe Liver and Relieve Stagnation

Rose Flower (Mei Hua)Rose flower enters the liver and spleen meridians, has the effects of soothing the liver, relieving stagnation, and invigorating blood to alleviate pain. It is commonly used for liver qi stagnation causing liver-stomach qi pain and menstrual irregularities. Its blood-invigorating and stasis-dispelling properties can also relieve pain. For women, rose flower is a good remedy for resolving stasis and improving mood, useful for chest and rib distension and pain, often paired with Fo Shou (Buddha’s Hand) and Sha Ren (Amomum fruit) to alleviate menstrual irregularities, and combined with Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong), and Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora) for additional effects. Rose flower can be brewed as tea, decocted, or added to porridge, with a dosage of 1.5 to 6 grams for decoction.Qing Pi (Green Peel) Rose Tea5 grams of Qing Pi, 3 grams of rose flower, and an appropriate amount of honey. Place Qing Pi and rose flower in a cup, pour in boiling water, steep for 15 minutes, then add honey. This tea can be brewed multiple times daily. Qing Pi rose tea is suitable for long-term depression, breast distension, breast hyperplasia, and lumps, but is not suitable for those with qi deficiency or pregnant women.
Fo Shou (Buddha’s Hand)Fo Shou is pungent and bitter, with a warm nature, and has the effects of soothing the liver, relieving stagnation, and regulating qi. It is often used for liver qi stagnation and disharmony between the liver and stomach, and it also has certain effects on chronic hepatitis. Fo Shou can be used alone or combined with ginger, Chai Hu (Bupleurum), Xiang Fu (Cyperus), Yu Jin (Curcuma), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), Sha Ren, Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel), etc., or paired with rose flower and jasmine flower, which also have relieving stagnation effects. Fresh Fo Shou is very sour and astringent, while dried products are mostly used for tea or decoction, with a dosage of 3 to 10 grams for decoction.Fo Shou Peach Blossom Tea5 grams each of Fo Shou and peach blossom. Cut the Fo Shou into strips and place it with the peach blossom in a pot, pour in boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. This tea can be brewed multiple times daily. Fo Shou peach blossom tea is suitable for liver qi stagnation and those with many liver spots and dark complexion, but is contraindicated for pregnant women.

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