It is well known that as people age, especially women, they often experience a darkening of the facial skin, losing its luster, sometimes appearing as if covered by a layer of yellow that cannot be washed away, even with the best skincare or beauty products. This condition is often referred to in literature as “yellow-faced woman.” Women rely on blood for their vitality, and by the age of thirty-five, due to the decline of the Yangming meridian, they may exhibit a sallow complexion and hair loss, which is significantly related to blood deficiency.

What are the symptoms of blood deficiency?

From various medical texts and clinical observations, the main manifestations of blood deficiency include:

①. Dull complexion, lacking a rosy hue.

②. Prone to insomnia, often referred to as blood not nourishing the heart, making insomnia one of the primary reasons for modern sleep disturbances.

③. Forgetfulness, where one may forget the name of someone just seen a moment ago, which is actually due to blood not nourishing the heart.

④. Mucous membranes appear pale, such as the color of nails, lips, and eyelids, which always seem to have a pallid appearance.

⑤. Easily fatigued, shopping is one of the most enduring activities for women! However, women with blood deficiency become exhausted quickly, feeling as if their bones are about to fall apart. Additionally, during fatigue, they may experience palpitations, with the heart beating weakly and chaotically, and are prone to dizziness.

⑥. Hot hands and feet in summer, cold hands and feet in winter, even when entering an air-conditioned room in summer, this is due to blood deficiency and Yang deficiency failing to nourish the limbs. Such individuals are sensitive to cold winds and need to dress thicker in winter.

⑦. Pale tongue, not as rosy as that of a healthy person.

When discussing blood deficiency, it is actually a broad concept, similar to the common cold, which can be classified into wind-cold or wind-heat types, or even influenza; blood deficiency is likewise diverse, including heart blood deficiency, liver blood deficiency, and spleen blood deficiency!

Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Blood Deficiency

(1.) Heart Blood Deficiency (Insufficient Heart Blood)

Symptoms: Dizziness, pale complexion, palpitations, irritability, insomnia, vivid dreams, forgetfulness, thin or irregular pulse.

Treatment Direction: Nourish blood and calm the heart.

Formula: Yangxin Decoction (养心汤)

Formula Modifications: For severe insomnia and vivid dreams, add He Huan Hua (合欢花) and Ye Jiao Teng (夜交藤) to nourish the heart and calm the spirit.

Formula Explanation: This formula has the effects of tonifying Qi and generating blood, nourishing blood and calming the heart. It includes Ren Shen (人参), Huang Qi (黄芪), Fu Ling (茯苓), Wu Wei Zi (五味子), and Gan Cao (甘草) to tonify Qi and generate blood, while Dang Gui (当归), Chuan Xiong (川芎), Bai Zi Ren (柏子仁), Suan Zao Ren (酸枣仁), and Yuan Zhi (远志) nourish blood and calm the heart, with Rou Gui (肉桂) and Ban Xia Qu (半夏曲) warming the middle and strengthening the spleen to assist in the generation of Qi and blood.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Blood Deficiency

(2.) Liver Blood Deficiency (Insufficient Liver Blood)

Symptoms: Dizziness, blurred vision, hypochondriac pain, numbness of limbs, tightness of tendons, or muscle stiffness; in women, severe menstrual irregularities may lead to amenorrhea, dull complexion, pale tongue, and wiry or thin pulse.

Treatment Direction: Tonify blood and nourish the liver.

Formula: Si Wu Decoction (四物汤)

Formula Modifications: For severe blood deficiency, add He Shou Wu (何首乌), Gou Qi Zi (枸杞子), and Ji Xue Teng (鸡血藤) to enhance the blood-nourishing and liver-tonifying effects.

Formula Modifications: For hypochondriac pain, add Si Gua Luo (丝瓜络), Yu Jin (郁金), and Xiang Fu (香附) to regulate Qi and unblock the meridians.

Formula Modifications: For blurred vision, add Fu Shen (浮沉子), Gou Qi Zi (枸杞子), and Jue Ming Zi (决明子) to nourish the liver and brighten the eyes.

Formula Explanation: This formula has the effects of nourishing and regulating blood, tonifying without stagnation. It includes Shu Di Huang (熟地), Dang Gui (当归) to nourish blood and tonify the liver, while Shao Yao (芍药) and Chuan Xiong (川芎) regulate blood.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Spleen Blood Deficiency

(3.) Spleen Blood Deficiency (Insufficient Spleen Blood)

Symptoms: Fatigue, poor appetite, palpitations, shortness of breath, forgetfulness, insomnia, sallow complexion, pale tongue, thin white coating, and weak pulse.

Treatment Direction: Tonify the spleen and nourish blood.

Formula: Gui Pi Decoction (归脾汤)

Formula Explanation: This formula includes Ren Shen (人参), Huang Qi (黄芪), Bai Zhu (白术), Gan Cao (甘草), Jiang (姜), and Jujube (枣) to tonify the spleen and benefit Qi, while Dang Gui (当归) nourishes blood, Fu Shen (茯神), Suan Zao Ren (酸枣仁), Long Yan Rou (龙眼肉), and Yuan Zhi (远志) nourish the heart and calm the spirit, and Mu Xiang (木香) regulates Qi and awakens the spleen. This formula is commonly used to address both spleen blood deficiency and heart blood deficiency, integrating Qi tonification and blood nourishment.

Conclusion:

The heart governs blood, the spleen controls blood, and the liver stores blood; therefore, blood deficiency is most commonly associated with deficiencies in the heart, spleen, and liver.

Since the spleen is the foundation of postnatal life and the source of Qi and blood generation, and because blood is the mother of Qi, blood deficiency is often accompanied by varying degrees of Qi deficiency symptoms. Furthermore, long-term clinical practice suggests that blood tonification should not rely solely on blood tonics but should also appropriately combine Qi tonics to achieve the goal of benefiting Qi and generating blood. Thus, when addressing various blood deficiency syndromes, one should incorporate methods to strengthen the spleen, benefit Qi, and generate blood.

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