Quicken blood and stabilize pain; transform static blood and staunch bleeding; constrain sores and engender flesh¹.

Knock and fall injuries²

Dragon’s Blood enters the blood aspect, dissipates stasis, alleviates pain, staunches bleeding without causing blood stasis, and engenders flesh³. Knock and fall injuries that result in blood stasis will present with pain, ecchymosis and swelling of the flesh, sinews, and bones. Injuries lead not only to blood stasis and obstruction, but may also result in bleeding due to blood failing to stay in the channels. In the Qing dynasty (1768) classic, Wings of the Golden Coffer, Long Zaijing points out, “If one has injury, then blood vessels will congeal and stop, channels and collaterals will congest and stagnate.” Surgery will also lead to blood stasis of the affected region and it’s channels and collaterals, as well as injury to the flesh.

Blood stasis patterns with pain in the chest and abdomen⁴

Dragon’s Blood enters the heart and liver channels and its primary functions are to quicken blood, dispel stasis, and alleviate pain⁵. The heart channel originates in the heart, emerges from the blood vessels surrounding the heart, traverses the lung and emerges from the axilla⁶. Stasis in the heart channels results in thoracic fullness and stabbing pain of the chest⁷. The medical classic, Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer, written by Zhang Zhongjing of the late Eastern Han Dynasty (~220AD), the chapter entitled, Pulse patterns and the treatment of fright palpitations, vomiting, nosebleed, thoracic fullness, blood precipitation, and blood stasis states, “If a patient has thoracic fullness; wilting of the lips; a bluish-green tongue, a dry mouth with a desire to rinse with water but not swallow; an absence of fever or chills; the pulse is faint, large and slow; the abdomen is not full, although the patient complains of fullness; then, there must be blood stasis”. The liver channel traverses the pubic region, encircles the genitals, and ascends to the uterus⁸. The controlling vessel arises from the uterus⁹. The thoroughfare vessel originates in the uterus¹⁰. “The thoroughfare vessel is sea of blood and is the sea of the twelve channels” is a saying that describes it’s relationship to blood and the channels. “The thoroughfare vessel controls the fetus” is another statement describing the relationship of it to the uterus. Consequently, any harm to the controlling and thoroughfare vessels will inevitably lead to various gynecological diseases¹¹. Blood stasis can have a profound affect on menstruation and cause difficulties in the post-partum period¹². Again, in the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Coffer, Zhang Zhongjing states, “Many gynecological diseases result from vacuity, cold accumulation, and qi bind giving rise to cessation of menses that may last for years. Blood cold that accumulates and binds in the uterus will cause cold damage to the channels and collaterals resulting in congealment and hardening.” From the above statement one can understand that the free flow of blood through the uterus is of utmost importance in maintaining menstrual regularity and preventing a condition that may give rise to the formation of concretions and accumulations. Quickening blood, transforming stasis, and staunching bleeding are the treatment principles to be used in cases of gynecological problems due to blood stasis¹³.

Footnotes:

1 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
2 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
3 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
4 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
5 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
6 A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker; Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, 1998; ISBN 0-9510546-7-8; p. 209
7 A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker; Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, 1998; ISBN 0-9510546-7-8; p. 209
8 A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker; Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, 1998; ISBN 0-9510546-7-8; p. 209
9 A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker; Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, 1998; ISBN 0-9510546-7-8; p. 495
10 A Manual of Acupuncture by Peter Deadman and Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker; Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, 1998; ISBN 0-9510546-7-8; p. 18
11 A Study of Chinese Medical Gynecology; Chief Editor – Zhang Yuzhen; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-321-2/R.321; p. 31
12 A Study of Chinese Medical Gynecology; Chief Editor – Zhang Yuzhen; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-321-2/R.321; p. 31
13 3 A Study of Chinese Medical Gynecology; Chief Editor – Zhang Yuzhen; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-321—2/R.321; p. 49
14 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
15 5 A Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine; Chief Editor - Gao Xuemin; China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2002; ISBN 7-80156-318-2/R.318; p. 394
16 Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine by Nigel Wiseman and Feng Ye; Paradigm Publications, 1997; ISBN 0-912111-54-2; Sores p. 545