How is this different from Qi stagnation (Giul) or blood stasis (Eo-hyeol)?

Qi stagnation emphasizes stagnation according to functional and emotional changes, while blood stasis emphasizes clues such as fixed pain and changes in color. When both patterns appear together, it is described as Qi stagnation and blood stasis.

What other symptoms are evaluated?

We examine feelings of tightness, sighing, fixed pain, tenderness upon pressure, skin color changes, menstrual pain, and the location of symptoms together.

What should be differentiated first?

If there is sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, or swelling and color changes in one arm or leg, vascular diseases must be checked first.

How is this distinguished during a medical evaluation?

We check for the presence of both shifting tightness depending on tension and fixed pain in one spot, as well as reactions to pressure and changes in skin color or menstruation. After confirming medical causes, clues for Qi stagnation and blood stasis are interpreted together.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis (Giche-hyeoleo) are identified by observing both shifting feelings of tightness and fixed pain.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis describes a pattern where clues of Qi stagnation, such as tightness or bloating that moves according to tension and situation, appear together with clues of blood stasis, such as fixed stabbing pain, bruising, or color changes in one spot. This does not mean that blood vessels are actually blocked.

Commonly confused terms and their differences: Qi stagnation emphasizes functional changes where symptoms fluctuate with emotion and tension, while blood stasis emphasizes fixed pain and color changes. Thrombosis, heart, lung, or digestive diseases are confirmed through separate medical examinations and tests; the term 'Qi stagnation and blood stasis' does not replace these diagnoses.
Information to record before your visit: Please record the situations when tightness and pain begin, whether the location moves or remains fixed, and changes after pressure, breathing, exercise, or meals. Also record skin color, edema, bruising, menstrual pain, bleeding, recent surgery, trauma, long-distance travel, chest pain, shortness of breath, and medications currently being taken.
Scope of this material: WHO data was used for the scope of traditional medicine terminology for Qi stagnation and blood stasis, and MedlinePlus data was used to distinguish symptoms of thrombosis by area and the differentiation process. This page is not a criterion for diagnosing vascular diseases or choosing blood-related medications or Korean herbal medicine. Sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, or swelling in one arm or leg requires immediate medical evaluation.

Official References

Medical staff who wrote and reviewed this article

Choi Yeon-seung

Chief Director of Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic

The meaning and differentiation scope of Qi stagnation and blood stasis, as well as patient guidance expressions, have been reviewed. The last review date was August 25, 2026.

Graduated from Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine
Providing Korean medicine treatment since 2010
Symptom treatment from the perspective of heat-cold balance and constitution

Check medical evaluation criteria for my symptoms View full profile

Check the guides where these terms are used

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For those who experience heat rising to the soles of the feet, palms, and face despite no specific abnormalities in hospital tests, we examine the causes from the perspective of heat (Yeol) in Korean medicine and provide criteria for self-assessment.

Heat and Cold ColumnTreatment varies depending on the cause of chest heat sensation, such as heartburn, throbbing, or tension

We distinguish whether chest heat sensation is heartburn after meals or upper-body heat accompanying throbbing, and explain herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments that vary based on digestion, tension, or deficiency heat.

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Beyond simple blood circulation issues, we analyze knee coldness from the perspective of internal coldness and suggest improvement directions based on constitutional characteristics and lifestyle habits.

Medical GuideWhat should I check if tests are normal but sensations of heat and cold persist?

Just because a cause was not found in a test does not mean the symptoms the patient feels do not exist. The Baekrokdam Heat-Cold Clinic respects existing results while examining details not captured in test reports, such as location, timing, sleep, sweat, and digestion, categorizing them by heat-cold patterns to find points where Korean medicine treatment can help.

Medical GuideWhere should I start checking when sensations of heat and cold recur?

Even if there are no clear abnormalities in tests, recurring sensations of heat and cold are a definite discomfort. By gathering information on the area, time of day, duration, and accompanying changes such as sleep, sweat, and digestion, we can examine the branches of symptoms more precisely from the perspective of heat and cold and determine the direction of Korean medicine treatment.

Comparison of similar terms

Korean Medicine ConceptQi stagnation

Gi-ul (Liver Qi Stagnation) is a Korean medicine category determined by observing whether symptoms such as chest tightness, sighing, a feeling of blockage in the throat, abdominal bloating, and heat sensations fluctuate according to tension and emotional changes. It is not a term that concludes the issue is solely psychological.

Korean Medicine ConceptBlood stasis

Eohyeol is a category in Korean medicine that groups together fixed pain in one area, stabbing sensations, bruising or skin color changes, and menstrual changes. It is not a medical diagnosis such as thrombosis or vascular occlusion.

Korean Medicine ConceptQi and blood

In the context of Qi and Blood, 'Qi' is a Korean medicine term describing the body's functions and activities, while 'Blood' describes the foundation that nourishes and moistens the body. These are not literal expressions for gas or the actual volume of blood.

Medical TerminologyCold-Heat Pattern Identification

Pattern identification (Byeon-jeung) is the process of examining the location and timing of heat or cold sensations, as well as accompanying patterns such as sleep, digestion, and sweating, through medical interviews and physical examinations. It is not a substitute for medical tests or diagnoses.