Hand Arthritis · Blood Stasis Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hand

Pattern Overview

Blood Stasis is a chronic pattern in hand arthritis, characterized by joint deformity, sharp fixed pain, and aggravation at night. The core pathogenesis is prolonged stasis of blood in the hand joint collaterals, leading to joint deformity, chronic inflammation, and persistent pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hand Arthritis · Damp-Heat Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hand

Pattern Overview

Damp-Heat Bi is an acute inflammatory pattern in hand arthritis, characterized by acute synovitis, swelling, redness, and burning pain. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Damp-Heat in the hand joints, causing acute synovitis, joint effusion, and severe pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hand Arthritis · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hand

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in hand arthritis, characterized by bone erosion, chronic ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the hand joints by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to progressive bone erosion and joint damage.

Hand Arthritis · Qi-Blood Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hand

Pattern Overview

Qi-Blood Deficiency is a chronic pattern in hand arthritis, characterized by chronic degeneration, dull pain, weakness, and fatigue. The core pathogenesis is insufficient Qi and Blood to nourish the hand joints, leading to chronic degeneration, weakness, and impaired function.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hand Arthritis · Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hand

Pattern Overview

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi is a common pattern in hand arthritis, characterized by rheumatoid/osteoarthritis, cold pain, stiffness, and aggravation in cold weather. The core pathogenesis is invasion of Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens into the hand joint meridians, causing obstruction of Qi and Blood flow and progressive joint degeneration.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Heel Pain · Blood Stasis Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Foot

Pattern Overview

Blood Stasis is a chronic pattern in heel pain, characterized by heel spur with chronic pain, sharp fixed pain, and aggravation at night. The core pathogenesis is stagnation of blood in the heel collaterals, leading to chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Heel Pain · Damp-Heat Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Foot

Pattern Overview

Damp-Heat Bi is an acute inflammatory pattern in heel pain, characterized by acute bursitis, swelling, redness, and burning pain. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Damp-Heat in the heel, causing acute inflammation, edema, and severe pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Heel Pain · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Foot

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in heel pain, characterized by degenerative heel changes, chronic ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the heel by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to degenerative changes and chronic pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Heel Pain · Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Foot

Pattern Overview

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi is a common pattern in heel pain, characterized by calcaneal inflammation, cold pain, stiffness, and aggravation in cold weather. The core pathogenesis is invasion of Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens into the heel meridians, causing obstruction of Qi and Blood flow and fascial inflammation.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Arthritis · Blood Stasis Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Blood Stasis is a serious pattern in hip arthritis, characterized by avascular necrosis, sharp fixed pain, and aggravation at night. The core pathogenesis is severe stasis of blood in the hip joint, leading to impaired blood supply, bone ischemia, and progressive joint destruction.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Arthritis · Damp-Heat Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Damp-Heat Bi is an acute inflammatory pattern in hip arthritis, characterized by acute inflammatory arthritis, swelling, redness, and burning pain. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Damp-Heat in the hip joint, causing acute synovitis and severe inflammatory response.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Arthritis · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in hip arthritis, characterized by osteoarthritis degeneration, chronic ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the hip joint by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to progressive joint degeneration and pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Arthritis · Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi is a common pattern in hip arthritis, characterized by joint degeneration, cold pain, stiffness, and aggravation in cold weather. The core pathogenesis is invasion of Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens into the hip joint meridians, causing obstruction of Qi and Blood flow and progressive joint degeneration.

Hip Pain · Damp-Heat Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Damp-Heat Bi is an acute inflammatory pattern in hip pain, characterized by septic/inflammatory bursitis, swelling, redness, and burning pain. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Damp-Heat in the hip, causing acute bursitis, severe inflammation, and pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Pain · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in hip pain, characterized by degenerative changes, chronic ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the hip joint by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to progressive joint degeneration and pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hip Pain · Qi Stagnation with Blood Stasis Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Qi Stagnation with Blood Stasis is a common pattern in hip pain, characterized by traumatic bursitis, sharp fixed pain, and aggravation at night. The core pathogenesis is trauma causing Qi stagnation and Blood stasis in the hip collaterals, leading to bursal inflammation, swelling, and pain.

Hip Pain · Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Hip

Pattern Overview

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi is a common pattern in hip pain, characterized by hip joint/bursa inflammation, cold pain, stiffness, and aggravation in cold weather. The core pathogenesis is invasion of Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens into the hip meridians, causing obstruction of Qi and Blood flow, synovitis, and bursal inflammation.

Hypothyroidism · Liver Depression with Spleen Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Whole Body

Pattern Overview

Liver Depression with Spleen Deficiency is a common pattern in hypothyroidism, particularly associated with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, fatigue, depression, and stress-related immune dysfunction. The core pathogenesis is chronic stress causing Liver Qi depression, which overacts on the Spleen, leading to immune dysregulation and progressive thyroid dysfunction.

Hypothyroidism · Phlegm-Dampness Internal Obstruction Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Whole Body

Pattern Overview

Phlegm-Dampness Internal Obstruction is a common pattern in hypothyroidism, characterized by glycosaminoglycan deposition, myxedema, heavy sensation, sticky mouth, and fluid retention. The core pathogenesis is accumulation of Phlegm-Dampness in the body due to impaired Spleen transformation, leading to interstitial fluid retention and myxedema.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

Hypothyroidism · Qi-Blood Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Whole Body

Pattern Overview

Qi-Blood Deficiency is a common pattern in hypothyroidism, characterized by thyroid hormone deficiency anemia, fatigue, pale complexion, dizziness, and palpitations. The core pathogenesis is insufficient Qi and Blood failing to nourish the body, leading to anemia, fatigue, and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |