Urticaria - Qi-Blood Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Urticaria · Qi-Blood Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Skin

Pattern Overview

Qi-Blood Deficiency is a chronic pattern in urticaria, characterized by chronic spontaneous urticaria, immune dysregulation, Treg cell dysfunction, IgG subclass deficiency, and recurrent wheals. The core pathogenesis is insufficient Qi and Blood failing to nourish the skin, leading to immune dysregulation and chronic urticaria.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Chronic recurrent wheals, fatigue, pale complexion, poor appetite |

| Associated Symptoms | Shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, poor sleep |

| Tongue and Pulse | Pale tongue with thin white coating, thready and weak pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Qi-Blood deficiency with immune dysregulation |

| Etiology | Chronic illness, poor nutrition, overwork, prolonged urticaria |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| Zusanli (ST36) | 3 cun below the patella, 1 finger-width lateral to the tibial crest | Strengthens Spleen and Stomach; tonifies Qi and Blood |

| Pishu (BL20) | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to T11 | Back-Shu point of Spleen meridian; strengthens Spleen-Qi |

| Qihai (RN6) | 1.5 cun below the umbilicus | Tonifies Qi and strengthens the body |

| Xuehai (SP10) | On the medial thigh, 2 cun above the patella | Nourishes Blood and stops itching |

| Sanyinjiao (SP6) | 3 cun above the medial malleolus | Nourishes Blood and Yin; regulates the Spleen and Kidney |

Clinical Recommendation: Filament needle, reinforcing method; moxibustion may be applied to Zusanli and Qihai to warm and tonify Qi and Blood.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Ba Zhen Tang (八珍汤) or Dang Gui Yin Zi (当归饮子)

Composition:

Ginseng (Ren Shen), Astragalus (Huang Qi), Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), Poria (Fu Ling), Angelica (Dang Gui), White Peony (Bai Shao), Chuanxiong (Chuan Xiong), Rehmannia (Shu Di), Polygonum (He Shou Wu), Licorice (Gan Cao)

Action: Supplements Qi and Blood, strengthens the immune system, and reduces wheals.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Chronic wheals | Add Huang Qi, Dang Shen to enhance Qi supplementation |

| Fatigue | Add Huang Qi to enhance Qi supplementation |

| Poor sleep | Add Suan Zao Ren, Yuan Zhi to calm the spirit |

| Cold limbs | Add Gui Zhi, Sheng Jiang to warm the meridians |

Western Mechanism Reference

Chronic spontaneous urticaria with immune dysregulation, Treg cell dysfunction, and IgG subclass deficiency. Qi-Blood Deficiency corresponds to chronic spontaneous urticaria, where immune dysregulation and Treg cell dysfunction contribute to persistent wheal formation.

References

  1. Dermatology of TCM - Urticaria with Qi-Blood Deficiency.

  2. Zang-Fu Pattern Differentiation: Qi-Blood Deficiency → Cross-layer Nourishment.

  3. WHO. (2023). Skin health. World Health Organization.

Explore More

  • Find your solution at MendGod.com – Personalized herbal protocols and acupressure tools for skin health.

  • Deepen your knowledge at TcmCIO.com – Full research papers and clinical case studies on TCM dermatology.