We often say, "I'm so angry my liver hurts!" But what's really going on with the liver? Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the liver stores blood and governs the free flow of qi. It's like the household manager in charge of finances and supplies—responsible for both storing blood and distributing qi and blood evenly throughout the body. If liver qi becomes stagnant, and you only think about taking liver-soothing medicine to unblock the pathways without checking whether your blood reserves are sufficient, it's like flooring the gas pedal when the fuel tank is nearly empty. Over time, problems are bound to arise.

A recent patient I saw is a classic example. She often couldn't help but clash with family members, getting worked up over a single disagreeable remark. She also experienced symptoms like bloating, frequent burping, excessive flatulence, and feeling uncomfortably full after eating. Upon examining her tongue, I noticed significant swelling on both sides—a clear sign of liver qi stagnation. Looking more closely, the tongue's color was relatively pale, indicating that liver stagnation had overacted on the spleen, resulting in deficiency of both qi and blood.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the spleen and stomach are considered the source of qi and blood production. The spleen and stomach function as a processing factory for generating qi and blood. When liver qi becomes stagnant, it's like a major traffic jam at the factory gate—raw materials cannot get in, and qi and blood naturally deplete with use. This ultimately leads to a deficiency of qi and blood in the body.

This patient had previously purchased Chaihu Shugan Wan and took it on their own. For the first few days, they indeed felt much more relaxed and in a better mood. However, before two weeks had passed, new problems emerged: climbing stairs left them panting for breath, standing up after squatting for a while made them see stars, and they constantly felt tightness in the chest. Why did this happen? Because merely dispersing liver qi without replenishing blood is like opening the floodgates to release water without storing any in the reservoir. Over time, the body's "pool of qi and blood" inevitably runs dry.

Later, I advised them to take Bazhen Wan in combination. Bazhen Wan contains a star combination in the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine: the potent alliance of Sijunzi Tang and Siwu Tang. It works to help the spleen and stomach restore their "blood-producing" function while simultaneously replenishing the liver's blood reserves. The patient adhered to this regimen for one course of treatment. Now, they rarely lose their temper, no longer pant when climbing stairs, and their condition has shown significant improvement.

The content of this article is for reference only and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or treatment. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes pattern differentiation and treatment based on syndrome. If you experience any physical discomfort, please seek medical attention promptly.