Menstrual Blood Clots

How Chinese medicine differentiates menstrual blood clots — a visible sign that the smooth flow of Qi and Blood in the uterus is disturbed — into the three patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's own Thick Menstrual Blood page (texture, not clots). Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Large clots with heavy flow, or clots alongside severe pain, need medical evaluation to rule out fibroids, adenomyosis or other structural causes before assuming a simple pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for menstrual blood clots — 8 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin. Regulates the uterus and menstruation.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Invigorates Blood and regulates menstruation.
REN-4	Nourishes Blood and Yin. Strengthens the Uterus and regulates menstruation.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat and cools the Blood.
ST-36	Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Stomach and Spleen.
REN-6	Tonifies Qi and Yang. Raises sinking Qi.
BL-20	Tonifies the Spleen Qi and Yang. Nourishes Blood.

The Three Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sharp, stabbing, fixed lower abdominal pain, worse with pressure and improved after passing clots, dark purple or blackish menstrual blood with clots, engorged tortuous sublingual veins.

Tongue: Dark purple or dusky body with possible stasis spots, engorged sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Choppy, wiry, may be deep.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and dispel stasis, move Qi and alleviate pain.

SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ⊥ LR-3 ↓ REN-4 ↑

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide via the dark/purplish discoloration-marker rule — the source frames this as Chong/Ren-vessel stasis rather than Liver-specific, a naming nuance worth flagging, but the underlying Blood-stagnation presentation matches closely.

2. Heat in Uterus Blood

Clinical manifestations: Dark red or purplish, thick, sticky clots, feeling of heat in the lower abdomen, irritability and restlessness, thirst with desire for cold drinks, early periods, heavy menstrual flow.

Tongue: Red body, redder tip, possibly with prickles, thin yellow dry coat. Pulse: Rapid, wiry, or slippery.

Treatment principle: Nourish Yin, clear Heat, cool the Blood.

SP-10 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ SP-6 ⊥

Note: no moxa. This site has no standalone Heat-in-the-Blood/Uterus slide, a gap confirmed absent many times over — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

3. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Small, pale clots, light or scanty menstrual flow, fatigue and weakness, dizziness or lightheadedness, pale complexion and lips, mild or absent cramping.

Tongue: Pale body, may be thin or teeth-marked, thin white coating. Pulse: Fine, weak, forceless.

Treatment principle: Tonify Qi, nourish Blood, strengthen the Spleen.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ REN-6 ↑ BL-20 ↑

Note: moxa applicable throughout. This site has no combined Qi-and-Blood-deficiency slide, a gap confirmed absent many times over — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

Related conditions

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