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Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang身痛逐瘀汤

Drive Out Blood Stasis from a Painful Body Decoction

Regulating Blood 理血剂Invigorate Blood and Dispel Stasis 活血祛瘀

Ingredients12 herbs

秦Qin Jiao秦艽3gDispels wind-damp and relaxes the sinews川Chuan Xiong川芎6gMoves the blood and the qi within it, reaching the whole body桃Tao Ren桃仁9gBreaks stubborn stasis lodged in the channels红Hong Hua红花9gInvigorates the blood, dispels stasis, relieves pain甘Gan Cao甘草6gModerates the harsher herbs and harmonizes the whole羌Qiang Huo羌活3gDispels wind-damp from the upper back and shoulders没Mo Yao没药6gDisperses stasis and settles fixed pain当Dang Gui当归9gNourishes blood while moving it, so breaking stasis does not deplete五Wu Ling Zhi五灵脂炒6gDispels stasis in the collaterals and relieves pain香Xiang Fu香附3gMoves qi so that the blood follows it
牛牛膝9g
地Di Long地龙去土6gOpens the collaterals so the limbs move freely again

Indications

Invigorates the blood and dispels stasisMoves qi and stops painDispels wind-damp, unblocks the channels and collaterals

Blood stasis obstructing the channels: a bi pattern that began as wind, cold or damp and, after months or years, has turned into stasis. The pain is fixed and stabbing and does not wander — which is what separates it from a recent invasion.

Clinical Manifestations

  • Chronic shoulder, arm or low back pain unrelieved by wind-damp formulas
  • Long-standing sciatic leg pain
  • Fixed stabbing joint pain, worse at night
  • Old injury pain that has become chronic
  • Generalized body pain with stasis signs
TongueDark or purple, often with stasis spots; thin white coating
PulseChoppy, or wiry and tight

Health Categories

Bone & Joint Health

Modern Applications

Chronic low back painSciaticaOsteoarthritis painFibromyalgiaPost-traumatic painFrozen shoulder

Common adjustments

  • Mild heat present — the source text adds Cang Zhu 苍术 and Huang Bai 黄柏
  • Marked underlying deficiency — the source text adds a large dose of Huang Qi 黄芪
  • Upper limb pain predominant — add Sang Zhi 桑枝, Jiang Huang 姜黄
  • Lower limb pain predominant — increase Chuan Niu Xi 川牛膝; add Du Huo 独活

Contraindications

Contraindicated in pregnancy. Not for bleeding tendencies or heavy menstrual flow, and not for pain that is purely deficient with no stasis signs. Wu Ling Zhi is traditionally held incompatible with Ren Shen 人参 (the pairing). Patients taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should be managed together with their prescriber, since the formula is strongly blood-invigorating.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.

Pregnancy

Contraindicated in pregnancy — the formula is built on strongly blood-breaking herbs.

Related Formulas

References

Source Yi Lin Gai Cuo 《医林改错》 · Qing dynasty

「凡肩痛、臂痛、腰疼、腿疼，或周身疼痛，总名曰痹症。」
— 《医林改错》(classical source, public domain)
  1. Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
    2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
    3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.