We frequently receive messages from sisters asking: "My period is always late, with painfully scant flow that's dark and contains clots - what's really going on?"

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this is mostly caused by blood stasis - like a "passageway" being blocked in the body. However, even when there's blockage, the causes fall into two distinct categories that require completely different treatment approaches.

I. Cold Congealing and Blood Stasis: The Body Gets "Frozen"

Imagine the heating pipes in your home during winter—if the pipes freeze, hot water simply can't reach the rooms. A woman's uterus is like a small house that needs warmth. Once invaded by cold pathogens, menstrual blood becomes sluggish and difficult to flow, just like water encountering freezing temperatures.

Typical Manifestations:

Delayed menstruation, scanty and dark-colored flow with numerous hard-textured blood clots

The lower abdomen feels cold to the touch, with chilly pain during menstruation that worsens with pressure​

Hands and feet are consistently cold year-round with noticeable cold intolerance​

These habits are often the hidden culprits:​

1. Obsession with crop tops and exposed ankles, leaving the waist and ankles directly exposed to cold air​

2. Constantly holding iced milk tea, ice cream, and chilled fruits, especially during menstruation without dietary restrictions.

3. Wearing thin clothing in winter and neglecting warmth in air-conditioned rooms.

Coldness gradually infiltrates the body, causing menstrual blood to slowly "freeze" into clots, making it naturally difficult to discharge.

II. Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis: Emotions "constrict" the body.

Another common type of stagnation is "blocked" by negative emotions. Traditional Chinese Medicine states that "when qi flows, blood circulates; when qi stagnates, blood congeals." Prolonged emotional distress is like setting up roadblocks for blood flow.

Typical signals:​

Delayed menstrual periods, dark-colored menstrual blood mixed with blood clots

A week before menstruation, the breasts feel as hard as stones, with noticeable lower abdominal distension and pain

Prone to holding in anger, often feeling emotionally stifled and experiencing worsened symptoms during periods of low mood

These women often have one thing in common: high work pressure, prone to worrying, or frequently feeling frustrated over trivial matters. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that "the liver governs free flow of qi." Long-term emotional suppression can damage the liver, leading to poor circulation of qi and blood, making it naturally difficult for menstrual blood to flow smoothly.

Finally, here's a reminder for everyone: Dark menstrual blood with clots is definitely not "detoxification"! In fact, it's a "distress signal" from your body. Cold-induced blood stasis requires warming and unblocking therapies, while qi stagnation and blood stasis need liver-soothing treatments. Proper diagnosis is essential for targeted regulation.