Have you ever known someone who eats very little – even less than most people around them – yet their weight stays stubbornly high? They look puffy, their flesh feels loose and flabby, and even mild activity leaves them breathless and drained. Starvation diets make them dizzy and weak, yet the scale barely moves; exercise leaves them sore for days and too tired to continue.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these individuals are classic cases of "deficiency-type obesity" .
From a TCM perspective, obesity is not simply "excess fat" – it is an external manifestation of internal constitutional imbalance. Clinically, it is often categorized into three types: excess-type, deficiency-type, and mixed deficiency-excess. Among these, deficiency-type individuals, though overweight, typically have soft, unsolid body shapes – a form of obesity rooted in congenital weakness or acquired malnourishment.
TCM holds that the core pathogenesis of obesity is closely linked to spleen and stomach dysfunction, phlegm-dampness accumulation, and qi-blood disharmony. For deficiency-type obesity, the key issue lies in the Spleen.
In TCM theory, the Spleen governs transportation and transformation – it converts food into qi and blood energy and distributes them throughout the body. When Spleen Qi is weak, this function declines. What you eat cannot be fully transformed into energy; instead, it turns into "phlegm-dampness" that accumulates internally.
This is why many with deficiency-type obesity eat sparingly yet still gain weight – not because they eat too much, but because their body cannot process and transport what they consume.
The most prominent symptoms of this group are fatigue and weakness – even without activity, they feel heavy and sore, and may also experience limb edema, pale or sallow complexion, shortness of breath, reluctance to speak, and poor appetite. As TCM states: "The Spleen governs transportation; when the Spleen is deficient, water-dampness stagnates internally." Deficiency-type obesity is often associated with Spleen Qi deficiency and Spleen-Kidney Yang deficiency – the core issue is insufficient vital energy to properly transform nutrients, leading to fat and fluid retention. Insufficient Yang energy slows fluid metabolism, ultimately resulting in deficiency-type obesity.
In short:
Excess-type – overeating and underexercising, with internal dampness-phlegm accumulation. These individuals tend to have strong appetites, prefer high-fat and high-calorie foods, and have larger body mass. The treatment focus is on clearing heat, removing dampness, and promoting digestion.
Deficiency-type – overweight but weak, with insufficient vital energy. They eat little yet still gain weight, with soft flesh, easy fatigue, and a tendency to edema. The treatment focus is on strengthening the Spleen, boosting Qi, warming Yang, and promoting diuresis.
If you belong to the latter group – crash dieting will only make you more deficient, and excessive exercise may deplete your qi and blood. The essence of TCM-based weight management lies in individualized treatment; different obesity patterns require fundamentally different approaches.
Many people with deficiency-type obesity share a common experience: they buy gym memberships, hire personal trainers, sweat daily – yet after a month, their weight barely changes, while they feel more fatigued, more swollen, and less motivated.
This is not a lack of effort – it's that your body's "detox channel" is obstructed.
In TCM, the body's largest detoxification channel is the Bladder Meridian (足太阳膀胱经). This meridian has the most acupoints – 67 in total – and runs primarily along the back of the body, including the spine and the posterior legs. It serves both as a natural barrier against wind-cold pathogens and as a vital pathway for expelling metabolic waste.
Modern lifestyles – prolonged sitting, bent-over phone use – keep the neck and back in constant tension and stiffness. Over time, this blocks the meridians in the back, severely slowing metabolism. When the Bladder Meridian is obstructed, internal toxins cannot be efficiently expelled, and fat metabolism is impaired.
Of particular concern is the close link between cervical and lumbar spine health and obesity.
The area around the 7th cervical vertebra (the Dazhui acupoint) is a critical "crossroads" for the neck, shoulders, and back. Blockage here can impede multiple meridians, including the Governing Vessel and the Bladder Meridian. When these meridians are invaded by cold pathogens or chronically strained, qi and blood circulation stagnate – not only affecting metabolism but also possibly leading to a "wealthy bump" (dorsocervical fat pad).
The lumbar region is equally important – the Bladder Meridian runs along both sides of the spine. Lumbar strain or misalignment directly affects the qi-blood flow of this meridian. Metabolic water and breakdown products rely on the Bladder Meridian for dispersal and excretion. Once this passage is blocked, metabolic waste accumulates, and fat tends to "stay put."
If someone has a thick, heavy back and a stout neck, TCM practitioners often identify this as a sign of Bladder Meridian blockage.
People who sit for long hours often develop stiffness in the shoulders, neck, and back. Over time, this leads to meridian stagnation in the back, slowing metabolism and promoting fat deposition in that area. Additionally, exposure to cold and dampness can chill the back, further obstructing the Bladder Meridian and slowing fat metabolism.
So, if your weight refuses to drop despite exercise, it may be worth checking the health of your cervical and lumbar spine – perhaps the issue is not insufficient exercise, but blocked meridians.
For deficiency-type obesity, internal herbal remedies are important – but many people already have weak Spleen and Stomach function with poor absorption, so oral treatments may have limited effect. TCM external therapies offer a workaround – they act directly on meridian points and local tissues, stimulating the body's self-healing potential.
The principle behind TCM external weight-loss therapies is: by stimulating meridians and acupoints, they regulate organ function, boost metabolism, and expel internal dampness. They do not aim for "lose 10 pounds a month" but rather work to harmonize qi and blood, balance constitution, and gradually restore the body to normal metabolic function.
Among various TCM external therapies, Qiteng Therapy is a distinctive approach.
Qiteng Therapy, under the guidance of TCM theory, involves steaming specially prepared herbal medicine bags in a steamer until heated, then placing them on specific body areas for sustained warmth. Its actions include relaxing the skin and muscles, smoothing qi and blood circulation, dispelling wind and cold, and warming meridians to remove obstruction.
Through transdermal delivery, the combined thermal and herbal effects reach the skin's surface and penetrate deeply into meridians and internal organs – helping regulate organ function, promote blood circulation, and activate metabolism.
The distinctive feature of Qiteng Therapy lies in its dual action – heat + herbal potency:
Heat effect: Warm steam dilates skin pores, enhances blood circulation, and accelerates metabolism. For deficiency-type individuals who commonly experience Yang deficiency and cold sensitivity, the warming effect directly supplements Yang energy.
Herbal effect: Medicinal ions permeate through the skin to the affected area, warming meridians, dispersing cold, and eliminating dampness. For Bladder Meridian blockages, it can be applied directly over the back and lumbar meridian pathways.
For those with deficiency-type obesity accompanied by cervical or lumbar discomfort, Qiteng Therapy – through sustained warming of the back and waist – can help unblock the Bladder Meridian, improve local qi-blood circulation, and assist the body in restoring normal metabolic capacity.
According to TCM external therapy theory, the indications for Qiteng Therapy include cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, muscle strain, and frozen shoulder – conditions that are precisely the most common concurrent issues in modern deficiency-type obesity populations.
In other words: if you find that your weight stays stagnant despite exercise, while also experiencing stiff neck and shoulders or aching lower back – you might consider starting with unblocking the Bladder Meridian. Qiteng Therapy could be the key step to clearing your "metabolic bottleneck."
Disclaimer:
This content is a summary of clinical experience and observations from TianDao Traditional Chinese Medicine over many years. It is intended for patient education, public awareness, and scientific exchange. It does not constitute a guarantee of cure, safety, or efficacy for any condition, nor is it a promotional promise.
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