Menstrual Pain

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Menstrual Pain refers to when the lower abdominal pain and/or back pain occurs before, during, or after the menstruation, which affects patient’s lifestyle. Menstrual Pain (Dysmenorrhea) is mostly young women’s disease.

Primary Dysmenorrhea is not an organic disease: the uterus contraction causes pain. When one has dysmenorrhea for 2-3 years, it’s called Primary Dysmenorrhea.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea is caused by actual diseases, mostly endometriosis, and by acute or chronic inflammation of pelvic organs. One may also have lower abdominal pain all the time, but it gets worse before, during or after period.

Causes of Menstrual Pain

1. Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the liver is the organ that stores blood and also in charge of free flow of Qi (need a short explanation or link) within our body. When Qi Stagnation is prolonged, it can also lead to Blood Stasis for severe pain.

2. Cold in uterus due to Yang deficiency. (need a short explanation or link)

3. Stagnation due to cold-dampness in uterus (need a short explanation or link)

4. Deficiency of Qi, blood/liver-kidney Yin deficiency, and etc.: Due to the excessive diet in the modern society (Stagnation), this anomaly is more common among young females.

Treatments

Acupuncture & Moxibustion and Herbal Medicine

Prevention

Yoga, Meditation, Good diet, Self-love: TCM is a psychosomatic medicine with holistic concepts. By controlling our own mind through physical and mindful activities, such as yoga and meditation, Qi (need a short explanation or link) will flow better, in turn it will ease the pain. In TCM, we say, when there is blockage, there is a pain