Patient's question:
Female, unmarried. I want to ask if it's necessary to treat menstrual cramps? I've heard that after having sexual intercourse, it will automatically improve. Is that true? But I've also heard that it doesn't necessarily improve for some people. Is it bad for the body to take medication for menstrual cramps? Are there any good methods to treat it?Doctor's answer:
Hello, in Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, menstrual pain is divided into: Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal pain before or during menstruation that is resistant to pressure, reduced menstrual volume, difficult menstruation, dark purple menstrual blood with clots, pain relief after clot expulsion, and pain disappearance after menstruation ends. Treatment should focus on regulating qi, resolving stasis, and alleviating pain. Medication: Modified Geshen Xuyu Decoction.Cold congealing in the uterus syndrome:
- Yang deficiency internal cold: Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal cold pain before or during menstruation, relieved by pressure, relieved by warmth, reduced menstrual volume, and dark pale menstrual blood. Treatment should focus on warming the meridians and uterus to alleviate pain. Medication: Wenging Decoction with aconite, mugwort, and fennel.
- Cold-dampness congelation: Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal cold pain before or during menstruation, pain relief when warmed, increased pain upon pressure, reduced menstrual volume, and dark pale menstrual blood with clots. Treatment should focus on warming the meridians, dispelling cold and dampness, resolving stasis, and alleviating pain. Medication: Shaofu Xuyu Decoction with atractylodes rhizome and poria.
Damp-heat lower-jiao syndrome: Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal pain before menstruation that is resistant to pressure with a burning sensation, or abdominal pain worsening during menstruation, dark red menstrual blood with a viscous consistency and clots. Treatment should focus on clearing heat, resolving dampness, resolving stasis, and alleviating pain. Medication: Qingre Tiaoxue Decoction with polygonum multiflorum and patrinia.
Qi and blood deficiency syndrome: Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal pain before or after menstruation that is dull and subtle, or a sense of emptiness and heaviness in the lower abdomen and vulva, relieved by massage, reduced menstrual volume, pale and thin menstrual blood. Treatment should focus on replenishing qi and blood to alleviate pain. Medication: Shengyu Decoction with removed rehmannia and added white peony root, safflower, and croton.
Liver and kidney deficiency syndrome: Characteristics of symptoms: lower abdominal pain before or after menstruation that is persistent and dull, dark pale menstrual blood with reduced volume and thin consistency. Treatment should focus on tonifying the kidneys and nourishing the liver to alleviate pain. Medication: Tiaogan Decoction with modifications.
However, Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment. It is best to consult a TCM department and combine the four diagnostic methods (inspection, auscultation/olfaction, inquiry, and palpation) for accurate diagnosis and prescription to achieve effective treatment. Wishing you a speedy recovery!