Patient's question:
My girlfriend often experiences menstrual cramps. Does it affect fertility?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Menstrual pain is not contagious and does not affect fertility, but it can be regulated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).In TCM theory, menstrual pain is classified into the following patterns:
Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Pattern:
Symptoms: Lower abdominal pain before or during menstruation that is resistant to pressure, reduced menstrual flow, sluggish flow, dark purple menstrual blood with clots, and pain relief after clot expulsion. Pain disappears after menstruation ends.
Treatment: Regulating qi and resolving stasis to relieve pain.
Medication: Modified Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang (Separating Obstruction from the Middle Jiao Decoction).
Cold Stagnation in the Uterus Pattern:
Yang Deficiency Internal Cold:
Symptoms: Lower abdominal cold pain before or during menstruation, pain relief with pressure, and relief with warmth. Reduced menstrual flow, dark and pale menstrual blood.
Treatment: Warming the meridians and the uterus to relieve pain.
Medication: Warming the Jingshu Decoction with aconite, mugwort, and fennel.
Cold Dampness Stagnation:
Symptoms: Lower abdominal cold pain before or during menstruation, pain relief with warmth, increased pain with pressure. Reduced menstrual flow, dark and pale menstrual blood with clots.
Treatment: Warming the meridians, dispelling cold and dampness, resolving stasis to relieve pain.
Medication: Modified Shaoyao Zhu Yu Tang (Separating Obstruction from the Lower Jiao Decoction) with atractylodes rhizome and poria.
Damp-Heat Lowering Pattern:
Symptoms: Lower abdominal pain before menstruation that is resistant to pressure with a burning sensation, or increased abdominal pain during menstruation. Dark red menstrual blood with a viscous consistency and clots.
Treatment: Clearing heat, resolving dampness, resolving stasis to relieve pain.
Medication: Clearing Heat and Regulating Blood Decoction with polygonum multiflorum and patrinia.
Qi and Blood Deficiency Pattern:
Symptoms: Lower abdominal pain after menstruation for one or two days, or dull lower abdominal and vaginal heaviness, pain relief with pressure. Reduced menstrual flow, pale and thin menstrual blood.
Treatment: Strengthening qi and blood to relieve pain.
Medication: Sheng Yu Tang (Sacred Recovery Decoction) without rehmannia, with white peony root, safflower, and croton.
Liver and Kidney Deficiency Pattern:
Symptoms: Dull lower abdominal pain after menstruation for one or two days, dark and pale menstrual blood, reduced flow, thin and watery menstrual blood.
Treatment: Nourishing the kidneys and liver to relieve pain.
Medication: Modified Liver-Regulating Decoction.
However, TCM 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 a personalized diagnosis.