A painful menstrual period is not normal. There is a medical term assigned to this (or these) symptoms which is dysmenorrhea. The most common type of dysmenorrhea is the Primary. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs where there is no underlying problem of the womb (uterus) or pelvis. This means there’s no other health condition causing it and often occurs in teenagers and in women in their 20s. Secondary dysmenorrhea, then, relates to the pain due to another medical condition. Less common so we’re not going into details.
Therefore, this post will refer to Primary dysmenorrhea without mentioning Primary from now on.
Dysmenorrhea refers to the occurrence of menstrual cramps in the lower abdomen, without any identifiable pelvic pathology, with characteristic symptoms such as lower abdominal or pelvic pain, ranging from 8 h to 72 h and typically occurring at the onset of menstrual flow. Other associated symptoms include low back pain, headache, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, or vomiting.
A new study has proven that for dysmenorrhea, the effects of acupressure, acupuncture, warm needling and moxibustion were superior to those on NSAIDs and waitlist. This is extremely significant as results are achieved without the complement of Herbal Medicine.
In Chinese Medicine, dysmenorrhea is generally categorized as Internal Cold meaning: a feeling of cold in the abdomen that is relieved by warmth. After all, Cold slows metabolism so it makes sense. This Cold eventually creates Blood Stagnation.
However, dysmenorrhea also can happen due to Excessive-Heat in Blood or even Blood deficiency and essence hence proper diagnosis must be assessed by a qualified acupuncturist.
We acupuncturists know there are effective acupuncture points to deal with menstruation issues such as SP6, SP10, ST28, ST29, GB 39, KD6 or KD8 (there are more) but herbal formulas always have been included on the treatment due to their long-lasting internal effect such as Huo Jing Zhong Zi Fang. The study proves no need to, although I presume acupuncture should be used regularly days before each cycle.
Anyway, it seems the combination of acupuncture, warm needling and Heating (IR or Moxa) over the abdomen truly makes the difference. Abdominal Acupuncture style rocks on these type of conditions, indeed.
Some dietary advice can be given and done at home. For instance, I always recommend in my clinic to avoid eating raw, cold, pungent, fatty, and greasy foods during menstruation. Avoid drinking strong tea, coffee, and liquor. A week before menstruation, you should have a diet that is light and nutritious.
Then, during menstruation make sure to stay warm. You can put a hot water pouch at your lower abdomen and lower back to dispel cold and relieve pain.
If circumstances allow you: rest during menstruation. Avoid taxing the mind, avoid severe stress, maintain a peaceful state of mind, and avoid over exertion that can cause both physical and mental stress.
There, there is a magic tea that works excellent. Do you want to know which one?
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