Painful periods are quite common, but they don’t have to be your normal. 🤍
From a Chinese medicine perspective, pain arises when there is a disturbance to the flow of energy and blood through the body. In general, if there is pain BEFORE/DURING the period it is of excess nature. If there is pain AFTER it is generally due to a deficiency.
What is Dysmenorrhoea?
Dysmenorrhoea refers to pain before, during and/or after menstruation (your period).
Common Causes of Dysmenorrhoea:
❄️Depression, anger, stress or other emotional disturbances
❄️Cold invasion (from swimming in cold water or getting caught in the rain during menstruation)
❄️Excessive intake of cold/raw foods (particularly during menstruation)
❄️Constitutional tendencies (prolonged imbalance or hereditary)
❄️Prolonged illnesses or excessive blood loss.
❄️Improper diet (excessively sweet, excess cold/raw foods, irregular eating times, too much or too little intake)
Patterns & Symptoms/Signs in Chinese medicine:
☯️ Qi & Blood stagnation- stabbing/sharp abdominal pain and distension in the lower abdomen, purplish blood, clots, light flow, pain can be relieved with passing of the clots.
☯️ Excess Cold in the Uterus- cramping/sharp pain which is worse with pressure, but better with warmth, dark coloured blood, clots, light flow.
☯️ Deficient Cold in the Uterus- cramping pain that is better with pressure and warmth, dark coloured blood, light flow, may be no clots.
☯️ Damp-heat in the Lower Jiao- pain worse with pressure, burning sensation in the lower back/sacrum, thick dark red blood, clots.
☯️ Qi & Blood deficiency- dull pain with a bearing down sensation, worse after or during the period, better with pressure and massage, light flow, dilute pink blood, tiredness.
☯️ Liver & Kidney deficiency- dull pain after or during the period, low back pain, light flow, dilute light coloured blood.
Prevention:
🌸 Stay covered and warm, especially the lower abdomen/back and feet.
🌸 Enjoy a balanced & nutritious diet (limiting cold/raw foods, regular eating, address any nutritional deficiencies)
🌸 Manage stress and deal with emotions.
🌸 Rest when tired or when you need/want to.
🌸 Regular movement that feels good for you (try training with the menstrual cycle).
What you can do to relieve the pain:
🤍It depends on the pattern, so find what works for you (heat, rest, movement, stretching, supplementation).
🤍Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help!
🤍 If it is severe or you are concerned, seek medical advice as there may be an underlying condition.
I hope this has helped! I get so many questions about painful periods and it’s difficult without getting the full picture. Let me know if there is anything else you want me to cover next 🥰
