TCM for PMS Menstrual Cramps

Have you ever missed classes, or worse, were you not able to move at all during that time of the month? We know how uncomfortable menstrual cramps feel; they just make you want to curl up into a ball and sleep the pain away!

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea in modern medical terms) are a common occurrence among women when menstruation begins, but for some women, these cramps mark the beginning of an awful day (or week) ahead, as it is an unpleasant experience marked by significant pain and a host of other complications. If you experience menstrual cramps every month—which 20% of women do—and they hinder you from performing your day-to-day activities, then it is a health issue you cannot treat with painkillers and heat pads alone.

Menstrual cramps occur as your uterine muscles contract to help expel the uterine lining, compressing the blood vessels in your uterus. When this happens, the blood and oxygen supply to your uterus is temporarily halted, and pain-triggering chemicals called prostaglandins are released. Studies have found that higher prostaglandin levels tend to cause severe menstrual cramps.

Menstrual cramps are one of the few symptoms caused by premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but they can easily be one of the worst parts of PMS for some women. Menstrual cramps are typically divided into two types: primary and secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea is cramps that happen before or during a period and are caused by the prostaglandins that cause the uterine muscles and blood vessels to contract. The pain typically lasts between 12 and 72 hours, followed by other symptoms like nausea, fatigue, or diarrhoea.
Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by medical complications and can happen outside of your period. If you experience secondary dysmenorrhea, it may be a sign that you are also suffering from a severe condition like endometriosis (where the tissue that lines your uterus – the endometrium – is found outside the uterus).

Symptoms of a menstrual cramp typically include:

Pain in your lower abdomen. The pain ranges from mild to severe, stabbing pain that prevents you from doing anything until the pain subsides.
Any pain you feel 1 to 3 days before your period starts, gradually subsiding in 2 to 3 days.
A continuous ache or pressure around your lower abdomen.
Pain radiating towards your lower back, hips and thighs.
Nausea or dizziness.
Persistent or infrequent headache.

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), menstrual cramps occur due to an imbalance in qi (our vital energy) and blood flow within the body. TCM has always held a holistic view of healthcare, where an illness results from disharmony within the body. These imbalances are all interconnected, so one deficiency will lead to another. By treating these imbalances, the body can slowly correct itself and allow you to recover gradually.

Poor lifestyle habits, including unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise, are considered some of the leading causes of menstrual cramps. In TCM’s view, having too much of something (unhealthy food) without corrective action (regular exercise) can easily cause the body to become imbalanced and result in the many ailments you experience.

TCM views the following as the root cause of menstrual cramps.

Two meridians (the network of channels that let Qi flow throughout the body) are responsible for regulating the reproductive system and menstrual cycle: Chong and Ren: the Chong meridian helps nurture the uterus, while Ren regulates the menstrual cycle. When there is a deficiency or stagnation of blood and Qi flow in the body, whether due to illness or some other imbalance, these two meridians do not receive sufficient nourishment, compromising their ability to supply nutrients to the reproductive system. When you feel discomfort or pain before your period begins, that unfortunately means it is the calm before the storm.

Another reason is a deficiency in the spleen, a vital organ of the digestive system. The spleen is responsible for digesting food and producing Qi and blood for the body. It can become weakened when one does not have regular meals or consumes too many cold or cooling foods and drinks, resulting in a deficiency in blood and Qi supply to the reproductive organs that causes menstrual cramps. You should consider taking your favourite soft drinks out of the picture for the good of your menstrual health.

The liver is another organ vital to the menstrual cycle’s functioning, primarily in regulating the flow of Qi and blood to the Chong and Ren meridians. The liver’s flow of blood and Qi can become stagnant due to blood stasis (a pooling or slowing of blood flow in the body) caused by imbalances within the body; as a result, it can cause the sharp stabbing pain you experience during menstrual cramps, as well as irregular periods and blood clots that adversely affect your menstrual cycle. If menstrual cramps are giving you inconvenient reasons to skip an outing with the girls, this is one of the main culprits.

Another vital organ that helps with your reproductive health and menstrual cycle, a kidney deficiency can also lead to irregular and painful periods on top of heavy bleeding during menstruation. This deficiency may be due to unhealthy lifestyle habits that place stress on the kidneys, including chronic stress, physical overexertion and unhealthy eating habits.

Taking too much cold food and drink can cause coldness and dampness that obstruct blood and Qi flow throughout the body, thus leading to poor blood circulation, painful menstrual cramps, and other complications. You may also experience other irregularities, including lower abdominal bloating and unpleasant vaginal discharge.

A combination of Western medicine and TCM techniques tends to yield positive results in treating menstrual cramps. Where Western medicine takes a systemic approach by looking for specific symptoms and treating them, TCM looks at the underlying issues and treats them to prevent a recurrence in the future. Therefore, TCM is an excellent complementary therapy to support your medical journey.

Your TCM practitioner may recommend the following treatments to help treat your menstrual cramps.

Acupuncture

This technique involves gently inserting thin, sterilised needles at specific acupuncture points (acupoints) that aim to undo Qi and blood flow blockages in your body. To treat menstrual cramps, acupuncture targets the acupoints corresponding to your liver, kidneys, spleen, and the two meridians (Chong and Ren) to alleviate their related stagnation or imbalances. Thus, it helps to alleviate the pain caused by menstrual cramps, restore your menstrual cycle, and promote better well-being.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is an ancient technique that involves burning mugwort root over specific acupoints on the body. The process helps to invigorate blood flow and stimulate healthy Qi flow; it can also help eliminate stagnation and coldness in various parts of the body, all of which can help alleviate menstrual cramps.

Herbal Medicine

A specially brewed herbal medication can also help to promote better health and soothe menstrual cramps. A mixture of herbs can help improve Qi and blood flow within the body, nourish your organs, dispel all harmful deficiencies, and alleviate your menstrual cramps. Some herbs you may typically be prescribed include:

Dang Gui: Derived from angelica root, Dang Gui helps to promote better blood flow and prevent blood stagnation.
Safflower: Helps clear up blockages in blood flow in your reproductive system.
Fennel: This warming herb can help to dispel coldness from the body.
Ginger: Another warming herb, ginger also helps to expel coldness or dampness from the body.

Looking after your menstrual health is of significant importance, especially when you can take steps that can help to address your menstrual cramps alongside the treatments you are undergoing. Some tips you can adopt include:

Maintain your hygiene: It is essential to maintain your well-being to keep your body and intimate area clean at all times. Plus, a nice, cooling shower can really boost your mood, too.
Regular exercise: 20 minutes of exercise a day, three times a week, is a good amount of exercise. You can gradually build up the intensity as you get used to your routine.
Avoid stressing your body out: Exercise is always good, but avoid overexerting yourself as you can weaken your bodily functions, including your blood flow.
Maintain a healthy diet: Include more nutritious options in your everyday diet (more fruits and vegetables, less fatty foods); say goodbye to cold foods and drinks that may slow down blood and Qi flow in the body.
Keep yourself warm: What better way to stay warm and keep the cold out than with warm foot soaks and heating pads? You should also aim to maintain warmth around your belly.
Take time for yourself: Stress can also cause imbalances that disrupt your body’s optimal functioning. When you feel stressed out, get some rest; take up yoga, go for a short walk, watch your favourite show – the list goes on.

Get Comprehensive TCM Care For Your Menstrual Health

At Yi TCM, we prioritise your well-being above all else. We provide holistic health care through Eastern and Western medical knowledge and fertility care. Contact us today for a detailed consultation about your menstrual health needs, and our highly qualified practitioners will recommend the most suitable treatments and herbal remedies for your needs.