Body Aches at Period Time

CHAPTER 23 Body Aches at Period Time



AETIOLOGY 415

PATHOLOGY 416

IDENTIFICATION OF PATTERNS AND TREATMENT 416
Blood deficiency (alone or with Yang rising) 416

Blood stasis 418

PROGNOSIS AND PREVENTION 419

Many women suffer from aches and pains in connection with the periods and these may occur before, during or after the period. There is an interesting relationship between Blood and body aches in women. Blood, and therefore menstrual blood, nourishes the sinews and muscles and keeps the tendons and joints supple. It also flows in the channels and, by nourishing and filling them, prevents invasions of external Wind in them. If Blood is deficient, the channels are empty and therefore prone to external Wind invasions. It is for this reason that one usually needs to nourish Blood when expelling Wind, and this principle applies both to external and internal Wind.


The relationship between Blood and aches and pains in women accounts for many cases of rheumatic joint pains that resemble Painful Obstruction Syndrome (Bi) while, in reality, they are simply due to deficient Blood failing to nourish joints, sinews and muscles: these are examples of what Dr J H F Shen calls ‘not true Bi syndrome’. Such cases are extremely common in women, more so than in men, because of the close relationship between menstrual blood and body nourishment. The Standards of Diagnosis and Treatment (1602) by Wang Ken Tang says:



Menstrual Blood moves Qi and Blood, penetrates Yin and Yang, nourishes the body [so that] Qi and Blood flourish, Yin and Yang are harmonized hence the body functions well. If externally the nourishment by the Defensive Qi is lost and internally the irrigation by the Nutritive Qi and Blood is lacking, Qi and Blood become deficient and body aches develop during the periods.1


Thus, particularly if aches and pains occur in connection with the menstrual cycle, they are often related to a Blood pathology rather than to actual Painful Obstruction Syndrome with invasion of external Wind, Dampness or Cold. Of course, the two conditions may be, and often are, combined so that there is a deficiency of Blood in the channel which facilitates the invasion of external pathogenic factors. The treatment in such cases must definitely stress nourishing the Blood as, if this is not done, external pathogenic factors will not be expelled.



Aetiology




Excessive physical work, inadequate diet, chronic illness


Excessive physical work (including sports) injures the Spleen and therefore the muscles; by injuring the Spleen, it also leads to Qi and Blood deficiency (because the Spleen is the main source of Qi and Blood).


A diet lacking in nourishment and Blood-forming foods may lead to Qi and Blood deficiency. This happens when women follow too strict slimming diets or when young girls become vegetarian without a proper understanding of how to combine foods to obtain enough protein.


A long, protracted illness (such as a bronchitis that might drag on for months) may also lead to Qi and Blood deficiency.


Whatever the cause of Qi and Blood deficiency, deficient Blood fails to nourish the sinews, muscles, channels and joints, and aches develop. Since blood is lost during menstruation, the aches occur at period time and, in this case, they tend to occur more during and after the period.



Emotional stress, irregular diet


Emotional problems may lead to stagnation of Qi; after a prolonged time this may generate stasis of Blood. Blood may stagnate in the channels, cause an obstruction and therefore lead to aches and pains. During the period, Blood should flow easily, and if it stagnates, the aches and pains become worse. This would usually happen before or during the period.


An excessive consumption of dairy foods, sugar, sweets, raw, cold foods or greasy foods may lead to the formation of Dampness. This may settle in the channels and joints and lead to pain and swelling. If the Blood is also deficient or stagnant, the aches and pains occur during the period time.



Pathology


Thus, the pathology of aches and pains at period time is closely linked with a Blood pathology which essentially includes either Blood deficiency or Blood stasis. Blood deficiency may be complicated with Yang rising. In fact, if Liver-Blood is deficient, Liver-Yang may rise causing typically aches and stiffness of the upper back and neck. I have noticed in practice that this situation often arises after a hysterectomy because removing the uterus seems to induce a deficiency of Blood and consequently Liver-Yang rising affecting the upper back and neck.


Thus, the main pathologies and patterns are:


• Blood deficiency

• Blood deficiency with Yang rising

• Blood stasis.


Identification of patterns and treatment



Blood deficiency (alone or with Yang rising)



Clinical manifestations


Aches and pains during or after the period, aches mostly in the limbs, numbness, tingling of the limbs, tiredness, dizziness, muscular weakness, insomnia. Tongue: Pale and Thin. Pulse: Choppy or Fine.



Treatment principle


Nourish Blood, nourish and relax the sinews.



Acupuncture


LU-7 Lieque (on the right) and KI-6 Zhaohai (on the left), Ren-4 Guanyuan, ST-36 Zusanli, SP-6 Sanyinjiao, LIV-8 Ququan, BL-17 Geshu (with direct moxa), BL-11 Dashu, L.I.-10 Shousanli, T.B.-5 Waiguan, G.B.-34 Yanglingquan, BL-18 Ganshu, BL-20 Pishu, BL-23 Shenshu, BL-60 Kunlun, G.B.-21 Jianjing. All with reinforcing method, moxa can be used.




Explanation


– LU-7 and KI-6 open and regulate the Directing Vessel which nourishes the Uterus and Blood.

– Ren-4 nourishes Blood and the Uterus.

– ST-36, SP-6 and LIV-8 nourish Blood.

– BL-17, with direct moxa cones, nourishes Blood.

– BL-11, point of the Sea of Blood, also with direct moxa cones, nourishes Blood.

– L.I.-10 nourishes the channels of the upper limbs; it has a tonic action somewhat equivalent to ST-36 Zusanli.

– T.B.-5 is used as a local point for aches in the arms and hands as it expels Wind from the channels.

– G.B.-34, Gathering point for the sinews, nourishes the sinews and joints.

Related posts:

  1. Collapse after Childbirth
  2. Prolapse of the Uterus
  3. Acupuncture and Herbal Treatment in Midwifery
  4. Endometriosis

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Jun 6, 2016 | Posted by in GYNECOLOGY | Comments Off on Body Aches at Period Time

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