Postpartum abdominal pain

Also afterpains. Abdominal pain occurring after childbirth, as a result of blood vacuity or blood stasis.

Patterns

Blood vacuity (血虚 xuè xū) patterns are characterized by dull pain that likes warmth and pressure, fatigue, fear of cold, and, in severe cases, heart palpitation and shortness of breath.

Medicinal therapy: Supplement the blood and boost qì with Abdomen-Quieting Decoction (肠宁汤 cháng níng tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on back transport points, CV, and ST. Select BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù), BL-17 (Diaphragm Transport, 膈俞 gé shù), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), and SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi); needle with supplementation.

Blood stasis (血瘀 xuè yū) patterns are marked by stabbing abdominal pain that refuses pressure, retention of lochia, and dark purple facial complexion.

Medicinal therapy: Expel stasis and move the blood with Sudden Smile Powder (失笑散 shī xiào sǎn) combined with Engendering Transformation Decoction (生化汤 shēng huà tāng). For blood stasis giving rise to congealing cold with cold pain or gripping pain in the smaller abdomen that likes warmth, and a sunken tight or stringlike sunken pulse, add to this combination fennel (Foeniculi Fructus, 茴香 huí xiāng) and evodia (Evodiae Fructus, 吴茱萸 wú zhū yú).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, and ST. Select CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), CV-3 (Central Pole, 中极 zhōng jí), SP-8 (Earth’s Crux, 地机 dì jī), and SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi); needle with even supplementation and drainage and add moxa. If there are also signs of congealing cold, add ST-29 (Return, 归来 guī lái) and ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), and add large amounts of moxa.

Note: Postpartum abdominal pain caused by congealing static blood and marked by a palpable lump is called infant’s-pillow pain.