Retention of lochia

Also postpartum retention of lochia. Absence of normal postpartum discharge. Retention of lochia is when cold evil exploits the sudden vacuity of qì and blood created by childbirth, and invades the uterine vessels, where it congeals and causes blood stasis. It may also arise in patients with constitutional vacuity when damage to qì and blood through childbirth causes sluggish movement of the blood.

Patterns

Cold qì invading the uterus (寒气犯胞 hán qì fàn bāo) is marked by smaller abdominal fullness with stabbing pain at irregular intervals.

Biomedical correspondence: lochioschesis, lochiostasis.

Medicinal therapy: Disperse cold, quicken the blood, and transform stasis. Use variations of Engendering Transformation Decoction (生化汤 shēng huà tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV and SP. Select CV-3 (Central Pole, 中极 zhōng jí), ST-30 (Qì Thoroughfare, 气冲 qì chōng), SP-8 (Earth’s Crux, 地机 dì jī), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo); needle with supplementation and add moxa.

Vacuity (虚 xū) is characterized by intermittent or continual unabating mild smaller abdominal distension without pain.

Medicinal therapy: Supplement qì and blood with formulas such as Eight-Gem Decoction (八珍汤 bā zhēn tāng) plus blast-fried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum, 炮姜 páo jiāng) and cinnamon bark (Cinnamomi Cortex, 肉桂 ròu guì).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV, SP, ST, and back transport points. Select CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), 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), SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo), CV-3 (Central Pole, 中极 zhōng jí), SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), and SP-8 (Earth’s Crux, 地机 dì jī); needle with supplementation and add moxa.

See postpartum blood dizziness; postpartum panting; postpartum vacuity swelling of the limbs; postpartum fearful throbbing; three postpartum surges; postpartum raving and hallucination.