Congealing cold-damp menstrual pain

Menstrual pain attributable to cold-damp damaging the thoroughfare (chōng) and controlling (rèn) vessels and the uterus, congealing the blood and blocking its downward movement to the uterus. Congealing cold-damp menstrual pain is characterized by cold or gripping pain in the lower abdomen that likes warmth, and dark clotted inhibited flow.

Medicinal therapy: Use formulas such as Lesser Abdomen Stasis-Expelling Decoction (少腹逐瘀汤 shào fù zhú yū tāng) or a decoction of leonurus (Leonuri Herba, 益母草 yì mǔ cǎo), dried ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma, 干姜 gān jiāng), and pepper (Piperis Fructus, 胡椒 hú jiāo). Vacuity cold with thin pale flow and dull abdominal pain that likes warmth is treated by warming the channels and supplementing vacuity with formulas such as Minor Provisioning Brew (小营煎 xiǎo yíng jiān) and Chinese Angelica Center-Fortifying Decoction (当归建中汤 dāng guī jiàn zhōng tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV and SP. Select CV-3 (Central Pole, 中极 zhōng jí), SP-8 (Earth’s Crux, 地机 dì jī), and ST-28 (Waterway, 水道 shuǐ dào); needle with drainage and add moxa.

Point selection according to signs: For abdominal distension stretching into the lumbus, add GV-4 (Life Gate, 命门 mìng mén), and BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù). For acute pain, add BL-32 (Second Bone-Hole, 次髎 cì liáo) and ST-29 (Return, 归来 guī lái). For vaginal discharge, add GB-26 (Girdling Vessel, 带脉 dài mài), BL-30 (White Ring Transport, 白环俞 bái huán shù), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), and SP-6 (Three Yīn Intersection, 三阴交 sān yīn jiāo).