Long Menstrual Cycles - Long Periods

Long menstrual cycles would be diagnosed as having 35day (or longer) Periods for three consecutive months. Long cycles are different than having no period for 3 months or more as this would be called Ammenorrhea or No Periods. If your periods are sometimes longer than 35 days and sometimes 28 days or shorter this would be called Irregular periods.  Caution should be taken when a patient is usually regular and is suddenly late, this may indicate pregnancy.

Etiology (causes) of Long Periods

1. Blood deficiency - chronic illness, bleeding disorders

2. Yang deficiency (Kidney)- can't warm organs - impairs production of blood - deficient Chong

3. Yin deficiency (Kidney) - deficiency Fire impair fluids and blood - deficient Chong blood

4. Cold stagnation - restrict blood circ - blood stasis

5. Qi stagnation turns to Blood Stasis - block Ren and Chong, Chong will not fill on time

6. Phlegm stagnation - overweight - phlegm damp retention can block Ren and Chong, Chong can't fill - too damp (diabetes etc.)

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment for Long Periods.  

Stagnated Cold in Blood (Uterus)

Generally this pattern will present itself with painful menses with clots,  the menstrual pain will be relieved by warmth and aggravated by cold.  This pattern could be caused by deficient (Kidney Yang) or excess (Yin or external cold). Blood is usually dark with clots, pain that is eased by warmth,

Tongue - pale.    Pulse - tight

Deficiency cases are relieved by lower abdominal massage/pressure while excess conditions strongly dislikes the idea of local pressure.

Principle of Treatment: warm Yang to expel cold, promote circulation of blood

Acupuncture points - the same points are used for either excess or deficiency Cold patterns, treatment is distinguished by the method of manipulation used,

Moxibustion is recommended with acupuncture on Ren meridian, Du meridian, Ren 4 (primary point to tonify Yuan Qi), Du 4 (root of Yuan Qi), BL17 and SP 10(move blood), SP 6 - excess, dislike massage- ST 25, 29 - deficiency, like massage- BL 23

Herbal Medicine Formula: Wen Jing Tang (excess), You Gui Wan, Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (deficiency)

Blood deficiency

pale scanty menstrual blood, pale dry skin and lips, blurred vision, dizziness, insomnia (trouble getting to sleep), palpitations, pale brittle nails, stiff tendons, forgetful, may have anxiety, someone who may be kind to others but not to themselves, palpitations, numbness in the limbs,

Tongue - pale, Pulse - thin

Principle of Treatment: nourish blood and fill Chong to regulate menses

Acupuncture points - tonify, Shu, BL 17, 18, 23, Ren 4, KI 6, 13 (Chong connection), SP 6, 10

Herbal Medicine Formula: Gui Pi Tang, Ba Zhen Tang, Ren Shen Yang Rong Tang, Da Bu Yuan Jian, Xiao Ying Jian

Liver Qi Stagnation

delayed periods with clots, patient is stressed out, experiences PMS, breast tenderness, mood swings, depression, hypochondriac pain or fullness, frequent sighing, ‘Plum-pit' syndrome, psychological feelings of being easily frustrated, a sense of being held down, digestive complaints, T- may be normal or have slight purple or red colour on the sides, P- wiry

Principle of Treatment: soothe Liver Qi flow, invigorate blood

Acupuncture points - foot Jueyin, LR 3, 5, 14, SP 6, 8, 10, Zi Gong, SP 4 on the right and PC 6 on the left

Herbal Medicine Formula: Xiao Yao San, Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang

Kidney Yang deficiency

cold symptoms, scanty purple pale thin menstrual blood, dull cold low abdominal pain, T - pale swollen, tender baby P - deep thin Plus - Yang deficiency symptoms (see Appendix 1)

Principle of Treatment: - warm up KI Yang to nourish Chong

Herbal Medicine Formula:- You gui wan

Phlegm stagnation

more (Damp) or less (stagnation) blood quantity, mixed with sticky pale coloured leukorrhea, generally overweight, T - greasy thick coat P - slippery, wiryPlus - Phlegm symptoms (see Appendix 1)

Principle of Treatment: - transform Phlegm, dry Damp, promote blood circulation to regulate menses.

Herbal Medicine Formula: Er Chen Tang

Alternative Treatment Methods

auricular acupuncture- Nei Shen Zhi Qi (internal reproductive), endocrine, subcortex, LR, SP, KI, Yuan Zhong

scalp acupuncture - human reproductive system (electro)

injection- Dang Gui, Dan Shen @ Zi Gong, 0.5ml daily for six days to stimulate ovulation