Irregular Periods

Diagnosing Irregular Period:

Irregular periods corresponds to a period which sometimes comes early and sometimes late.  An examples of an irregular period would be a period which is 23 days 1 cycle, 32 the next cycle, 31 the cycle after that, then 25 days, ...

If your periods are regularly short (ie- 23-25 days long) then this would be called short cycle.  If your periods are regular at 31-35 days they would be called long periods.  Only once you begin to experience both short and long periods back to back can we call this Irregular Periods !

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment

Irregular Periods can be caused by several different patterns according to traditional Chinese Medicine.  Here are some common causes of Irregular Periods:

Liver Qi Stagnation

scanty period with some small clots present in the menstrual blood, accompanied with stress, PMS, breast tenderness, mood swings, depression, distention below the ribs, frequent sighing, feeling of something stick in the throat (Plum-pit syndrome), psychological feelings of being easily frustrated, a sense of being held down, digestive complaints,

Tongue - may be normal or have slight purple or red colour on the sides, Pulse- wiry

Principle of Treatment: soothe Liver Qi flow Acupunture

Acupuncture Treatment: -LR 3, 5, 14, SP 6, 8, 10, ST 29, SP 4 on the right and PC 6 on the left, Zi gong, Ren 4, 6

Add - hypochondriac pain- GB 34, SJ 6

Herbal  Treatment - Xiao Yao San

Kidney Yang deficiency

pale scanty period, no clots, sore back and/or knees, tinnitus, feel cold, urinary incontinence or dribbling, copious clear urination, low libido, edema of the legs, loose stool (at 5am), excess clear vaginal discharge,

Tongue- pale moist, Pulse- deep weak

Principle of Treatment: warm and tonify Kidney Yang, regulate Chong and Ren

Acupuncture points - foot Shaoyin, KI 3, 13, BL 23 and Ren 4, ST 36, SP 6

Herbal Medicine Formula: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan, You Gui Wan, Gu Yin Jian

Kidney Yin deficiency

scanty thick period blood, dizziness, blurred vision, night sweats, dry mouth and throat, anxiety, irritable, feeling of heat in the head, hands, and feet in the afternoon, flushed cheeks, sore back, constipation, dark urine

Tongue - red with no coating, may have cracks, Pulse- thin rapid

Principle of Treatment: nourish Kidney Yin, consolidate Chong and Ren to regulate menses

Acupuncture points - LU 7 on the right and KI 6 on the left (confluent points), KI 3, SP 6, Ren 4, BL 23

Herbal Medicine Formula: Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Zuo Gui Wan

Alternative Treatment Methods

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

scalp acupuncture- human reproductive system (electro)