Heavy Periods and Chinese Medicine

Diagnosis of Heavy Periods:

The period bleeding is significantly increased to over 100 ml/day (normal 30-80ml). The person experiencing a heavy period will have to change her tampon or menstrual pad almost hourly. The period may be a regular, early, or late and still have a heavy bleed.   The color can of the blood may be pale, dark, or purple red with a consistency of beeing thick sticky, or, thin, or clotted. With this disorder occasionally there may be pain.

 

Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment

Qi deficiency

In this condition the spleen Qi is unable to hold the blood within the vessels which causes a heavy period.   After a long time this condition will cause blood deficiency as well.  The most common symptoms of Qi and Blood deficiency are: pale red to normal period blood, thin watery blood, pale complexion, fatigue, loose stool, dizziness, ... 

Tongue -pale            Pulse -thin-weak 

Principle of Treatment: - nourish mid-Jiao Qi, keep blood in Chong Mai

Herbal Medicine Formula:- Gui Pi Tang

 

Blood Heat

whole body Heat  symtpoms.  This heat can be caused by excessive long term poor diet, long term stress, External environment heat.   Generally this heat enters into the blood level which causes the blood to push out of the vessels leading to heavy bleeding and possible early periods.  This is similar to that of a pot of water which boils over !

This type of heavy period will have heavy, bright red thick sticky blood which feels warm.

Tongue -red with yellow coat         Pulse -rapid-slippery 

Principle of Treatment: - Clear Heat - cool blood to stop bleeding

Herbal Medicine Formula: Shu Yu Qing Gan Yin

 

Deficiency Heat

Yin deficiency heat, or febrile late stage turns to deficiency Heat.

Yin deficiency leads to hyper Yang with deficiency Fire, deep-red sticky blood, prolonged cycle (i.e.: 70 days), early period is common, T-red w/ scanty coat P-thin-rapid Plus - Yin deficiency symptoms (see Appendix 1)

Principle of Treatment: - nourish Yin, clear deficiency Heat to stop bleeding

Herbal Medicine Formula:- Bao Yin Jian

 

Blood Stasis Causing Heavy Periods

Long term stress or emotional depression can lead to blood stasis.  Other causes of blood stasis can be cold entering the body congealing blood or trauma to the reproductive organs. 

With Heavy periods due to blood stasis there will be stabbing pains with dark purple blood and with clots, low abdomen pain that subsides when clots pass.

Tongue -purple dots      Pulse -uneven

Principle of Treatment: - promote circulation, remove Stasis to stop bleeding.

Herbal Medicine Formula:- Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang (low Jiao)