Dysmenorrhea (Menstrual Pain - Cramps)

Health Issues/Symptoms Connections

Dysmenorrhea (Menstrual Pain - Cramps) Connections

Below you will find various relationships to the concept of and potential clinical approaches for dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain - cramps). It is critical to appreciate that in Chinese Medicine (and most related systems), treatment for "dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain - cramps)" is rarely designed with the resulting "dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain - cramps)" exclusively in mind.

For non-practitioners, we recommend reading treating the "cause" and not the "symptoms" for more on the overall approach and the importance of the TCM diagnostic system in formulating treatment approaches.

Within TCM, "dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain - cramps)", is potentially related to the following diagnostic patterns - blood stagnation, liver qi stagnation, spleen qi deficiency among many other possibilities and/or layered combinations.

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When developing an acupuncture protocol a practitioner is very often focusing on the causal diagnoses in Chinese Medicine terms, not on the condition itself. A potential range of underlying factors and approaches for dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain - cramps) are described in our acupuncture protocol page - "acupuncture for dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps) - treatment protocols " .

Some acupuncture points are considered "empirically" related to a specific condition or diagnostic pattern. While this would rarely, if ever, dictate the entire composition of a treatment, the following points should be considered, possibly even more so within the context of acupressure:

  • EX Huatuojiaji at L1 (Sides of Spine at L1)
    .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes…
    L1 innervates and influences the adrenal gland, the testis …
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  • EX Huatuojiaji at S2 (Sides of Spine at S2)
    In the area around the 2nd sacral foramen, UB 32
    S2 influences the bladder and is used for a range of bladde…
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  • EX Huatuojiaji at T9 (Sides of Spine at T9)
    .5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes…
    T9 (Left) innervates the stomach and is used for a range of…
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  • KD 5 (Water Spring)
    1 cun directly below KI 3 in a depression on the medial sid…
    Generally nourishes Yin and Blood and moves the uterus. KD…
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  • KD 6 (Shining Sea)
    In a depression below the tip of the medial malleolus.
    Sore throat from any etiology, especially empty heat from y…
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  • KD 11 (Pubic Bone)
    5 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 2.
    KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Ch…
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  • KD 12 (Great Manifestation)
    4 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 3.
    KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Ch…
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  • KD 13 (Qi Hole)
    3 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 4.
    KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Ch…
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  • KD 14 (Fourfold Fullness)
    2 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 5.
    KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Ch…
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  • KD 15 (Central Flow)
    1 cun below CV 8, .5 cun lateral to CV 7.
    KD 11, KD 12, KD 13, KD 14 & KD 15 all intersect the Ch…
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  • SP 6 (Three Yin Intersection)
    3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleoulus on th…
    Tonify Yin and Blood, all Spleen disorders. Digestive diso…
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  • SP 8 (Earth's Crux)
    3 cun below SP 9 on line connecting SP 9 and the tip of the…
    Xi Cleft Point - acute and painful menstrual issues due to …
    • View
  • SP 10 (Sea of Blood)
    With knee flexed, 2 cun above the superior medial border of…
    Any Gynecological issues originating from Blood, Heat, Stas…
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  • ST 25 (Celestial Pivot)
    2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 8.
    All intestinal issues - constipation, diarrhea, dysentary, …
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  • ST 26 (Outer Mound)
    2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 7.
    Abdominal pain, bloating, hernias. Menstrual issues - dysm…
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  • ST 28 (Waterway)
    2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 4.
    Excess Cold/Damp Issues of the Lower Warmer - retention of …
    • View
  • ST 29 (Return)
    2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 3.
    Excess or Cold/Deficient disorders of the Lower Warmer - am…
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  • ST 30 (Surging Qi)
    2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 2.
    Upper Sea of Water & Grain Point - excess or deficient …
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  • UB 17 (Diaphragm Shu)
    1.5 cun lateral to GV 9, level with T7.
    Hui-meeting Point of the Blood, useful for all Blood relate…
    • View
  • UB 23 (Kidney Shu)
    1.5 cun lateral to GV 4, level with L2.
    For all Kidney system related issues from a Chinese Medicin…
    • View
  • UB 24 (Sea of Qi Shu)
    1.5 cun lateral to GV line, level with L3.
    Generally used as a local point for back pain.  General wea…
    • View
  • UB 30 (White Ring Shu)
    1.5 cun lateral to the GV line, level with the 4th PSF.
    Local point for low back, sacrum, tailbone and/or hip pain.…
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  • UB 31 (Upper Bone Hole)
    On the sacrum at the midpoint of the PSIS and the PML, leve…
    UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Li…
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  • UB 32 (Second Bone Hole)
    On the sacrum medial and inferior to the PSIS, level with t…
    UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Li…
    • View
  • UB 34 (Lower Bone Hole)
    On the sarcum lateral to GV 2, level with the 4th PSF.
    UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Li…
    • View
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