Irregular Menstruation

"Irregular Menstruation" Issue / Symptom Connections

Below you will find various relationships to, and potential clinical treatment approaches for irregular menstruation.

Content Related to Irregular Menstruation

It is critical to appreciate that in Chinese Medicine, treatment for "irregular menstruation" is rarely focused on the symptoms exclusively. Alternatively, a practitioner is looking at the factors that led to the development of "irregular menstruation" - i.e. the "cause(s)".

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, "irregular menstruation" is potentially related to one or more of the following diagnostic patterns: blood stagnation, liver qi stagnation, and/or spleen qi deficiency.

The above patterns are common examples. In clinical situations, however, there are any number of other possibilities. Many times there will be a layered combination of patterns in an interwoven blend with their symptoms - some being the cause of an issue and the result of another issue. While initially complex, this is illustrative of the the web of relationships that Chinese Medicine is designed to approach.

Related Acupuncture Protocols

When developing an acupuncture protocol a practitioner is very often focusing on the causal diagnoses in Chinese Medicine terms, not on the condition itself. To illustrate and guide developing an acupuncture treatment for someone experiencing irregular menstruation, this issue is referenced in the following acupuncture protocol section:

• View KD 2 (Blazing Valley)
  
      Anterior and Inferior to the medial malleolus in a depression on the lower border of the tuberosity of the navicular bo…
  
      Generally useful for clearing excesses & acute presentations. Ying Spring Point - clears heat, especially KD empty heat - chronic sore throats, irritability, night sweats, thirst. Lower abdomen/sex organ/genital issues - Irregular me…
• View KD 5 (Water Spring)
  
      1 cun directly below KI 3 in a depression on the medial side of the tuberosity of the calcaneum.
  
      Generally nourishes Yin and Blood and moves the uterus. KD related menstrual issues, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea (pain/cramps), delayed menstruation, sensations of oppression below the heart (possibly at onset of menstruation). Uterine prol…
• View 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 Chong Mai and are useful as local points for abdominal a/or gynecological issues
• View 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 Chong Mai and are useful as local points for abdominal a/or gynecological issues
• View 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 Chong Mai and are useful as local points for abdominal a/or gynecological issues
• View 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 Chong Mai and are useful as local points for abdominal a/or gynecological issues
• View SP 4 (Yellow Emperor)
  
      In a depression distal and inferior to the base of the 1st metatarsal bone at the junction of the red and white skin.
  
      Excess pathologies of the ST and Intestines - severe abdominal a/or epigastric pain, dysentery, food poisoning. Gynecological and Abdominal issues due to stagnation of Qi and Blood - masses, fibroids, cysts, irregular menstruation. With …
• View SP 6 (Three Yin Intersection)
  
      3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleoulus on the posterior border of the tibia.
  
      Tonify Yin and Blood, all Spleen disorders. Digestive disorders, sinking/prolapse. Gynecological issues, male sexual issues, difficult labor (expel fetus). Menstrual issues (irregular, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea). Bleeding disorders, ute…
• View SP 8 (Earth's Crux)
  
      3 cun below SP 9 on line connecting SP 9 and the tip of the medial malleolus.
  
      Xi Cleft Point - acute and painful menstrual issues due to Blood stagnation - clotting, fibroids, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation. Male infertility - seminal emission, depleted essence.
• View SP 10 (Sea of Blood)
  
      With knee flexed, 2 cun above the superior medial border of the patella on the bulge of the medial portion of quadricep…
  
      Any Gynecological issues originating from Blood, Heat, Stasis a/or Deficiency - irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, cramping, lin disorders, PMS, uterine bleeding. Skin problems from damp-heat or hot Blood - eczema, painful/…
• View ST 25 (Celestial Pivot)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 8.
  
      All intestinal issues - constipation, diarrhea, dysentary, distention, pain, masses/accumulations of any type. Irregular menstruation, painful menstruation, fibroids/cysts, fertility issues and leukorrhea. Connects the Upper and Lower Wa…
• View ST 26 (Outer Mound)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 7.
  
      Abdominal pain, bloating, hernias. Menstrual issues - dysmenorrhea (cramps/painful menstruation), amenorrhea (absense of menstruation), irregular cycles.
• View ST 27 (Great Gigantic)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 5.
  
      Beneficial for multiple genito-urinary issues in men - impotence (erectile dysfunction), seminal emission, premature ejaculation, difficult urination, etc. Irregular menstruation. Abdominal pain, bloating, hernia. Fear/fright with palpi…
• View ST 29 (Return)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 3.
  
      Excess or Cold/Deficient disorders of the Lower Warmer - amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, qi stagnation/masses, leukorrhea. Uterine prolapse, hernia. Infertility, genital pain and/or swelling, impotence, seminal emission…
• View ST 30 (Surging Qi)
  
      2 cun lateral to the AML level with CV 2.
  
      Upper Sea of Water & Grain Point - excess or deficient conditions of the Stomach - hypogastric pain, bloating, abdominal pain. Regulates the Intestines - borborygmus, hernia - rectal, inguinal. Regulates genitalia - swelling and pain…
• View UB 18 (Liver Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 8, level with T9.
  
      Main point for all Liver related conditions in TCM terms - physical and psycho-emotional. Physical liver issues such as - hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis.  Generalized blood stagnation, qi stagnation, etc. Brightens the eyes - important p…
• View UB 23 (Kidney Shu)
  
      1.5 cun lateral to GV 4, level with L2.
  
      For all Kidney system related issues from a Chinese Medicine perspective which effect the brain, bone, hair, teeth a/or hearing. Male deficiency related sexual problems: impotence, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea, sterility, exhausti…
• 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.  Also used for hernia. Secondary point for kidney related gynecological disorders: menstrual problems, leukorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis.
• View UB 31 (Upper Bone Hole)
  
      On the sacrum at the midpoint of the PSIS and the PML, level with the 1st PSF.
  
      UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Liao" points and are all useful for local low back a/or sacrum problems and most genital and urinary related disorders. Of these UB 32 is most often used clinically. As it quickens …
• View UB 32 (Second Bone Hole)
  
      On the sacrum medial and inferior to the PSIS, level with the 2nd PSF.
  
      UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Liao" points and are all useful for local low back a/or sacrum problems and most genital and urinary related disorders. Of these this point, UB 32, is most often used clinically.  Sc…
• View UB 33 (Central Bone Hole)
  
      On the sacrum medial and inferior to UB 32, level with the 3rd PSF.
  
      UB 31, UB 32, UB 33 & UB 34 together form the "Eight Liao" points and are all useful for local low back a/or sacrum problems and most genital and urinary related disorders. Of these UB 32 is most often used clinically. In women may be…