TCM treatment of dysmenorrhea caused by liver depression and heat transformation

Zhao Xiaoxian entered society when she graduated from high school at the age of 18. She worked hard on her own for a few years before getting married. Therefore, Xiaoxian, who is just 25 years old now, has been married for three years.

However, Xiaoxian has not been happy in the past three years. Not long after the marriage, Xiaoxian's husband seemed to have changed into a different person. His former warmth and consideration were gone, and Xiaoxian was no longer as lively and cheerful as before, and gradually became depressed.

What made Xiaoxian even more depressed was that after marriage, even her "good friends" started to make trouble. In the past two years, every menstrual period was accompanied by abdominal pain, which became more and more severe. Before menstruation, there would be precursors such as soreness in the limbs, dryness and pain in the mouth and nose, and in severe cases, there would also be symptoms such as bitter taste in the mouth and vomiting and diarrhea. As the dysmenorrhea became more and more severe, the menstrual period seemed to be coming earlier and earlier. Xiaoxian finally couldn't stand the pain and came to the doctor's office on the second day of this menstrual period.

Symptoms and examination: Dysmenorrhea is most severe on the first day of menstruation, with little and unsmooth menstruation and slight bruises. Today is the second day, the menstrual flow has increased slightly, the color is red, the chest is tight and irritable, the spirit is uncomfortable, the mouth and nose are hot and dry as if cracked, the mouth is dry and bitter, the pulse is stringy and rapid, the tongue is red and the coating is yellow. I shone a flashlight on her mouth and nose and found that the mucosa was red and swollen, and the exhaled breath was burning.

Diagnosis and treatment: The syndrome is liver and gallbladder heat stagnation type dysmenorrhea. Treatment should start with soothing the liver and regulating qi, strengthening the spleen and clearing away heat.

Prescription composition: Chinese angelica, white peony root, raw rehmannia root, phellodendron, corydalis root, scorched atractylodes, radix dipsaci, eucommia bark, poria, tangerine peel. Decoction in water, 1 dose per day, 7 doses in total.

The doctor told Xiaoxian that after taking the medicine this time, she should come back for treatment if she experiences symptoms of the next menstrual period, such as abdominal distension, soreness in the waist and limbs.

During the follow-up visit, the doctor adjusted the medication according to Xiaoxian's condition:

Chinese Angelica, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Cortex Moutan, Roasted Cyperus, Cortex Phellodendri, Corydalis, Radix Aucklandiae, Eucommia, Dipsacus Asper, Poria. Decoction in water, 1 dose per day, 7 doses in total.

After taking the decoction for the second time, when her next menstruation came, Xiaoxian's dysmenorrhea problem had basically disappeared, the symptoms of dryness and heat in the mouth and nose had also disappeared, and the time interval between the last menstruation had returned to normal range.