Menstrual Conditions/Irregularities- Dysmenorrhea Caused by Kidney and Liver Deficiency In Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

In Conventional medicine, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) is defined as a condition of severe uterine pain during menstruation. Some women may experience periodic pains during or prior to, or after menstrual periods in the lower abdomen as resulting of over production of certain hormones in the prostaglandins family. In traditional Chinese medicine, dysmenorrhea is defined as a pain in the lower abdomen, appearing with menstrual cycle that can spread over to the whole abdomen and lumbosacral region, depending to diagnosis.

Differentiation
In TCM, dysmenorrhea may be caused by Blood and Qi stagnation, Qi and Blood deficiency, Damp Heat, Kidney and Liver deficiency, depending to the differentiation.

Kidney and liver deficiency
a) Kidney is defined as a organ in regulating the reproductive system, function of uterus and growth of our body. Defiency of kidney yin or yang causes the uterus to become depleted, leading to irregular periods. Unhealthy diet, raw food diet or occupation can cause deficiency of kidney qi.
b) Liver is the organ in regulating the formation of blood and the function of spleen in blood transportation, including the reproductive organs. Abnormal function of liver may disrupt the qi and blood flow in the body, leading to blockage of the meridian system, resulting in dysmenorrhea. Excessive drinking, unhealthy diet, physical and emotional stress are said to cause liver deficiency.
A. Symptoms
The liver is an organ of storing blood. The kidney is the organs that regulates the reporductive system and that distributes fluids according to TCM. Deficiency of liver and kidney causes symptoms of dysmenorrhrea includes
1.Lower abdominal pain either proceeding and/or following menstruation.
If liver qi is stagnated, it causes the abdominal muscles to contract, leading to menstrual pains preceding the period. If the kidney is not functioning normally because of a lack of fluid, it causes the rise of liver heat, leading to abnormal cramps and pain. It is said that applying external pressure will ease the pain.

2. Thin and light color menstruation
Thin and light color period discharge is caused by the liver's inability in blood formation and the kidney's function in fluid regulation.

3. Fatigue, dizziness
It is caused by the spleen's inability in energy (nutrients and oxygen) transportation, as a result of a stagnation of liver blood formation.

4. Fever
In some cases, liver deficiency may cause the inability of the immune system in fighting against the invasion of bacteria and virus, leading to infection and inflammation. Sometimes it generates liver heat, leading to increasing the body temperature.

5. Scanty urination
Scanty urination may be caused by the kidney's abnormal function in urinary secretion as a result of the inability of the kidney to distribute fluids throughout the body.

6. Lower back pain.
Lower back pain is a result of qi and blood stagnation in the abdominal region.

7. Etc.

B. Causes
In traditional Chinese medicine, kidney and liver play a very important role in promoting regular menstrual cycles as well as natural conception.
1. Kidney deficiency
a) Kidney yang deficiency
Kidney yang deficiency is normally caused by prolong period of eating cold foods, engaging in rigid exercise, working in the cold environment, etc,. leading fluid and water retention, breast tenderness and menstrual cramps and pain.
b) Kidney yin deficiency
Kidney yin deficiency is normally caused by eating of spicy and hot foods, working in hot environment, out go in the extreme hot weather without proper clothing, etc., leading to distorting the menstrual cycle and afflicting fertility.

2. Liver deficiency
a) Liver qi Stagnation
Liver qi stagnation is caused deficiency of spleen in transporting the qi essence to the lung. When your liver overworks, it tends to get clogged up and performs sluggishly.
b) Liver blood deficiency
Liver blood stagnation is normally caused by liver qi stagnation or the liver is no longer function in blood storing and formation.
c) Liver heat
Liver heat is caused by extreme deficiency of yin or reaction of the liver due to accumulation of dampness in the body, intake of hot and spicy or spleen and kidney abnormal function in balancing the yin and yang in the body, leading to abundant yang qi that affects the liver, cauing liver heat. Liver heat exhausts the blood and injures the vessels, causing abnormal bleeding and abdomen cramps and pain.

3. Etc.

Treatment
1. Rehmannia glutinosa (shu li huang)Rehmannia glutinose besides has been used in traditional Chinese medicine in treating kidney disorder, it also helps to restore the balance of yin and yang qi of the kidney resulting in increasing the kidney function in fluid distribution and promoting healthy reproductive organs.

2.Morinda root ( ba ji tian)Morinda root besides is used in traditional Chinese medicine in improving the kidney abnormal function caused kidney yang qi deficiency, thus enhancing the immune system and promoting sexual desire.

3. Cuscuta (tu si zi)
Cuscuta is a kidney and livertonic medicine, besides helping to tonify the kidney fluid distribution through urinary secretion, it also maintaining the strong the liver qi flow, thereby decreasing the risk of blood stagnation and water retention causes of weight gain and menstrual cramps and pain.

4. Cinnamin bark (rou gui)
Cinnamin bark is qi tonic herb and hot in nature, besides helping the liver in maintaining the smoothing qi flow to the entire body, it also promotes the kidney yang qi circulation and healthy adrenal gland.

5. water plaintain root (ze xie)
Water plantain root helps to release the kidney qi stagnation and improves the kidney in water metabolism, resulting in lessening the symptoms of water retention and weight gain.

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