Dysmenorrhea is an unbearable symptom for women; what can be done to relieve it? In traditional Chinese medicine, a common way to relieve menstrual cramps is through moxibustion.

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common gynecological clinical symptoms, which refers to pain in the lower abdomen and lower abdominal swelling and is accompanied by lower back pain or other discomforts around the time of menstruation or during menstruation.

Dysmenorrhea can be categorized into two types: primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to dysmenorrhea without organic lesions in the genitals, which can account for more than 90% of dysmenorrhea. In contrast, secondary dysmenorrhea refers to dysmenorrhea caused by organic lesions in the pelvis. Moxibustion treats primary dysmenorrhea, while secondary dysmenorrhea requires the eradication of the cause of the disease, after which moxibustion can be used to regulate it.

Moxibustion is effective in warming menstruation, dispersing cold, energizing menstruation, and activating blood circulation. When women have menstrual cramps, they can stimulate the corresponding acupoints by lighting moxa strips or moxa pillars to alleviate the symptoms.

Here are some of the specific ways in which moxibustion can be used to treat menstrual cramps:

1. Salt Moxibustion: Place an appropriate amount of salt in the navel, Guanyuan point, take moxa the size of a bean or jujube, put it on the salt, and ignite the moxa to apply moxibustion. Moxibustion 3-5 columns per point, each time about 10-30 minutes. Starting from 3-5 days before menstruation, once a day until the end. One menstrual cycle is one course of treatment, three consecutive courses of treatment.

2. Ginger Moxibustion: Slice ginger and place it at the navel and Guanyuan point; take moxa as the size of a broad bean or a jujube kernel, put it on the ginger slice and ignite the moxa to apply moxibustion. Moxibustion 3-5 columns per point, about 10-30 minutes each time. Starting 3 days before menstruation, once a day, until the onset of menstruation, the pain disappears. One menstrual cycle is one course of treatment and three consecutive courses of treatment.

3. Salt and Ginger Moxibustion: Place salt in the navel and Guanyuan points, then place ginger on the salt. Take moxa the size of a bean or jujube and put it on the ginger. Light moxa and moxibustion for 3-5 columns at each point, each time for about 10-30 minutes. Starting from 3-5 days before menstruation, once a day until the end. One menstrual cycle is one course of treatment and three consecutive courses of treatment.

4. Moxa Moxibustion: Use lighted moxa sticks to apply gentle moxibustion on the abdomen, lumbosacral region, and inner calf of the patient. The pain can be gradually relieved when the patient feels the heat of the moxa to the skin-deep infusion or moxibustion sensation. Each moxa moxibustion for 2-3 minutes, each time from 3-5 days before menstruation, once a day for five days, a menstrual cycle for a course of treatment, and three consecutive courses of treatment.

5. Mankshood Moxibustion: Mankshood is finely ground, made into a cake, and placed in the patient's pain area, such as the abdomen, lumbar-sacral area, etc. Take moxa the size of silkworm beans or jujube nuclei, put it on the cake of monkshood, and ignite moxa to apply moxibustion. Each acupuncture point moxibustion is 3-5 columns, each time about 10-30 minutes, from 3-5 days before menstruation, once a day for five days, a menstrual cycle for a course of treatment, and three consecutive courses of treatment.

6. Medicine Moxibustion: Take saffron, pollen typhae, ligusticum wallichii, corydalis tuber, each equal amount of research for fine powder, and add a little wine to make a cake. Placed it in the navel, Guanyuan points. Take moxa the size of a broad bean or jujube, put it on the cake, ignite the moxa, and moxibustion each point 3-5 columns, each time about 10-30 minutes. Starting from 3-5 days before the menstruation pain, once a day until the menstrual pain disappears, a menstrual cycle for a course of treatment, three consecutive courses of treatment.

All of these methods can help to open the meridians, move qi and blood, and relieve menstrual cramps. But as we mentioned earlier, not all menstrual cramps can be treated with these methods.

If a woman experiences dysmenorrhea, it is best to go to the hospital first to check the cause of the dysmenorrhea. If it is secondary dysmenorrhea, it is necessary to eliminate the inflammation and eradicate the cause of the disease in order to treat dysmenorrhea completely. Dysmenorrhea caused by inflammation of the pelvic cavity can also be regulated by the traditional Chinese medicine Fuyan Pill, which can eliminate inflammation and relieve dysmenorrhea. Other treatments, such as physiotherapy and surgery, may be needed if the symptoms are more serious.

Women who experience persistent symptoms of menstrual cramps should not put up with them. If the dysmenorrhea symptoms are caused by gynecological inflammation, the condition is likely to be delayed. Women must go to the hospital as soon as possible for examination to find out the cause and then undergo active treatment.

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