WOMEN’S HEALTH

ABDOMINAL CRAMPS WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

A 48 year-old female diagnosed with endometriosis presents with severe menstrual cramps every month.  She has been our patient for many years for various reasons.  Ultrasound demonstrates a cyst on the right side of the ovary.

The pain is progressively worse without any relief by strong narcotic drugs.  The menstrual volume is high with lots of clots.  She barely functions on the days of her menstrual period.  Besides, she also complains of abdominal bloating, fatigue and constipation.  Due to immune weakness, she has an episode of Bell's palsy after the viral infection.  Her mouth deviates to one side.

Based on tongue diagnosis, the patient has blood stagnation and Qi (energy) deficiency.  The herbal therapy is designed to regulate the blood circulation to reduce stagnation and to tonify the blood after the period. The treatments take several steps to regulate the hormonal imbalance.  Due to the severity of the pain, the initial treatment is to promote Qi and blood circulation to reduce the symptoms.  The constipation, a result of the cyclic build up of the atopic endometriol lining and not indigestion, is resolved after treating the stagnation.

After the period is over, strong tonic herbs are used to strengthen the energy and the immune system.  After series of rigorous treatments, mouth deviation from Bell's palsy has resolved without any complication.  The patient reports much improvement in energy and minimal pain during period without using pain-killing drugs.  She has no trouble in carrying out a normal life when the period comes now.