In traditional
Chinese medicine, painful menstruation (Dysmenorrhea) is usually caused by emotional factors, invasion of six exogenous pathogenic factors and stagnation of qi and blood; or by retention of blood in the uterus due to liver depression and qi stagnation resulting from emotional upsets; or by cold-dampness attacking the lower energizer and lodging in the uterus due to walking in water during menstruation or sitting on damp ground; or by constitutional deficiency of qi and blood, or consumption of qi and blood due to serious disease and prolonged illness; or by congenital defect or impairment of the liver and kidney, consumption of blood and malnutrition of the uterus due to multiparity and excessive sexual life.
Painful menstruation attributed to four causes in TCM
Qi stagnation and blood stasis
Coagulation of cold dampness
Qi and blood asthenia
Liver and kidney asthenia