Many women experience pain or discomfort at the time of their periods. For most, the pain or unease is not so severe that it interferes with their daily lives or requires any special attention. However, for some women their monthly period is problematic and almost disabling because of the pain and inconvenience caused. They may have to take time off from school or work and stay at home for one or two days.

Although painful, periods are only sometimes a sign of an actual disease. If period pains are more than an inconvenience then it is wise to consult your doctor or gynaecologist. Symptoms and signs of painful menstruation in TCM include:

(1) Syndrome of qi stagnation and blood stasis
Main symptoms: Unpressable lower abdominal pain or prolapsing pain 1 - 2 days before menstruation or during menstruation, profuse or scanty menstruation, dripping and unsmooth menorrhea, purplish and blacking color menses with blood clot or patches of putrid blood clot, alleviation after the removal of blood clot, distending pain in the chest, hypochondria and breasts, purplish tongue or with ecchymosis on the edge, deep and taut pulse.

(2) Syndrome of coagulation of cold dampness
Main symptoms: Unpressable lower abdominal cold pain before or during menstruation, alleviation of pain with warmth, scanty menorrhea with purplish color menses and clot or like juice of black soybean, cold sensation in the body and aversion to cold, loose stool, light purplish tongue with white and moist or white and greasy fur, deep and tense pulse.

(3) Syndrome of qi and blood asthenia
Main symptoms: Dull pain or continuous pain or prolapsing sensation in the lower abdomen during or after menstruation, alleviation with pressure, profuse or scanty menses with ligh color and thin texture but without clot, pale complexion, dizziness, palpitation, lassitude, lightcolored tongue with tooth print and thin fur as well as thin pulse.

(4) Syndrome of liver and kidney asthenia
Main symptoms: Scanty menses with dull light color but without blood clot, dull pain in the lower abdomen after menstruation, aching sensation in the loins and knees, dizziness and tinnitus, light-red tongue with thin fur,deep and thin pulse.