Chinese Medicine
Period pain
Cramps in the lower belly or back that make the first days of every period hard. Dr. Pan checks for other causes first, then makes a plan.
For two or three cycles before you come, it helps to note when the pain starts, how bad it is, how heavy the bleeding is, and what you took for it. Please bring a list of the medicines, supplements and herbs you take now, and tell us if you are trying to get pregnant.
First, check for other causes
Most period pain is common cramping with no disease behind it (primary dysmenorrhea). It often starts in the teens and eases with age.
Pain can also come from endometriosis or fibroids.
How it is treated
- Pain medicine such as ibuprofen, started the day before or the first day, works best. Heat on the belly helps too.
- Regular exercise.
- Acupuncture: very thin needles. A long-established treatment for period pain in Chinese medicine, it eases the cramps, and many women feel clearly better.
- Chinese herbs, prescribed for your pattern, to ease the cramps and regulate the cycle. They are checked against the medicines you already take.
- Hormonal birth control, or a referral to a gynecologist, if needed.
How many visits
Treatment usually runs over two or three cycles, with visits in the days before your period. Then you and Dr. Pan look at your notes and see how much better you are: less pain, fewer days lost.
Common questions
Is bad period pain normal?
Mild cramps are common. Pain that keeps you from school or work is worth checking, and it can be treated.
Do I need an ultrasound?
Only if your story suggests endometriosis or fibroids. Then Dr. Pan will order one, or refer you to a gynecologist.
Can I take herbs if I am trying to get pregnant?
Yes. Tell us you are trying, and the prescription is chosen to fit.
Read next
Seen in King of Prussia
Patients travel from King of Prussia, Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Radnor, Conshohocken, Malvern, Phoenixville, Devon and Berwyn.