Common symptoms of dysmenorrhea include lower back pain, fever, heavy menstrual flow, a dragging sensation in the lower abdomen, elevated body temperature, menstrual blood appearing pale tea-brown or with an altered odor, progressively intensifying pain, longer duration of pain, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. These may indicate a retroverted uterus or other underlying conditions. Therefore, experts advise women experiencing dysmenorrhea to avoid late marriage and childbearing.
According to the head of the hospital's gynecology department, dysmenorrhea is one of the most common gynecological conditions. The Huangdi Neijing, a classic text of traditional Chinese medicine, already documented female menstrual pain, indicating that TCM has addressed this issue for thousands of years.According to TCM theory, female dysmenorrhea manifests in two primary patterns: "Pain due to obstruction" (不通则痛), referring to pain caused by stagnation of qi and blood flow; and "Pain due to deficiency" (不荣则痛), indicating pain stemming from liver-kidney insufficiency, physical weakness, and deficiency of qi and blood.
Most girls experience spontaneous resolution of dysmenorrhea after marriage.
Experts explain that Western medicine classifies dysmenorrhea into primary and secondary types.The former, also known as functional dysmenorrhea, occurs without obvious organic lesions in the reproductive organs and is common among young women. The latter often arises secondary to organic lesions in the reproductive organs, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, chronic pelvic inflammation, pelvic congestion syndrome, cervical stenosis, or adhesions.
"The vast majority of menstrual cramps in young girls are primary dysmenorrhea," experts note. From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, exposure to cold and dampness—such as consuming ice water or cold beverages, getting caught in the rain during menstruation, or catching a cold—can lead to cold stagnation and blood stasis, triggering menstrual pain.In humid southern climates, consuming damp-heat foods like shrimp, crab, mango, or lychee can also cause qi stagnation and blood stasis, triggering pain. Excessive academic or work stress leading to emotional suppression similarly contributes to dysmenorrhea.
Acupuncture offers the fastest pain relief
Primary dysmenorrhea occurring around menstruation is generally easier to treat. Before menstruation, one can take herbal medicine or use qi-regulating herbs to promote circulation. For rapid pain relief, acupuncture is most effective—stimulating points like Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Zusanli (ST36) can provide immediate relief.
"Young women often experience menstrual pain starting from menarche. Some cases may be related to uterine positioning—such as excessive anterior or posterior tilt—or narrow menstrual passageways. This condition typically improves after adulthood, marriage, and childbirth," experts note. The vast majority of primary dysmenorrhea resolves spontaneously after marriage.
Experts particularly note that while endometriosis is more common in women with secondary dysmenorrhea, young women are also highly susceptible. Current gynecological clinics in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals have documented such cases. Young women diagnosed with endometriosis should avoid delayed marriage, as this condition often stems from impaired reproductive tract flow. Clinical experience indicates that marriage and childbirth frequently alleviate these symptoms.
Women with dysmenorrhea should be cautious of reproductive system disorders
Experts particularly note that married women often experience secondary dysmenorrhea. If a woman's menstrual pain is accompanied by lower back pain, fever, increased menstrual flow, a dragging sensation in the lower abdomen, elevated body temperature, menstrual blood appearing pale tea-brown or with an altered odor,increasingly intense pain, prolonged duration, nausea/vomiting, or diarrhea, it may indicate a retroverted uterus or other conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis, or endometriosis.
For instance, endometriosis—a serious gynecological condition—is often associated with dysmenorrhea, though the latter is merely one of its symptoms.
The optimal childbearing age for women is between 25 and 30 years old. Missing this window is highly regrettable. "Many women still undergo abortions at age 30. It's important to know that abortion is one cause of endometriosis, which can lead to severe dysmenorrhea," experts caution. They also emphasize that when endometriosis becomes severe, many treatment approaches involve hysterectomy.Secondary dysmenorrhea caused by uterine disorders differs significantly from primary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea begins at the onset of menstruation, with consistent pain intervals and similar intensity each cycle. Secondary dysmenorrhea, however, starts later in the menstrual period and intensifies progressively with each occurrence.
Women experiencing this must seek prompt medical attention and undergo an ultrasound examination to avoid delaying treatment. Experts reveal they have encountered numerous cases where patients went into shock due to dysmenorrhea, highlighting that delayed treatment can sometimes be life-threatening.