Endometriosis according to Chinese Medicine
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Endometriosis factsheet
Possible causes and remedies:
Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus
Symptoms: Painful period Abdominal pain Lochia retention and four other symptoms
Recommended formula: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels
Symptoms: Anxiety Breast pain Irritability and thirteen other symptoms
Recommended formula: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
In Chinese Medicine, endometriosis can be associated with four so-called "patterns of disharmony". Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted. It is not equivalent to the Western concept of "disease", as a matter of fact here endometriosis can be caused by four different patterns.
To understand whether someone's endometriosis might be caused by a given pattern, one needs to look for signs and symptoms associated with the pattern beyond what one might typically experience from endometriosis alone. For instance when endometriosis is caused by the pattern Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus, patients also experience symptoms such as persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood, lower abdominal distension and pain that increases with pressure, fibroids and cysts in the lower abdomen and painful period.
We've listed below a description of the four patterns associated with endometriosis so that you can start to get an understanding of the various possibilities according to Chinese Medicine.
Once identified, patterns are often treated using herbal formulas. Drinking herbal infusions is the most common remedy in Chinese Medicine, together with acupuncture. Here we detail below four formulas that can help treat the various patterns associated with endometriosis, depending on which pattern fits your profile.
The four "patterns of disharmony" associated with endometriosis
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, a formula used for Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus
Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus
Recommended herbal formula: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Symptoms: Painful period Abdominal pain Lochia retention Irregular menstruation Fibroids and cysts in the lower abdomen Persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood Lower abdominal distension and pain that increases with pressure
Endometriosis might be due to Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as persistent uterine bleeding of purple or dark blood, lower abdominal distension and pain that increases with pressure, fibroids and cysts in the lower abdomen and painful period.
Read more about Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus here
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan, a formula used for Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels
Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Bluish-Purple
Recommended herbal formula: Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Symptoms: Anxiety Breast pain Irritability Restlessness Breast lumps Painful period Umbilical pain Lochia retention Abdominal masses Breast distention Tendency to worry Dark colored blood Lower abdominal pain Irregular menstruation Brown vaginal discharge Dark clots in menstrual blood
Endometriosis might be due to Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as irregular menstruation, brown vaginal discharge, dark clots in menstrual blood and painful period. Similarly, patients with Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels typically exhibit choppy (Se) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a bluish-purple tongue.
Read more about Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels here
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Wen Jing Tang, a formula used for Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels
Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Tight (Jin)
Tongue color: Bluish-Purple, Pale
Recommended herbal formula: Wen Jing Tang
Symptoms: Infertility Late period Painful period Cold in the lower abdomen Dark clots in menstrual blood Abdominal pain after childbirth
Endometriosis might be due to Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as painful period, cold in the lower abdomen, infertility and late period. Similarly, patients with Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels typically exhibit deep (Chen), slow (Chi) or tight (Jin) pulses as well as a bluish-purple, pale tongue.
Read more about Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels here
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Wen Jing Tang, a formula used for Dampness and Phlegm in the Uterus
Dampness and Phlegm in the Uterus
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Bluish-Purple
Recommended herbal formula: Wen Jing Tang
Symptoms: Cold limbs Late period Infertility Purple lips Painful period Feeling of cold Lochia retention Irregular menstruation Cold feeling in vagina Brown vaginal discharge White vaginal discharge Cold in the lower abdomen Dark clots in menstrual blood Abdominal pain after childbirth
Endometriosis might be due to Dampness and Phlegm in the Uterus if the condition is paired with typical pattern symptoms such as late period, painful period, dark clots in menstrual blood and brown vaginal discharge. Similarly, patients with Dampness and Phlegm in the Uterus typically exhibit choppy (Se), deep (Chen), slow (Chi) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a bluish-purple tongue.
The four herbal formulas that might help with endometriosis
Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Promotes Blood and lymphatic circulation, thus eleminates Blood Stagnation. Softens and resolves hard lumps such as cysts and fibroids.
Why might Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan help with endometriosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus and Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels which are sometimes associated with endometriosis. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Wen Jing Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Uterus and vessels. Nourishes Blood. Dispels Cold. Dispels Blood Stagnation.
Why might Wen Jing Tang help with endometriosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help with the patterns Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels and Dampness and Phlegm in the Uterus which are sometimes associated with endometriosis. If any of these patterns look like something you might suffer from, this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Warms and tonifies the Middle Burner (Spleen and Stomach). Tonifies Qi. Relieves spasmodic pain.
Why might Huang Qi Jian Zhong Tang help with endometriosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with endometriosis. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
Di Dang Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Breaks up and dispels Blood Stagnation .
Why might Di Dang Tang help with endometriosis?
Because it is a formula often recommended to help treat , a pattern sometimes associated with endometriosis. If it looks like you might suffer from , this formula might help (although please seek confirmation with a professional practitioner beforehand).
