CLINICAL APPROACH

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) causes various discomforts in the mind and body for 1 to 7 days before menstruation. The feature is that they disappear when menstruation begins. Symptoms include physical symptoms such as headache, stiff shoulders, swelling of limbs, breast tension, swelling and dullness, constipation and diarrhea, as well as mental symptoms such as irritability and depression. It is a popular illness that occurs in 20 to 50% of women with menstruation, but the cause has not been clarified by Western medicine due to individual differences.

Since the uterus stores blood before menstruation, in Oriental medicine, Qi (ki = life energy), blood (ketsu = blood), and water (sui = water) tend to be stagnant, and PMS (menstrual syndrome) is affected by this. Premenstrual syndrome) is thought to occur. The cause of PMS varies from person to person. For those with severe pain such as lower abdominal pain and headache, poor blood circulation is the main cause of PMS. It is said that this type tends to improve blood circulation and reduce symptoms with a little physical activity. People who are frustrated before menstruation, overeating or anorexia nervosa may be depressed. People who are very irritated, have a bloated chest or stomach, become overeating or anorexia nervosa due to stress, and gain or lose weight rapidly. It is a common symptom in stressful and busy people. For those who are depressed or tired, lack of blood may be the cause of PMS. People who tend to feel depressed or tired before menstruation may be the type with poor blood circulation due to lack of blood.

Explaining with the five organs, the "kidney" promotes the development of the uterus, the "spleen" is involved in digestion and absorption, and the "liver" regulates the endocrine and autonomic nervous system, causing the uterus to overflow with blood. Since it is thought that menstruation is caused periodically, it can be considered that various abnormalities related to menstruation are caused by the disorder of the physiology due to the abnormality of these five organs.