[Chocolate Tumor] Chronic menstrual pain and delayed menstruation may indicate a chocolate tumor and infertility. A 28-year-old woman's cyst disappeared after six months of acupuncture and traditio...

Severe menstrual cramps and irregular periods may indicate endometriosis (commonly known as "chocolate tumors")! Registered Chinese Medicine practitioner Huang Jingjing shared a case with TOPick: a 28-year-old woman suffered from severe menstrual cramps for many years, with frequently delayed periods. After Western medical examination, she was diagnosed with endometriosis, but treatment was ineffective and affected her fertility. She then tried Chinese medicine. After six months of acupuncture and herbal medicine to improve blood circulation, her ovarian cysts disappeared, and her menstrual cramps improved. Dr. Huang will explain the causes, symptoms, and treatment methods of endometriosis.

Severe menstrual cramps and delayed menstruation indicate endometriosis.

Dr. Huang shared a case with TOPick. Ms. Q (pseudonym), 28 years old, had suffered from menstrual cramps for many years. Her menstrual period was often delayed by about 1 to 2 weeks, and she had her period once every 40 to 45 days on average, with a light flow. She also experienced lower abdominal pain before and after her period, accompanied by symptoms such as headache, back pain, and dizziness.

Because of severe menstrual cramps and her plan to conceive, she went for a gynecological exam. An ultrasound revealed chocolate cysts, each 2-3 centimeters in diameter, on both ovaries. This was caused by endometrial shedding into the ovaries, leading to menstrual blood accumulating and forming chocolate-shaped cysts, causing Ms. Q's severe menstrual cramps and affecting her ability to conceive.

Since the cyst was small, surgery was not considered. The doctor prescribed hormone medication to induce a false pregnancy and amenorrhea, thereby inhibiting the growth of ectopic endometrium. However, the medication is not 100% effective, and there is a chance of relapse after stopping the medication. The treatment process can last for six months to a year, and pregnancy is not recommended during this period. After six months of Western hormone therapy, Ms. Q's cyst did not shrink, so she considered a purely traditional Chinese medicine approach.

What is endometriosis?

During each menstrual cycle, the uterine lining proliferates and thickens, then sheds during menstruation to form menstrual blood. However, endometrial tissue can also grow in locations far from the uterus, such as the lungs, nasal cavity, intestines, or ovaries, and can cause bleeding similar to menstrual bleeding. This condition is called "endometriosis."

Endometriosis has a high incidence rate, affecting about 7% of women of reproductive age. Symptoms include secondary or progressive dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, anal pain, dyspareunia, and even infertility. Some patients are asymptomatic, making it difficult to detect the problem.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment and Improvement Methods

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the main pathogenesis of endometriosis is blood stasis. Therefore, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, warming the meridians and dispelling cold, and regulating qi and removing blood stasis are all commonly used treatment methods in traditional Chinese medicine.

Some women are born with kidney yang deficiency, resulting in insufficient qi and blood circulation and impaired menstrual flow. Therefore, in the initial stage of treatment, it is necessary to warm and tonify kidney yang, replenish qi and promote blood circulation. Acupuncture on abdominal acupoints can relieve menstrual pain, help promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and help cysts dissipate.

Dr. Huang explained that Ms. Q was thin and weak, with insufficient Qi and blood, and kidney deficiency with blood stasis. Therefore, the treatment required gradual tonification while simultaneously promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation. She received acupuncture and moxibustion once a week, along with oral Chinese medicine. After six months of treatment, the cyst on her right ovary had disappeared, and her menstrual cramps were no longer as severe as before. The patient did not need contraception when her menstrual cramps were relieved, thus having the opportunity to conceive naturally.

Taking Chinese medicine

• In the initial stage of treatment: Ms. Q's Qi and blood were insufficient, so the prescription included Zhigancao Decoction, which contains Codonopsis pilosula, donkey-hide gelatin, jujube, and Zhigancao to replenish Qi and nourish blood; and Guizhi Fuling Decoction (containing cinnamon twig, poria cocos, peony bark, peach kernel, and white peony root) to help promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and dissipate nodules. It is a commonly used prescription for women with menstrual pain, abdominal pain, uterine fibroids, and chocolate cysts.

• After menstruation ends: It is advisable to nourish the spleen and kidneys, such as with Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan, which contains yam, rehmannia, cornus officinalis, poria cocos, and aconite, which can nourish the spleen and kidneys, promote uterine repair, and promote ovulation.