Emotional Strain
Emotional strain is a very important aetiological factor in dysmenorrhoea. Anger, frustration,
resentment, hatred may all lead to Liver-Qi stagnation. In women, Liver-Qi stagnation causes
Blood to stagnate in the uterus and therefore leads to painful periods.
Cold and Dampness
Excessive exposure to cold and dampness, especially when this occurs during the puberty years,
may cause Cold to invade the uterus. Cold contracts and causes stasis of Blood in the uterus and
therefore painful periods.
Women are particularly prone to invasion of Cold in the uterus during and soon after the period
when the uterus and Blood are in a relatively weakened state. At this time therefore, they should
take particular care not to be exposed to cold and dampness.
Women with a pre-existing condition of Yang deficiency are obviously more prone to invasion
of external Cold.
Overwork, Chronic Illness
Physical overwork or a chronic illness leads to deficiency of Qi and Blood especially of
Stomach and Spleen. Deficiency of Blood leads to malnourishment of the Penetrating and
Directing Vessels so that the Blood has no force to move properly thus causing relative
stagnation and pain.
Excessive Sexual Activity, Childbirth
The Liver and Kidneys are weakened by excessive sexual activity (which affects women
somewhat less than men), too many childbirths too close together, and sexual activity starting
too early. A deficiency of Liver and Kidneys induces emptiness of the Penetrating and Directing
Vessels so that they cannot move Qi and Blood properly, thus causing dysmenorrhoea.
Thus, stagnation of Qi and/or Blood, which may arise by itself or be caused by Cold in the
uterus, is the most important factor in dysmenorrhoea. Even in Deficiency-types of
dysmenorrhoea from Blood or Liver/Kidney deficiency, there is an element of stagnation as the
deficient Blood fails to move properly.