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Main Signs and Symptoms
Patients mother contacted me as her daughter was suffering abdominal pain. On questioning, it was revealed that the patients last period ended around a week ago. The patient had a prior appendectomy.
The mother described how the girl had this pain in prior months, around this time. Although, not to this degree. The mother had given tablets of Willow Bark (Salix alba) around 2 hours ago, with no effect.
On inspection: sharp pain on the left side of the abdomen. Pain was severe and prevented the patient from sleeping.
Given the timing and location of the pain, ovulation was the suspected cause.
After 1 dose of treatment, the mother notified me the that the pain was completely gone half hour after the first dose.
Diagnosis and Treatment
This is ovulation pain is typically due to Liver Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis. Tradition teaches us the Qi is the mover of Blood. Blood Stasis gives rise to fixed, sharp and stabbing pains.
My treatment objective was to move the Liver Qi and Blood. I prescribed 4 tablets of the following herbal formula:
Paeonia lactiflora (White Peony) root 750mg
Rehmannia glutinosa (Rehmannia) root 500mg
Angelica polymorpha (Dong Quai) root 425mg
Cyperus rotundus (Cyperus rotundus) rhizome 400mg
Ligusticum striatum (Szechuan lovage) root 350mg
Bupleurum falcatum (Bupleurum ) root 350mg
Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice) root and stolon 300mg
Zingiber officinale (Ginger) rhizome 125mg
The mother reported to me the next morning that the pain had subsided within half and hour and the girl fell asleep shortly after. The mother was happy she did not have to resort to medical intervention.
Tradition teaches us the women are prone to deficiencies in Blood. This principal becomes into play when women begin to have periods. It is common cultural knowledge throughout the East for women to supplement with Blood tonic herbs. Dong Quai (Angelica polymorpha) is legendarily known as “female ginseng” for this reason.
I advise the girl take 2 tablets daily of this formula as a tonic herbal program and to only stop during periods if the blood flow became excessive. In the months following, the girl reported to her mother that her feelings of depression and low self-esteem had also resolved.
Note: in acute cases it is wise to use higher doses to achieve a quicker effect.