Ovarian Cysts in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Understanding different ovarian cysts patterns according to TCM theory
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Condition Categories
Condition Categories
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs or pockets within or on the surface of an ovary. Women have two ovaries — each about the size and shape of an almond — located on each side of the uterus. Eggs (ova), which develop and mature in the ovaries, are released in monthly cycles during the childbearing years.
Many women will have ovarian cysts at some point during their lives. While most cysts are benign and may resolve on their own without treatment, some may cause symptoms such as abdominal bloating, pain during bowel movements, menstrual irregularities, or pain in the lower back or thighs.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches ovarian cysts not as isolated phenomena but as signals of disharmony within the body's system. TCM practitioners believe that cysts form due to imbalances in the body's vital energy (Qi), Blood, Yin, and Yang, leading to conditions such as Dampness, Phlegm, or Blood Stasis.
Understanding and treating these underlying imbalances is key in TCM, aiming to restore harmony and health to the entire body, not just addressing the cysts themselves.
TCM Patterns for Ovarian Cysts
Phlegm
Causes: Ovarian cysts
Dampness
Causes: Ovarian cysts
Herbal Formulas for Ovarian Cysts
Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas used to address ovarian cysts