Cold in the Uterus
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
At a glance
Preliminary reading: What is a pattern? The concept of Cold evil The concept of Yang Deficiency The concept of Kidney Yang Deficiency
Key attributes
Chinese name: 宫寒 Pinyin name: Gōng Hán
Pattern nature: Full/Empty
Causes
Precursor patterns: Kidney Yang Deficiency Spleen Yang Deficiency
Common causes: 1. Diet, 2. External Cold, Wind and Dampness
Diagnosis
Common symptoms: Fatigue Lassitude Loose stools Poor appetite Thin and watery vaginal discharge
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen), Soggy (Ru)
Tongue description: Pale tongue with white coating
Treatment
Treatment principle: Warm the Uterus, tonify the Kidney and Spleen Yang, expel Coldness
Common formulas: Wen Jing Tang Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang
Pathology
O'Cold in the Uterus' is one the most common TCM pattern for women. It can be responsible for many gynecological diseases such as menstrual cramps, irregular periods, late period, scanty period, amenorrhea, infertility, etc.
The Cold here mainly refers to Wind-Cold or Damp-Cold which can invade the Uterus directly without pass through the Exterior. The typical manifestations are feeling of cold and cold limbs.
Coldness can also lead to other TCM patterns such as Blood and Qi Stagnation, thus the symptoms of dark clots in dark menstrual Blood, sore and painful lower back and period cramp.
There are two types of Cold patterns in the Uterus: Full Cold or Empty-Cold.
Full cold refers to actual Cold Evils invading the Uterus. It often happen to women who consume excessive amount of cold food (e.g. ice cream, raw food, ice-cold drinks), live in cold environments or do sports in winter or during menstruation. The typical manifestations are pale face, no tastes in the mouth as well as intense abdominal pain that can not be relieved with massage or pressure, but with warmth.
Dampness Stagnation often come along with this Full Cold pattern. The treatment principle is to use herbs that expel the Damp-Cold and warm the Uterus. Formulas like Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang are recommended.
Empty-Cold is the result of Yang Deficiency. When general Yang is lacking for a long period of time, it can not warm the Uterus. The typical manifestations are fatigue, poor appetite, lassitude and loose stools. The abdominal pain is often quite mild and can be relieved by massage and warmth.
Only herbs that expel coldness is not enough for the Empty-Cold cases. The treatment should be more focused on supporting Yang and boosting Qi. Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang is recommended as a herbal formula in this case. It is for long-term retention of Damp-Cold in the Uterus which leads to Qi and Yang Deficiency and painful periods.
Causes
Precursor patterns: Cold in the Uterus can derive from Kidney Yang Deficiency Spleen Yang Deficiency
Diet: Cold can invade the Uterus through long term over-consuming of cold foods such as ice cream, raw food or ice-cold drinks, especially during menstruation.
External Cold, Wind and Dampness : Long term exposure to cold, windy and damp environment can cause this pattern, particularly during menstruation. It can happen when the patients don't wear enough clothes during Winter time, especially the lower abdomen area. It also occurs if they do frequent sports in winter.
Diagnosing Cold in the Uterus
Diagnosing a pattern in Chinese Medicine is no easy feat and should be left to professional practitioners. In particular one has to know how to differentiate between different types of pulses and tongue coatings, shapes and colors as well as learn to read from a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
Pulse type(s): Deep (Chen) or soggy (Ru)
Tongue description: Pale tongue with white coating
Main symptoms: Fatigue Lassitude Loose stools Poor appetite Thin and watery vaginal discharge
Diagnosis commentary: Key characteristic symptoms of this pattern are the general feeling of cold especially in the lower abdomen as well as various menstrual issues such as irregular, scanty or painful periods or even amenorrhea.
Treating Cold in the Uterus
Treatment principle
Warm the Uterus, tonify the Kidney and Spleen Yang, expel Coldness
Herbal formulas used to treat Cold in the Uterus
Wen Jing Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 12 herbs
Key actions: Warms the Uterus and vessels. Nourishes Blood. Dispels Cold. Dispels Blood Stagnation.
Formula summary
Wen Jing Tang is a 12-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 220 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that invigorate Blood and dispel Blood Stagnation.
Besides Cold in the Uterus, Wen Jing Tang is also used to treat Qi And Blood Stagnation or Full Cold in the Directing and Penetraing Vessels.
Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Source date: 1830 AD
Number of ingredients: 10 herbs
Key actions: Expels Cold and warm the menstruation Blood. Stops pain. Invigorates Blood. Dispels Blood stagnation.
Formula summary
Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang is a 10-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1830 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that invigorate Blood and dispel Blood Stagnation.
Besides Cold in the Uterus, Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang is also used to treat Blood Stagnation or Qi And Blood Stagnation.
Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang
Source date: 1827 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Supports Kidney Yang. Supplies Spleen Qi. Expels Cold and Dampness from the Uterus.
Formula summary
Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang is a 7-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula. Invented in 1827 AD, it belongs to the categories of formulas that warm the middle and dispel Cold and formulas that warm Yang and tonify.
Diet recommendations
Eat warm, easy-digestible and nourishing foods and cut out tropical fruits and too much raw food. Avoid cold drinks and foods, especially those directly from the fridge.
Special highlight: the link between menstrual cramps and Cold in the Uterus
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Wen Jing Tang, a formula used for menstrual cramps caused by Cold in the Uterus
Typical symptoms for menstrual cramps caused by Cold in the Uterus: Sore back Sore legs Pale face Cold limbs Scanty periods Feeling of cold Frequent urination Lower abdominal pain Pain relieved with heat Dark clots in menstrual blood
Recommended herbal formulas: Wen Jing Tang, Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang, Wen Qi Hua Shi Tang
'Cold in the Uterus' is one the most common TCM patterns for women who suffer from dysmenorrhea. It can causes intense pain but can be largely relieved with the application of heat. Blood Stagnation often comes along as a consequence of this pattern because Cold obstructs the Uterus and thus impairs the flow of Blood.
If Cold in the Uterus is the main cause behind menstrual cramps, the menstrual blood is often red and the clots are typically dark and rather small or stringy. However, if Blood...Read more about menstrual cramps
Special highlight: the link between late menstruation and Cold in the Uterus
Cinnamon Twigs (Gui Zhi) is the key herb for Wen Jing Tang, a formula used for late menstruation caused by Cold in the Uterus
Typical symptoms for late menstruation caused by Cold in the Uterus: Tiredness Late period Scanty periods Painful period Feeling of cold Dark colored blood Lower abdominal pain Pain relieved with heat Dark clots in menstrual blood
Recommended herbal formulas: Wen Jing Tang, Da Ying Jian, Si Wu Tang, Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Blood can congeal due to Cold invasion. Then new Blood can not be created and the Directing (Ren Mai 任脉) and Penetrating (Chong Mai 冲脉) Vessels are empty. They fail to fill the Uterus and thus the periods consistently come after the expected time. Other typical symptoms are a feeling of cold, scanty periods with dark blood and clots and abdominal pain which can be relieved with Heat. There are two types of Cold in the Uterus pattern that can cause delayed menstruation: Full or Empty.
For the...Read more about late menstruation