Irregular Periods: It's Not Control, It's Recovery | Songdo Irregular Periods
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Irregular Periods in Songdo
Hello, this is Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.
Have you ever experienced something like this?
Periods are irregular, sometimes skipping a month or two, or their pattern is completely unpredictable, leading to doctors prescribing birth control pills like Yaz or Yasmin.
Of course, regular bleeding is induced. However, once you stop the medication, it becomes irregular again, and sometimes doesn't come at all for several months.
In such situations, many people ask:
"Do I have to take medication for the rest of my life?"
"Why can't my body produce periods on its own?"
Today, I'd like to introduce a case that addresses these very questions with a slightly different approach.
The Difference Between Control and Recovery
Kampo is a traditional medicine that branched off from Traditional East Asian Medicine and developed meticulously in Japan with a clinical focus. They do not attempt to 'control' menstruation. Instead, they aim to restore the body's conditions so that it can produce periods on its own.
Western medicine 'injects' hormones to induce menstruation. Kampo adjusts the body's flow to enable menstruation. Even when dealing with the same irregular periods, "matching the cycle" and "the body recovering its cycle" are entirely different paths.
Five Perspectives on Irregular Menstruation
Rather than focusing on a 'disease name,' prescriptions are categorized based on constitution, symptom patterns, and accompanying manifestations. Therefore, even the same irregular menstruation is approached differently for each individual.
- Individuals with high stress, delayed periods, and severe mood swings → Liver Qi Stagnation type → Kamishoyo-san
- Individuals with significant fatigue, weakness, and very light periods → Qi and Blood Deficiency type → Toki Shakuyaku San
- Individuals with severe menstrual pain, many blood clots, and a blood stasis constitution → Blood Stasis type → Keishi Bukuryo Gan
- Individuals with cold hands and feet, amenorrhea or completely stopped periods → Kidney Deficiency type → Rokumi Jio Gan
- Individuals who gain weight easily, have excessive mucous discharge, and irregular periods with PCOS tendencies → Phlegm-Damp type → Ondam-tang
By categorizing symptoms and constitutions in this detailed manner, we first interpret how the menstrual phenomenon is being suppressed and then approach treatment by restoring its natural flow.
How Have Scientific Studies Progressed?
In Kampo, practitioners observe not just whether menstruation occurs, but also a wide range of biomarkers such as uterine blood flow, abdominal ultrasound, basal body temperature, mood swings, and sleep patterns.
For example,
- Reports indicate that Kamishoyo-san regulates the autonomic nervous system, reduces PMS, and alleviates delayed menstruation.
- Studies show that Toki Shakuyaku San increased menstrual volume and ovulation rates in underweight adolescents.
- Results suggest that Keishi Bukuryo Gan improved intra-uterine blood stasis, stabilized menstrual pain and cycle.
- Data indicates that Ondam-tang lowered androgen levels and restored ovulation rates in PCOS patients.
These studies differ significantly from conventional approaches in that they prioritize whether the body is recovering its rhythm rather than simply checking for 'the presence or absence of bleeding.'
Connection to Korean Medicine
Kampo is the result of countless repetitions and accumulations of clinical experience, based on the herbal medicines and prescription systems originally derived from Traditional East Asian Medicine. Formulas like Soyosan, Yukmijihwang-tang, and Dangguibohyul-tang are fundamental prescriptions that have been used for a long time in our Korean medicine as well.
The difference is that while Korean medicine focuses on pattern differentiation (Byeonjeung Nonchi) and Sasang constitutional medicine, Kampo excels at prescription matching based on case accumulation and subtle symptom patterns. I believe this isn't a competition between different approaches, but rather a valuable reference for how Korean medicine can clinically expand.
Menstruation is Our Body's Rhythm
Menstruation is not simply a product of hormonal regulation. It is the result of the entire body's energy flow, emotions, sleep, metabolism, and organ functions aligning into a single cycle.
Therefore, irregular menstruation is not just a 'calendar discrepancy,' but rather the body's language telling us what rhythm it has lost.
Instead of forcing that language into a mold, it's about helping that language recover. This is the approach Kampo suggests, and it's a direction that our Korean medicine can certainly explore together.
If you desire long-term recovery rather than immediate control, the perspective of Kampo-style prescriptions can certainly offer significant clues.
