Secondary amenorrhea – what causes could be lurking?

Hello, this is CEO Practitioner Choi Yeon-seung from Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital. After graduating from Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, I have worked as a Korean medicine doctor for 16 years, striving to promote women's health. Today, I would like to discuss secondary amenorrhea, one of the common concerns that women face.

Irregular menstruation, an uninvited guest disrupting daily life

I haven't had my period for the past 3 months. Even when I check my ovulation day with an ovulation predictor kit, it seems like ovulation is not occurring, which worries me. I'm afraid that this might lead to infertility.

Irregular menstruation is a very common symptom among women. The menstrual cycle becomes irregular, and menstrual flow may suddenly decrease or increase. In severe cases, it can lead to amenorrhea, where periods are skipped. This causes significant inconvenience in daily life.

What is secondary amenorrhea?

Secondary amenorrhea refers to cases where, after regular menstruation following menarche, a person does not menstruate for 6 months or more due to some cause. This may be temporary or persist for an extended period. Secondary amenorrhea can occur due to various causes, and let me explain these in detail.

From lifestyle habits to genetics—the complex causes of amenorrhea

The causes of secondary amenorrhea are very diverse. Excessive dieting or exercise, stress, and lack of sleep can be major causes. In addition, endocrine disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure, and hypothyroidism can also trigger amenorrhea. For some women, genetic factors may also play a role.

Secondary amenorrhea from the perspective of Korean medicine

In Korean medicine, the causes of secondary amenorrhea are largely divided into deficiency patterns (虛證) and excess patterns (實證). Deficiency patterns occur when qi and blood (氣血) are insufficient or kidney qi (腎氣) is weak. Excess patterns are caused by blood stasis (瘀血), phlegm-dampness (痰飮), and damp-heat (濕熱). In addition, liver qi stagnation (肝氣鬱結) and spleen-stomach functional imbalance (脾胃機能失調) can also be causes of amenorrhea. In this way, Korean medicine views women's menstruation from a holistic perspective and identifies the cause based on each individual's constitution and symptoms for treatment.

Customized Korean medicine treatment suited to your constitution

At Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital, we conduct customized treatment by closely examining each patient's symptoms and constitution. By combining herbal medicine prescriptions that tonify qi and blood and kidney qi, acupotomy therapy that strengthens uterine and ovarian function, and moxibustion treatment that promotes qi and blood circulation in the lower abdomen, normalizing the menstrual cycle is the core of treatment. Additionally, acupuncture treatment for stress relief and autonomic nervous system balance is performed together to maximize treatment effects.

Abundant clinical experience and 1:1 customized treatment—pride of Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital

Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital provides customized treatment tailored to each patient based on abundant clinical experience. During the treatment process, we consider communication with patients as most important and focus on identifying the cause of the condition for treatment. Using treatment know-how that harmoniously combines classical formulas (古方) and modern Korean medicine, we have been treating various gynecological conditions including secondary amenorrhea.

Start natural menstrual cycle recovery at Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital

Before treatment, daily life was very difficult due to irregular menstruation, but after treatment, my menstrual cycle has returned to normal. My quality of life seems to have improved noticeably.

Preventing amenorrhea through lifestyle improvement

To prevent secondary amenorrhea, maintaining regular lifestyle habits is important. A balanced diet, appropriate exercise, stress management, and sufficient sleep are helpful. Also, drinking warm tea or taking a half-body bath in warm water on a regular basis is also a good method. Keeping the pelvis and lower abdomen warm promotes smooth qi and blood circulation, which can help prevent irregular menstruation.

Efforts for natural menstrual rhythm recovery

What problems can occur if secondary amenorrhea is left untreated?

Long-standing untreated secondary amenorrhea may lead to more serious gynecological conditions such as infertility or endometrial hyperplasia. Therefore, receiving proactive Korean medicine treatment at an early stage is advisable. At Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Hospital, we identify and treat the causes of secondary amenorrhea for women's healthy lives. If you are suffering from irregular menstruation, please do not hesitate to visit us for a consultation.