17 March 2009
Home Remedies for Menstrual Cramps
Posted by Amy Galvan under: Article; Conditions Treated .
Menstrual cramps are unique for each woman. Oriental medicine is special because it treats your cramps according to your pattern; more precisely, it treats you. Until you can get diagnosed and treated by a doctor of Oriental medicine, here are some ideas that you can try at home.
Sea Salt Compress
Saute about 4 cups of sea salt in a frying pan until all the popping stops. Do not put any oil in the pan to fry the salt! Just “dry fry” it. The purpose is to get the moisture out. The salt will turn dull and darkened.
Pour the salt into a towel or cloth, and bundle up the top like you would a compress.
Being careful not to burn your skin, apply directly to where it hurts. This may be on your lower front abdomen over the womb, or on your low back.
The salt holds the heat in for some time. You can reheat the salt and do it again as often as you like.
Sea salt contains trace minerals not found in table salt or salt substitutes. Trace minerals relax muscles and improve nerve conductivity. Oriental medicine uses sea salt because it treats Kidney. Kidney refers not to the organs the kidneys, but to the collection of functions and channels that are the foundation of the menstrual cycle and reproduction.
Ginger Tea
Here is a warm and tasty beverage to help your body have the energy to send the blood down and out through your menstrual cycle. Ginger is used to “downbear” the stomach. In Oriental medicine, the “Chong Mai” is an energetic pathway that links the uterus and stomach (for example, when it is “disturbed” with a fetus, often women get morning sickness or nausea).
Bring grated or sliced fresh ginger to a boil. Use as much as ginger as you can tolerate. If it’s too strong, you can always dilute it with water later.
When it boils, simmer it for at least 20 minutes. Add sugar to taste. Use white rock candy sugar if your pain is dull and diffuse across a general area. Use red sugar if your pain is intense and localized to specific places, sharp or stabbing. Use red sugar if you have heavy bleeding. [Red sugar is a dark brown red rock candy like sugar that you can find in Oriental groceries. The white rock sugar is also available in Oriental grocery stores.]
It’s ready to drink as soon as it’s cool. The Asian tradition is to pour the tea into teacups without handles. When the cup is cool enough to hold in your hand, it is cool enough to drink.
Chinese Herbs for Menstrual Cramps
Be sure to stock your medicine cabinet with Chinese herbs for cramps. One fast-acting formula is called “Sudden Smile” because it works so well it makes women break out into a smiling face. Another formula that has Sudden Smile in it is called “Calm in the Sea of Life.” Be sure to check with your acupuncturist to make sure these formulas are suitable for your pattern of cramping, or they might not be effective.
If you’re interested in getting a correct treatment based on your diagnosed pattern, please contact me to arrange a free 15 minute consultation. Or simply book an appointment.
My goal is to create a treatment plan unique to your needs and empower you with tools for self-care, disease prevention, and complete recovery.
One Comment so far...
Cody J Mckinnie Says:
24 March 2010 at 5:25 pm.
Very insightful - continue to spread your message. Getting excited about an update. For too long now have I had the need to start my own blog. Suppose if I wait around any longer I will never ever do it. I’ll make sure to include you in my Blogroll. Many thanks!!