Typical PMS symptoms include irritability, bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness and swelling, mood swings, headaches and sighing.

Initial diagnosis/ consult.

Typical diagnosis is liver qi depression/ blood deficiency.  Liver qi depression is often drawn as a line spiraling in on itself.  The liver and blood are synonymous.  Anywhere there is blood in the body is associated with liver.

Stress:  is the biggest factor in causing this inward spiral.  It can typically lead to poor food/air assimilation in the spleen and lungs and therefore poor quality and quantity of blood/ ie the liver.

PMS symptoms arise as the liver fills with blood prior to menstruation.  This constrained blood typically leads to irritability, breast distention and pain, abdominal pain/nausea.

TREATMENT:

3-6 menstrual cycles with treatment 1 time per week to regulate the 4 weeks of the cycle. Acupuncture and herbs are given for each phase of the cycle. (See Infertility)

OTHER RELATED TOPICS:
 
AMMENORHEA

MENORRAGIA