Therapeutic principies

The therapeutic methods for gynecological diseases are basically the same as those for the diseases of other clinical specialties. Pathologically gynecological diseases are mainly related to the kidney, liver, spleen, stomach, qi and blood as well as the thoroughfare and conception vessels. In terms of the causes, gynecological diseases are usually caused by cold, heat, dampness and emotional factors. So therapeutically, differentiation must be made of the external and internal, cold and heat, asthenia and sthenia as well as yin and yang in order to decide whether the disease in question is due to the disorder of the kidney, liver, spleen, heart or qi and blood. Only by making such a careful analysis can proper treatment, prescription and use of herbs be made.

Invigorating the kidney
The kidney is the prenatal base of life, source of reproduction and connected with the thoroughfare and conception vessels. Only when kidney qi is sufficient, can menstruation come, the conception vessel be free in circulation and the thoroughfare vessel keep predominant. Such a condition is also essential to the physiological activities of menstruation, pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. Insufficiency of kidney qi or consumption of kidney yin or decline of kidney yang or asthenia of both yin and yang will prevent tiangui from occurring or lead to senilism and disturbance of the thoroughfare and conception vessels, consequently resulting in disorders related to menstruation, leukorrhea, pregnancy, delivery and lactation. So kidney-invigorating is the basic therapeutic method in treating gynecological diseases, especially for the treatment of young woman whose kidney qi is not sufficient yet. Kidney-invigorating methods include warming kidney to reinforce yang, nourishing kidney to enrich yin, fostering yin to suppress yang or nourishing both yin and yang that are selected according to the pathological conditions.

The kidney and the liver are all located in the lower energizer; the kidney essence and liver blood share the same origin. So kidney yin can nourish liver yin and prevent liver yang from becoming hyperactive. Liver blood and kidney essence are closely related to menstruation, pregnancy, delivery and breast-feeding. Clinically deficiency of kidney yin may lead to asthenia of both liver and kidney yin, eventually resulting in irregular menstruation or even amenorrhea and menopausal syndrome; deficiency of kidney yin fails to nourish wood and leads to hyperactivity of liver fire, consequently bringing about profuse menstruation, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, or even dizziness during menstruation due to liver yang transforming into wind; failure of the liver to convey and disperse may lead to consumption of yin by stagnant fire with the involvement of the kidney, frequently resulting in liver stagnation and kidney asthenia which bring about scanty menstruation, delayed menstruation,  amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea. Such disorders should be treated by regulating both the liver and the kidney.

Regulating the liver
The liver is significant in storing blood, controlling blood sea, maintaining close contact with the thoroughfare vessel and managing conveyance and dispersion. The liver physically pertains to yin and functionally to yang. It prefers free action and detests depression. Dysfunction of the liver in conveyance, or stagnation of qi transforming into fire, or stimulation of liver fire due to rage may consume liver yin and lead to hyperactivity of liver yang, or asthenia of yin and hyperactivity of yang which will all affect the thoroughfare vessel and bring about such disorders like irregular menstruation, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, morning sickness and eclampsia gravidarum. So regulation and nourishment of the liver is also one of the important therapeutic methods for the treatment of gynecological diseases. In the middleaged women, menstruation, pregnancy, delivery and breast-feeding frequently impair blood and tend to result in asthenia of liver blood and exuberance of liver qi. So regulation and nourishment of the liver is especially important for the treatment of middle-aged woman. However, in actual treatment, the therapeutic method should be selected according to the conditions of the patient. For example, failure of the liver to convey should be treated with dispersing therapy; liver depression transforming into fire or liver fire due to rage can be treated by clearing and purgative therapy; consumption of liver yin or deficiency of liver blood can be treated by softening and nourishing therapy; hyperactivity of liver yang can be treated by suppressing therapy. In a word, the purpose of regulating the liver is to balance liver qi and make liver blood sufficient.

Invigorating the spleen
The spleen is the postnatal base of life and the source of qi and blood. The spleen manages transformation and transportation as well as commanding blood. The stomach that is internally and externally in relation with the spleen governs reception of food and is an organ with sufficient qi and blood. The thoroughfare vessel also pertains to yangming meridian. Normal functions of the spleen and stomach in woman ensure sufficient blood in the uterus for normal menstruation and pregnancy.  Dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, weakness in reception, transformation and transportation may lead to either insufficiency of the source for transformation, or failure in commanding blood, or retention of dampness, which may further impair the thoroughfare and conception vessels and lead to such disorders like irregular menstruation, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis,  amenorrhea,  leukorrhagia,  morning sickness, edema during pregnancy and prolapse of uterus. So strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach is also one of the important therapeutic methods in treating gynecological diseases. Such a treatment is especia