Using foot massage to treat Irregular menstruation

A menstrual cycle moving up for more than seven days, or two menstruations in one month is called advanced menstruation. A menstrual cycle delayed for more than seven days or more is called retarded menstruation. Either condition is called irregular menstruation.
   
Differential diagnosis: Patients with stagnation of liver qi may suffer from amenorrhea or advanced, retarded or irregular menstrual cycle with menstrual blood and clots normal, profuse or scanty in amount, purplish red in color, sticky in nature and difficult to discharge. Patients with bleeding due to heat in blood may suffer from flushed face, red lips, advanced menstrual cycle with menstrual blood profuse or normal in amount, fresh red in color and sticky in nature. Patients with stagnation of cold pathogens in uterus may suffer from cold and pain in lower abdomen relievable by heat, cyanotic face and lips, cold limbs and retarded menstrual cycle with menstrual blood and clots normal or scanty in amount, and dark red in color.

Patients with internal obstruction of stagnated blood may suffer from distension and pain in lower abdomen, relief after discharge of blood clots, and irregular menstrual cycle with profuse or scanty dark red menstrual blood and clots discharged in small amount or by drops. Patients with spleen qi deficiency may suffer from sallow complexion, mental fatigue, and amenorrhea or advanced, retarded or irregular menstrual cycle discharging pink and thin vaginal blood in large or small amount. And patients with kidney Yin deficiency may suffer from flushed cheeks, hotness in palms and soles, annoyance, insomnia and amenorrhea or advanced, retarded or irregular menstrual cycle discharging profuse or scanty and fresh red and sticky vaginal blood.
  
Treatment:
Foot massage: The massage is applied to pituitary gland (4), kidney (22), reproductive gland (36), uterus (50), lower abdomen (37), adrenal gland (21), thyroid gland (12) and coeliac plexus (20) reflecting areas. The foot is held with one hand by the physician and the massage is applied with the knuckle of the flexed index finger of the other hand by pressing the selected areas 3-4 times or by scratching the sole from heel to toes 5-6 times (Fig. 76).

Foot acupuncture:
1) Meridianal acupoints: A balanced reinforce-reducing technique without moxibustion is applied at Taichong (LR 3) and Taixi (KI3) acupoints for patients with advanced menstrual cycle. Acupuncture with moxibustion is applied at Rangu (KI 2) and Yinbai (SP 1) acupoints for patients with irregular menstruation and the needles are retained for 30 minutes.

2) Extra acupoints: A balanced reinforce-reducing technique without moxibustion is applied at 8 Yindu acupoints, Duyin (EX-F 17), Yingchi (EX-F 4) and Tongli (HT5) acupoints to patients with advanced menstrual cycle. Acupuncture with moxibustion at above acupoints is applied for patients with irregular menstruation and the needles are retained for 20 minutes.

3) Foot acupoints: A balanced reinforce-reducing technique without moxibustion is applied at Uterus (FA-P 16) and Dysmenorrhea 1 and 2 (FA-M 2 and 3) to patients with advanced menstrual cycle and the needles are retained for 20 minutes. A reinforcing technique of acupuncture with moxibustion is applied at above acupoints to patients with irregular menstruation and the needles are retained for 15 minutes.
  
External application of drugs:
1) The powder of Moschus (Shexiang) 0.2 gm is spread over the lower abdomen (37) reflecting area on the foot and then an adequate amount of mixed powder of Olibanum (Ruxiang) 15 gm, Myrrha (Moyao) 15 gin, Daemonorops draco (Xuejie) 15 gin, Lignum Aquilariae Resinatum (Chenxiang) 15 gin, Flos Caryophylli (Dingxiang) 15 gin, Halitum (Daqingyan) 18 gm, Wulingzhi (trogopterus dung) 18 gm and Rhizoma Anemones Raddeanae (Liangtoujian) 18 gm is spread over the musk powder and covered by a piece of bark of the Chinese scholartree with small holes. Moxibustion with moxa wool is applied over the bark once a day to treat disturbance of menstruation due to liver qi stagnation.
   
2) A paste made of Dahuang (rhubarb) 128 gin, Xuanshen (figwort root) 64 gm, Shengdi (rehmannia root) 64 grn, Danggui (Chinese angelica root) 64 gm, Chishao (red peony root) 64 gm, Baizhi (dahurian angelica root) 64 grn and Rougui (cinnamon bark) 64 gm by frying in 1000 gm of sesame oil with 448 gm of yellow lead is applied over the lower abdomen (37) reflecting area on the foot to treat the disturbance of menstruation in patients with bleeding due to heat pathogens in blood.
   
3) The Shanzha (hawthorn fruit) 100 gm, Gegen (kudzuvine root) 100 grn, Baishao (white peony root) 150 gm and Gancao (licorice) 30 gm are boiled in water twice, the concentrated decoction of above herbs is mixed with an adequate amount of 95 percent alcohol extract of Ruxiang (frankincense) 100 gm and Moyao (myrrh) 100 gm; after the mixture is dried, it is mixed with the powder of Chuanshanjia "(pangolin scale) 100 gm, Houpo (magnolia bark) 100 gm and Guizhi (cinnamon twig) 30 gm and an adequate amount of Bingpian (borneol) and volatile oil of Xixin (wild ginger) and Jishiteng (chicken-dung) for use after sifting out. The powder of 0.2-0.25 gm is mixed with vinegar and applied over the reflecting area of foot 3-5 days before the start of menstruation for patients with stagnation of qi and blood. This powder mixed with ginger juice is used for patients with an accumulation of cold and damp pathogens.