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When Tylenol Doesn't Work for Menstrual Pain? Don't Just Rely on Painkillers!

Every month, the sharp pain during that time often makes it hard to get through the day without painkillers. Especially when general painkillers like Tylenol don't work, you might worry if something is wrong with your body. Menstrual pain is not just simple pain; it can be an important signal from our body. Relying only on painkillers and ignoring this signal is not a fundamental solution.

💡 [Key Answer] The 3 most common causes of menstrual pain when Tylenol doesn't work: ① Uterine blood circulation disorder (Stagnant blood) / ② Lower abdominal coldness and inflammation / ③ Autonomic nervous system imbalance due to stress Dalimchae Oriental Clinic helps you find a healthy cycle by resolving the root cause of pain through constitutional improvement.

Menstrual pain can be divided into primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs without a specific uterine disease, caused by excessive secretion of prostaglandins, leading to excessive uterine muscle contraction. At this time, anti-inflammatory painkillers like Tylenol suppress the production of these prostaglandins to relieve pain. However, relying only on painkillers is a temporary symptomatic treatment and does not solve the root cause.

Especially if it's hard to see the effect of painkillers or if the pain gradually worsens, there is a possibility of secondary dysmenorrhea caused by uterine diseases such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and adenomyosis. In this case, beyond simply taking painkillers, the circulation environment of the uterus and lower abdomen must be improved and the fundamental cause must be treated. In Oriental medicine, the causes of menstrual pain are seen as stagnant blood (瘀血), coldness (寒冷), and qi and blood deficiency (氣血虛弱), and imbalance of stress and the autonomic nervous system is also explained as a major factor that worsens menstrual pain.

While painkillers focus on temporary pain suppression, Oriental medicine treatment aims to resolve the fundamental cause of pain and prevent recurrence by restoring the overall balance of the body. Especially, it strengthens uterine function by using medicinal herbs that improve blood circulation in the uterus and lower abdomen, remove stagnant blood, and warm the body.

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the 『Journal of Ethnopharmacology』 in 2019 analyzed the effect of an Oriental medicine prescription called Dangguijagyag-san (DJS) on the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. This study comprehensively analyzed a total of 14 randomized controlled trials (including 2766 patients) and found that DJS showed a higher total effective rate (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08–1.24) in pain relief compared to Western medical treatment (NSAIDs), and showed statistically significant superiority in pain reduction effect (MD = -1.1, 95% CI -2.04 – -0.16) and reduction of painkiller use during menstruation (MD = -2.3, 95% CI -3.58– -1.02) compared to placebo (all p < 0.05). The researchers concluded that these results suggest DJS is effective in relieving menstrual pain.

In addition, another systematic review and meta-analysis published in 『Medicine』 in 2019 reported that an Oriental medicine prescription called Hyeolbuchukeo-tang (XZD) shows beneficial effects in the management of primary dysmenorrhea. Analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials (including 1048 patients) showed that XZD monotherapy showed a better response rate (RR 1.26, 95% CI [1.06, 1.49], P < 0.01) compared to Western drug monotherapy, and also showed a higher response rate (RR 1.18, 95% CI [1.11, 1.25], P < 0.01) when combined with Western drugs. The researchers suggested that Hyeolbuchukeo-tang has a positive effect on the management of primary dysmenorrhea, but added that more large-scale studies are needed due to the small number of studies and high risk of bias.

These research results suggest that herbal treatment can contribute to lowering the recurrence rate of symptoms and reducing reliance on painkillers from a long-term perspective as well as reducing the pain of menstrual pain. At Dalimchae Oriental Clinic, based on such scientific Oriental medicine knowledge, we help you resolve the root cause of menstrual pain and regain a healthy menstrual cycle through customized prescriptions suitable for each patient's constitution and symptoms. Especially, many people looking for a menstrual pain clinic in Songdo are highly satisfied with this Oriental medicine treatment.

Menstrual pain is not just a problem of the uterus. Stress and irregular lifestyle habits can worsen menstrual pain by breaking the balance of our body's autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for body functions that operate regardless of our will, such as heartbeat, digestion, and hormone regulation. When stress persists, the sympathetic nerve among the autonomic nerves is excessively activated, which constricts blood vessels, interferes with blood circulation in the uterus and pelvic cavity, and promotes the secretion of pain substances.

In Oriental medicine, such autonomic imbalance is seen as leading to lower abdominal coldness, formation of stagnant blood, and obstruction of qi and blood circulation. This increases the intensity of menstrual pain, reduces the effect of painkillers, and is accompanied by various physical and mental symptoms such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irregular menstruation, headache, indigestion, and anxiety. At Songdo Oriental Clinic, we create an environment where the body can recover itself and control pain by regaining the balance of the autonomic nervous system.

At Dalimchae Oriental Clinic Songdo Branch, we do not see menstrual pain as just simple lower abdominal pain. Menstrual pain is an indicator of overall health, and especially beyond uterine and lower abdominal problems, it is a signal that appears when the balance of the whole body is broken, such as imbalance of the autonomic nervous system and decreased function of the internal organs.

Our goal is not to just "turn off" symptoms, but to create a body that doesn't "turn on" again through constitutional improvement treatment. A body where menstrual pain is repeated is like a car with broken brakes. We don't just turn off the warning light of pain, but we must check the brake system itself and repair the fundamental cause for safe operation. To this end, we provide customized herbal prescriptions by accurately diagnosing each patient's constitution, lifestyle, and symptom patterns. This herbal medicine strengthens uterine function by dissolving stagnant blood in the uterus, removing coldness in the lower abdomen, and smoothing qi and blood circulation. In addition, we help prevent recurrence of menstrual pain by combining acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture to balance the autonomic nervous system and recover the overall condition.

Such constitutional improvement treatment has a positive effect on overall women's health such as irregular menstruation, infertility, and postpartum care, as well as relieving menstrual pain, and lays the foundation for maintaining health on its own by increasing the body's natural healing power.

If 3 or more of the following items apply, there is a high possibility that it is not simple menstrual pain. We recommend receiving an accurate diagnosis and customized treatment at Dalimchae Oriental Clinic Songdo Branch.

• Pain does not subside easily even after taking painkillers, or the effect is short, less than 3 hours.
• Daily life (studies, work) is often disrupted because of menstrual pain.
• Symptoms such as back pain, leg numbness, nausea, vomiting, and headache are accompanied by menstrual pain.
• The color of menstrual blood has become dark red or has many clots, the amount of menstruation has suddenly increased, or the cycle has become irregular.
• Lower abdominal pain or heavy discomfort persists even after menstruation is over.
• Hands and feet are cold, and the lower abdomen always feels cold.
• Usually under a lot of stress or sensitive, and menstrual pain worsens when there are many things to worry about.

3 or more items apply → Suspicion of severe menstrual pain → Consider treatment at Songdo Menstrual Pain Clinic and Oriental Medicine complex treatment 5 or more items apply → Immediate visit and in-depth diagnosis recommended

Q. How long does menstrual pain herbal medicine take? A. The duration of menstrual pain herbal treatment varies depending on the severity of the patient's symptoms, the cause of pain, constitution, and usual lifestyle habits. Usually, a reduction in pain and stabilization of the cycle can be expected through 2-3 months of steady treatment, and a management period to prevent recurrence may be needed thereafter.

Q. I'm worried about the side effects of painkillers. Is herbal medicine safe? A. Herbal medicine aims for fundamental treatment while minimizing side effects by regulating the overall balance of the human body. At Dalimchae Oriental Clinic, we use strictly quality-controlled medicinal herbs to provide customized prescriptions suitable for each patient, so you can take it with peace of mind.

Q. Can menstrual pain heal naturally? A. Mild menstrual pain can be improved by improving lifestyle habits or warm compresses, but severe menstrual pain that cannot be resolved even with Tylenol can be an abnormal signal of uterine and overall health. If neglected, it can lead to uterine disease or become a cause of infertility, so it is important to receive active treatment.

Q. I have both menstrual pain and irregular menstruation. Can they be treated together? A. Yes, menstrual pain and irregular menstruation are closely related, and in Oriental medicine, the root cause of both symptoms is seen as the same and treated accordingly. Both symptoms can be improved simultaneously through improvement of lower abdominal circulation, removal of stagnant blood, and regulation of hormone balance.

Menstrual pain is not a problem that is solved by enduring it. You no longer have to ignore the signals your body has been sending for a long time. If you approach it in the right direction, your body will respond faster than you think. Bring the symptoms you are experiencing as they are. We will find the cause together at Dalimchae Oriental Clinic.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Oriental Clinic. Check your similar symptoms first with the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Oriental Clinic website!

Medical Supervision | Oh Hyunmin, Oriental Medical Doctor at Dalimchae Oriental Clinic Songdo Branch, based on women's and pregnancy treatment standards (Menstrual Pain Column)

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