Low Back and Pelvic Pain During Menstruation: Don't Endure It

During that time of the month, did you struggle with daily life due to severe low back and pelvic pain? If taking painkillers only helps temporarily and going to the hospital yields 'no special abnormality', frustration only grows. Beyond mere lower abdominal discomfort, pain that feels like thighs, pelvis, and even the lower back is breaking off significantly degrades women's quality of life. In particular, it can cause sleep deprivation or reduced concentration, affecting studies and work. Many women in the Incheon area are visiting Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic Incheon branch for this issue.

💡 Key Answer The 3 most common causes of low back and pelvic pain during menstruation: ① Stagnation of blood circulation in the uterus and pelvis (Blood Stasis / Eohyeol) ② Uterine contraction due to cold energy (Cold / Hanryang) ③ Systemic Qi and Blood deficiency and autonomic imbalance (Qi-Blood weakness / Giheol-heoyak) Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic goes beyond temporarily alleviating symptoms through constitutional improvement treatment, solving the root cause so that the body reclaims healthy balance on its own and symptoms do not recur.

Menstrual pain often spreads beyond simple lower abdominal pain to the lower back, pelvis, and even thighs. This is due to the contraction movement of the uterus and the close connection of surrounding nerves. In particular, over 50% of primary dysmenorrhea patients experience lower back pain along with menstruation.

During menstruation, the uterus contracts strongly to expel menstrual blood. The stimulation generated at this time is transmitted through nerves around the uterus to the lower back, pelvis, and tailbone areas, inducing pain. In Oriental medicine, the cause of this pain is not viewed solely as inflammation or hormone problems. It approaches comprehensively by considering overall Qi and Blood circulation in the body, imbalance of organ functions, and constitutional factors.

Representative causes include ▲ 'Blood Stasis (瘀血)' caused by poor uterine blood circulation, ▲ 'Cold (寒冷)' where the body cools down, stiffening around the uterus and pelvis and worsening pain, and ▲ 'Qi-Blood Weakness (氣血虛弱)' where innate energy is insufficient or postpartum/post-miscarriage care is inadequate, making systemic Qi and Blood weak. In addition, autonomic nervous system imbalance due to stress or overwork can further intensify pain severity.

Lower back and pelvic pain caused by menstrual pain is difficult to fundamentally resolve through temporary painkiller use alone. Oriental medicine identifies the cause of pain and helps restore body balance through treatments tailored to individual constitutions. In particular, acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments have been confirmed through various studies to be effective in alleviating menstrual pain.

In a 2009 study published by Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, 100 primary dysmenorrhea patients (71 participating finally) were given the herbal medicine Chilje-hyangbu-hwan (七製香附丸) or placebo during one menstrual cycle. In this study, the 'indication group' prescribed according to Oriental medicine diagnosis showed significant differences in pain intensity (VAS) and Multidimensional Verbal Rating Scale (MVRS) score changes compared to the placebo group, showing decreased pain. In addition, no serious side effects from drug intake were reported, confirming safety. The researchers concluded that when prescribed appropriately according to Oriental medicine diagnosis, Chilje-hyangbu-hwan is effective and safe in treating primary dysmenorrhea. This aligns with the treatment philosophy of Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic, which combines medicinal herbs tailored to individual symptoms and constitutions of patients visiting the Incheon menstrual pain clinic.

In addition, acupuncture treatment also has research results showing a positive effect on menstrual pain alleviation. In a randomized controlled trial conducted in the 2010s, 92 primary dysmenorrhea women aged 14–25 (46 acupuncture group, 46 control group) received acupuncture treatment 9 times in total over 3 months. As a result, 6 months after treatment, the acupuncture group showed a significantly decreased duration of menstrual pain compared to the control group (mean difference -9.6, p=0.04), and the need for additional painkiller intake was also significantly lower (relative risk 0.69, p=0.03). The researchers mentioned that although therapeutic effects did not persist at the 12-month follow-up, acupuncture treatment may improve mood symptoms caused by menstrual pain and have a small effect in alleviating pain. As such, acupuncture treatment can help reduce low back and pelvic pain accompanying menstrual pain by directly regulating pain and improving Qi and Blood circulation.

At Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic Incheon branch, low back or pelvic pain during menstruation is not viewed simply as pain relief, but focuses on restoring fundamental body balance. In particular, 'constitutional improvement' is a treatment principle that does not temporarily turn off symptoms, but returns the body to a healthy state so that it does not turn on symptoms again on its own.

For women, menstrual pain is closely related to the autonomic nervous system. When the balance of the autonomic nervous system collapses due to stress or irregular lifestyle habits, blood circulation around the uterus and pelvis is hindered, and sensitivity to pain increases, making menstrual pain worse. In such cases, autonomic stability treatment that relieves excessive tension in the nervous system and promotes body circulation can be combined.

Also, gut health affects women's hormone balance. When the intestinal barrier weakens and toxins accumulate, it can induce systemic inflammatory reactions, which can also adversely affect the uterine environment. Therefore, creating a healthy gut environment through intestinal detoxification treatment becomes an important approach to alleviating menstrual pain.

Ultimately, Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic's constitutional improvement treatment closely diagnoses individual constitution, health status, and pain patterns of patients, combining customized herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture treatments. Through this, it removes blood stasis, expels cold energy, replenishes deficient Qi and Blood, strengthens uterine and pelvic functions, and smooths systemic circulation. Improving to such a healthy constitution can improve not only menstrual pain but also accompanying discomfort symptoms such as premenstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue, and indigestion.

If 3 or more of the items below apply to you, we recommend suspecting lower back/pelvic pain due to menstrual pain and consulting with Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic Incheon branch.

• During menstruation, not only the lower abdomen but also the lower back, pelvis, and buttocks ache and hurt.
• Even when taking painkillers, pain does not subside well or the drug effect is short.
• Dark red blood clots are frequently seen in menstrual blood.
• Hands, feet, or lower abdomen are usually cold and the body tires easily.
• Premenstrual syndrome such as breast pain, headache, and irritability is severe before menstruation.
• Stress tends to make menstrual pain worse.
• Frequent digestive symptoms such as indigestion and abdominal bloating.
• Diagnosed that there are no organic diseases such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids.

If 3+ apply: Suspected menstrual lower back/pelvic pain → Consider Oriental medicine constitutional improvement treatment. If 5+ apply: Immediate Oriental medicine diagnosis and treatment recommended.

Q. Is it natural to have low back and pelvic pain during menstruation? A. Menstrual pain is a natural phenomenon, but pain severe enough to interfere with daily life is a signal informing body imbalance. It is important to find the exact cause and treat it without enduring.

Q. How long does herbal medicine treatment take for menstrual pain? A. Treatment duration varies depending on individual constitution, symptom severity, and chronic degree. Usually, through steady treatment for 3 months or more, you feel changes in your body and aim for pain to gradually decrease.

Q. I am looking for a menstrual pain Oriental clinic in Songdo, Incheon. Will Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic help? A. Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic Incheon branch treats various women's diseases including low back and pelvic pain accompanying menstrual pain. We help solve fundamental problems through personalized constitutional improvement treatment.

Q. Is it okay to keep taking painkillers when menstrual pain is severe? A. Painkillers help with temporary pain relief, but prolonged intake can cause side effects such as tolerance and gastrointestinal disorders. It is good to reduce dependence on painkillers by solving the root cause.

Low back pain or pelvic pain due to menstrual pain is not a problem solved by enduring. You no longer need to ignore body signals sent for a long time. Approaching in the right direction makes the body react faster than you think. Bring symptoms you are experiencing as they are. Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic will find the cause together.

Where life blooms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic. Check symptoms similar to yours first through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic website!

Medical Supervision | Women & Pregnancy Treatment Standard, Incheon Branch of Dalimchae Oriental Medicine Clinic, Korean Medicine Doctor Yang Yuchan (Menstrual Pain Column)