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When Menstrual Pain is Severe, Should You Go to OBGYN or Korean Medicine Clinic?

Monthly menstrual pain is a painful homework for many women. Especially when menstrual pain is severe, daily life can be paralyzed, and taking painkillers often does not help. Many people hesitate between visiting a hospital, wondering whether they should go to an OBGYN or receive fundamental treatment at a Korean Medicine clinic.

💡 Core Answer 3 most common causes of severe menstrual pain: ① Stagnant Blood (Eohyeol): Pain caused by poor blood circulation in the uterus. ② Deficiency of Qi and Blood: When the body's qi and blood are deficient, making the uterus weak. ③ Stress and Autonomic Imbalance: Excessive stress affects hormones and the autonomic nervous system, worsening the uterine environment. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic restores the fundamental balance of your body through constitutional improvement to alleviate symptoms and prevent recurrence.

Menstrual pain can be largely divided into two types: 'primary dysmenorrhea', which occurs without any specific causative disease, and 'secondary dysmenorrhea', which is caused by specific diseases such as uterine myomas or endometriosis. While most menstrual pain is known to be primary, the intensity of pain varies from person to person. Severe menstrual pain can be a sign that the overall balance of our body is broken, not just a problem with the uterus.

In Korean medicine, stagnant blood (Eohyeol), which is the stagnation of blood circulation in the uterus and pelvic cavity, is considered the biggest cause of menstrual pain. When the circulation of qi and blood around the uterus is blocked due to stress, cold environments, or overwork, pain-inducing substances accumulate, causing severe pain. In addition, when the body is weak or deficient in qi and blood (Qi and Blood Deficiency), the uterus cannot function fully, making it more vulnerable to pain. Furthermore, excessive stress and resulting autonomic imbalance cause complex problems that disturb the hormonal system and induce excessive uterine contractions, intensifying the pain.

Many people first look for painkillers when menstrual pain is severe. Painkillers help provide immediate pain relief by inhibiting the production of pain-inducing substances called prostaglandins. However, this is only temporary symptom suppression and has limitations in solving the root cause of pain or preventing pain in the next menstrual cycle. Relying on painkillers for a long time can lead to tolerance or side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders.

Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch focuses not only on simply suppressing pain, but also on correcting body imbalances to resolve the root cause of menstrual pain. We improve blood circulation in the uterus and pelvic cavity, replenish qi and blood, and resolve autonomic nervous system problems caused by stress so that the uterus can function healthily on its own. This approach contributes not only to alleviating menstrual pain but also to improving overall women's health.

Korean medical treatments for relieving menstrual pain and reducing recurrence rates have been steadily researched, and their effectiveness has been proven.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Pain Research on October 11, 2025, titled "Long Term Effects of Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea," a total of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 970 patients were analyzed. The results showed that compared to the control group, acupuncture treatment showed significant pain reduction effects in pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) after 3 treatment cycles (\-47.80, 95% CI \-48.63 to \-46.97; p<0.0001) and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (\-8.55, 95% CI \-11.46 to \-5.64; p<0.0001). Furthermore, compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acupuncture also showed superior pain relief effects in VAS scores (\-29.89, 95% CI \-37.63 to \-22.15; p<0.0001). The researchers concluded that acupuncture can provide sustained effects for up to 3 treatment cycles after treatment in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. These data support the effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion treatments at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic in alleviating menstrual pain.

Additionally, a multi-center prospective observational study published in Frontiers in Medicine on May 20, 2026, titled "Herbal medicine as a complementary therapy for dysmenorrhea: effects on pain and reduction of analgesic use," evaluated 135 dysmenorrhea patients across 33 Korean medicine clinics and 1 Korean medicine hospital in Korea. The study showed that the group receiving herbal medicine treatment (119 patients) had a statistically significant greater reduction in menstrual pain intensity (NRS, Numeric Rating Scale) at the second visit compared to the group not receiving herbal medicine treatment (estimate = \-1.41, p = 0.029), and analgesic use was also significantly reduced (estimate = \-1.63, p = 0.001). The researchers suggested that personalized herbal medicine prescriptions can be effective in reducing pain intensity and analgesic use in dysmenorrhea patients. Similarly, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic provides treatments tailored to each patient's constitution and symptoms to help fundamentally restore the body.

At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch, menstrual pain is not viewed merely as a symptom of pain. We understand the causes of menstrual pain from comprehensive aspects such as individual body condition, constitution, and lifestyle habits, and provide tailored constitutional improvement treatments accordingly.

Constitutional improvement aims not to temporarily turn off symptoms, but to create a body where they do not turn on again. This is like fixing the root problem of the engine so that warning lights never come on again, rather than simply turning off the warning light of a broken car. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic removes stagnant blood, replenishes qi and blood, stabilizes stress and unbalanced autonomic nerves to smooth blood circulation around the uterus, and strengthens the functions of the uterus and ovaries. Through this, we stabilize the menstrual cycle and reduce the intensity and frequency of pain.

Such treatments have positive effects on preventing and improving various women's conditions such as irregular menstruation, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), uterine myomas, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). When the overall balance of the body is restored, accompanying symptoms such as chronic fatigue and weakened immunity can also naturally improve.

Check if any of the following symptoms apply to you:

• Menstrual pain is severe enough to interfere with daily life.
• Painkillers do not relieve the pain well, or you rely on them more frequently.
• Menstrual blood has many clots and a dark red color.
• Your lower abdomen feels cold and your hands and feet are chilled around menstruation.
• You feel discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen even when it is not your menstrual period.
• You usually have high stress and are sensitive.
• Fatigue is severe and physical strength drops even outside of menstruation.
• Menstrual cycle is irregular or menstrual volume changed suddenly.
• Digestion is poor and you swell easily.

Result Check:

• 3 or more items apply: Suspected Stagnant Blood & Qi/Blood Deficiency Type Menstrual Pain. Consider improving the uterine environment through Dalimchae's complex Korean medicine treatment (herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion).
• 5 or more items apply: High possibility of chronic menstrual pain. Visiting Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch is recommended for accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.

Q. How long do I need to take herbal medicine for menstrual pain to see results? A. The treatment period may vary depending on the cause of menstrual pain and individual constitution. Generally, taking consistent treatment for 3 months or more can help reduce menstrual pain intensity and stabilize the menstrual cycle. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch aims for fundamental body changes, guiding you toward sustained health maintenance rather than temporary symptom relief.

Q. My menstrual pain is severe. Could it be due to another condition? A. Yes, severe menstrual pain can be a sign of other women's conditions such as uterine myomas, endometriosis, adenomyosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Especially if menstrual pain suddenly worsens after your mid-20s or progressively intensifies, getting an accurate diagnosis is important.

Q. Are there any side effects from Korean medicine treatments for menstrual pain? A. Korean medicine treatments have fewer side effects because they are prescribed according to each patient's constitution and symptoms. However, you should inform the medical staff if you have allergies to specific herbs.

Q. Can menstrual pain get better naturally? A. Mild menstrual pain can be alleviated with lifestyle improvements or warm compresses, but chronic and severe menstrual pain is difficult to improve naturally. Therefore, seeking active diagnosis and treatment when pain is severe is important.

Menstrual pain is not something to endure and solve. You no longer have to ignore the body's signals sent for a long time. Bring your symptoms as they are. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together with you.

A place where life blossoms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your similar symptoms first through Dalimchae's website AI consultation!

#menstrual_pain #dysmenorrhea #constitutional_improvement #korean_medicine_clinic #womens_health #eohyeol #autonomic_imbalance