Yanghe Decoction for the Treatment of Gynecological Diseases (Part 1)
Case Study
Case 1: Female patient, 30 years old, farmer, first visited on April 15th, 1982. The patient had mild lower abdominal pain during menstruation for the past 2 years, which started when she was irrigating the wheat field during her period. She had to drink ginger sugar water or apply a hot water bag externally to relieve the pain. The pain gradually subsided after the menstruation. She had a large amount of thin and watery vaginal discharge during non-menstrual periods. However, recently, the menstrual flow has been decreasing and the color has become dark red like ink, accompanied by lower back pain and a cold sensation. The patient was diagnosed with endometriosis through gynecological examination. She had been taking medication for over half a month without improvement, so she sought TCM treatment. The current condition: pale complexion, fatigue, cold limbs, weak lower back, clear and long urination, pale purple tongue with moist coating, and deep, thin, and slippery pulse. TCM pattern identification: spleen and kidney yang deficiency, cold congealing in the lower jiao, and stagnation in the uterus leading to dysmenorrhea. Treatment principles: tonify the kidney, nourish the blood, warm the meridians, dispel cold, and resolve dampness in the uterus. Prescription: Prepared Rehmannia Root 30g, Pilose Deerhorn Gelatin 9g (melted and stewed), White Mustard Seed 6g, Cinnamon Twig 6g, Paojiang 9g, Ephedra 2g, Wu Lingzhi 9g, Fructus Foeniculi 9g, Roasted White Atractylodes 9g, and Rhizoma Cyperi 9g. Prepare in decoction and take for 3 doses. Follow-up on April 29th: the lower abdominal pain has reduced, the limbs and lower back gradually feel warm, but there is still a sensation of weakness in the limbs and lower back, and the menstrual flow has increased compared to before and become a lighter red color. Remove Rhizoma Cyperi from the prescription and add Xu Duan 9g and Du Zhong 9g. Continue taking for 6 doses. All symptoms disappear, and the patient is advised to take another 6 doses before the next menstruation. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up visits.
