Orinda Acupuncture

Being a Chinese Medicine practitioner and also a parent of two teens, I know a lot is going on in their bodies now. For girls, it’s the critical point in their lives when they start to have the capability of bearing a new life. In the TCM classical, “The Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor”, the first chapter “Universal Truth” illustrates the physiology of woman:

“In general, the reproductive physiology of woman is such that at the age of seven (7) her kidney energy becomes full, her permanent teeth come in, and her hair grows long. At the age of double 7 (14), her Tiangui 天癸 (fertility essence) arrives, and Ren Channel (Conception Vessel) begins to function, Chong Channel (Thoroughfare Vessel) becomes abundant. And this brings her the periodic menstruation and thus she is able to conceive a child. At the age of triple seven (21), the kidney energy is strong and healthy, so appear the wisdom teeth, and the body is vital and flourishing. At the age of quadruple seven (28), the bones and tendons are well developed, the hair is extremely long, and the body (secondary sex characteristics) is complete. This is the peak of female development. At the age of quintuple seven (35), the Yangming Channels decline, the face starts to desiccate and hair to become thin. At the age of sextuple seven (42), all three Yang Channels- Taiyang, Shaoyang, and Yangming- are exhausted, the entire face is wrinkled, and the hair begins to turn gray. At the age of seven couplets of seven (49), the Ren and Chong Channels are completely empty, and her Tiangui dries up. Hence, the flow of the menses ceases and the woman is no longer able to conceive.”

The occurrence of menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon in which viscus, meridians, qi and blood act on the uterus. The main component of menstruation is blood. The generation, control and operation of blood depend on qi. It is said that qi is the commander of blood, and qi can generate blood. Conversely, qi also needs the nutrition and internal protection of blood. Qi and blood generate and regulate each other. Qi and blood come from the viscera. Among the viscera, the heart dominates blood, the liver stores blood, and the spleen governs blood. The stomach takes in and decomposes food. The spleen has the function to transport and transform nutrients. Spleen and stomach are the source/foundation of qi-blood formation. So is said the spleen dominates the acquirement. The kidney stores the essence and governs the bone marrow. The marrow is the innate foundation for metabolizing blood. The lung governs the Qi of the whole body. When the five internal organs are in harmony and the qi and blood are unobstructed, the blood sea will be full on time, and the menstruation will be on schedule.

Among the viscus, kidney, spleen, and liver are highlighted. In the menstrual mechanism-“Kidney Qi-Tiangui-Chong Ren-Uterus”, Kidney Qi dominates female physiological activities. To have a regular menstruation, the essence and qi of kidney should be ample. The function of spleen to transport and transform nutrients should work well in order to form blood. The liver dominating free flow and rise of qi (as well as emotion) should perform properly so as to store blood and command blood of sea.

If any role in the mechanism is not working properly, young teens may experience irregular menstruation, changes in the blood flow or bowel movements, pain in head, body, or breasts, oedema, diarrhoea, hives, oral ulcers, and etc. If any of the above appears, she needs some treatments to help her ease the journey of being a woman.