Browse our Female Health Section
Painful menstruation r difficult menstruation with severe pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation is called as dysmenorrhoea. In Ayurveda, it is called “Kashtartava.”
Congestive type is due to vitiation of Pitta and Kapha. Usually there is premenstrual pain either in back or lower abdomen, occurring between thee and five days and sometimes before the onset of menstruation. It is always relieved by menstrual flow. Many times it is associated with some pelvic inflammatory disease like salpingo-oophritis or pelvic adhesions. It is also common in certain myomas or chocolate cyst of ovaries.
Spasmodic type- is due to vitiation of Vata. Nearly fifty percent of women under 25 suffer from this symptom. The pain develops on the first day of menstrual period, which is of excruciating type and lasts for half an hour or so. This pain is intermittent and may cause fainting or collapse. This is followed by less severe pain which lasts for next 12 hours. It may be related to endocrine factor or psychogenic causes.
Membranous type- should be regarded as extreme form of spasmodic dysmenorrhoea. The pain is so severe, that unless some very strong antispasmodic medicine is given it cannot be relieved. Due to severe pain there ma be shock like symptoms. Fortunately it is very rare. It is accompanied by the passage of membranes, in the form of casts of uterine cavity.
Pain relieving, antispasmodic and muscle relaxing herbs should b given with emmenagogue herbs when it is required.
Spasmodic type (Vata type)- Anti-vata diet should be given . Bowels should be kept open with mild laxatives like triphala. Mild massage with sesame oil to the abdomen below umbilicus should b done followed by sudation. Alternate sesame oil enema should be give with cleaning enema. In this type along with heating emmenagogue herbs, nervine and tranquillizing herbs are also necessary.
Heating emmenagogue herbs are angelica, cotton root, and mugwort in dose of 1 to 2 gms. A day should be combined with nervine soothing herbs like valerian 250 mgm. At night. Mild carminatives like fennel, asafetida and cardamom should be given with pain relieving herb. Similarly herbs like cyperus, ficus bengalensis, astercanta longifolia, and saraca indicia. Western herbs like salvia, ligusticum are useful.
Congestive type (Pitta, kapha type)- in this type cooling emmenagouge herbs like hibiscus, motherwort, and cyperus should be given. Then give demulcent herbs like shatavari 1 part + licorice 1 part + with nutmeg ¼ th part, or jatamansi ¼ part in dose of 1 gm.3 times a day for 15 days.
