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Amenorrhea

How Chinese medicine differentiates amenorrhea, the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Amenorrhea needs a gynecological work-up (pregnancy, thyroid, PCOS, and other causes) before acupuncture is considered.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for amenorrhea — 16 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
Ren-4Nourishes Blood and Yin. Strengthens the Kidneys.
BL-20Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang). Strengthens Essence.
BL-18Nourishes Liver-Blood. Moves Liver-Qi. Benefits the sinews.
LR-3Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind, stops pain, removes obstructions from the channel.
LR-14Harmonizes the Liver and promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
SP-10Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
Ren-3Resolves Dampness from the Lower Burner. Regulates the Uterus.
SP-8Harmonizes the Spleen, regulates the Uterus, removes obstructions from the channel, stops pain.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness, subdues rebellious Qi.
Ren-12Tonifies Stomach and Spleen. Resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Persistent deep fatigue worsened by activity; a pale complexion; lightheadedness on standing; a poor appetite; heart palpitations; poor sleep; periods that were scanty and delayed before stopping.
Tongue: Pale, possibly thin, teeth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Fine, weak, often Empty, especially at the right Guan position.
Treatment principle: Tonify Qi and generate Blood, strengthening the Spleen to rebuild the resources menstruation depends on.
ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ Ren-4 ↑ BL-20 ↑
Note: moxa applicable. No deck on this site combines a generic Qi and Blood deficiency pattern, so no pattern link is given here.

2. Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Heat in the palms, soles and chest with night sweats; dizziness and tinnitus; lower back and knee soreness; a dry mouth and eyes; blurred vision.
Tongue: Red, thin, cracked, little or no coating, dry surface. Pulse: Fine, Rapid, slightly Wiry, weak at the left Chi position.
Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney and Liver Yin, replenishing Essence and Blood to restore the Chong and Ren vessels.
BL-23 ↑ KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑ BL-18 ↑
Note: no moxa. Direct match with Kidney- and Liver-Yin deficiency.

3. Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Abrupt period cessation following emotional upset; a distending pain or fullness in the chest and breasts; irritability and mood swings; frequent sighing; a sensation of a lump in the throat.
Tongue: Normal or slightly dark, red or purplish sides, thin white coating. Pulse: Wiry, especially at the left Guan position.
Treatment principle: Course the Liver and resolve constraint, restoring the free flow of Qi and Blood to the uterus.
LR-3 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ SP-6 ↓ LR-14 ↓
Note: no moxa. Direct match with Liver-Qi stagnation — distension, moodiness and a Wiry pulse are shared.

4. Blood Stagnation in the Directing and Penetrating Vessels View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sharp, stabbing lower abdominal pain fixed in one spot; a history of dark purple, clotted menstrual blood; pain worsened by pressure or at night.
Tongue: Dusky purple, possible stasis spots, distended sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Choppy, often Wiry at the left middle position, Deep at both rear positions.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and dispel stasis, unblocking the Directing and Penetrating vessels.
SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ↓ Ren-3 ↓ LR-3 ↓ SP-8 ↓
Note: no moxa. Matches Liver-Blood stasis — dark, clotted menstrual blood and fixed pain are shared, gynecologically-framed hallmarks.

5. Damp-Phlegm in the Uterus

Clinical manifestations: Weight gain or obesity; a profuse, thick, white vaginal discharge; heaviness and fullness in the lower abdomen; whole-body fatigue and drowsiness.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, teeth marks, white greasy coating thicker at the root. Pulse: Slippery, often Deep, slightly Soft.
Treatment principle: Dry Dampness and transform Phlegm, strengthening the Spleen to clear the obstructed menstrual channels.
Tonify Spleen
ST-36 ↑
Resolve Phlegm-Damp
SP-9 ↓ ST-40 ↓ Ren-12 ↓
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify-Spleen point. No deck on this site has a uterus-specific Damp-Phlegm category, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions
PCOS Dysmenorrhea

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Acupuncture-only reference — structure adapted (not text) from how other condition-lookup sites organize this kind of content. Let us know what to add or change.