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Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

How Chinese medicine differentiates chronic pelvic inflammatory disease into the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Chronic Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis pages. 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. Pelvic inflammatory disease with fever, severe pain, or abnormal discharge needs prompt medical assessment and antibiotic treatment; this page supports recovery alongside medical care, never in place of it.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for chronic pelvic inflammatory disease — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
REN-4Nourishes Blood and Yin. Strengthens the Kidneys. Strengthens the Uterus and regulates menstruation.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen. Resolves Dampness. Promotes the function of the Liver and the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Original Qi.
The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Yellow or thick, foul-smelling vaginal discharge; lower abdominal fullness and heaviness; burning urination; afternoon body heat; heaviness in the legs.
Tongue: Red, slightly swollen, yellow greasy coating thickest at the root. Pulse: Slippery and rapid, more pronounced at the rear position.
Treatment principle: Drains Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner.
REN-4 ⊥ SP-6 ↓ SP-9 ↓
Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Damp-Heat-in-the-Liver slide, its established Lower-Burner Damp-Heat convention.

2. Qi and Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing lower abdominal pain; dark, clotted menstrual blood; pain worsens before menstruation and with pressure; a purple complexion; breast distension; irritability.
Tongue: Purple or dark with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.
Treatment principle: Invigorates Blood and dispels stasis, moves Qi and alleviates pain.
LIV-3 ↓ SP-10 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓
Note: no moxa. No combined Qi-and-Blood-stagnation slide exists on this site's decks — no pattern link is given here.

3. Qi Deficiency Causing Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, aching pelvic pain worse with fatigue and pressure; chronic fatigue and weakness; poor appetite; a pale or grayish complexion; shortness of breath; spontaneous sweating.
Tongue: Pale with a purplish tinge, possible stasis spots, teeth marks, thin white coat. Pulse: Deep, fine, choppy.
Treatment principle: Tonifies Qi, invigorates Blood, dispels stasis and unblocks the channels.
REN-6 ↑ ST-36 ↑ SP-10 ↓
Note: moxa is appropriate. No combined Qi-Deficiency-causing-Blood-Stagnation slide exists on this site's decks — no pattern link is given here.

4. Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Cold pelvic pain improving with warmth; a clear or white, thin discharge; cold hands and feet; lower back soreness; loose stools or early-morning diarrhea; fatigue.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, puffy, teeth-marked, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, slow.
Treatment principle: Warms Yang and disperses Cold, tonifies Qi and strengthens the Spleen.
REN-4 ↑ DU-4 ↑ BL-23 ↑
Note: moxa is strongly indicated.
Related conditions
Chronic Pelvic Pain Endometriosis Uterine Fibroids

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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.