Irregular Periods

How Chinese medicine differentiates irregular periods — cycles that come early or late unpredictably, distinct from Delayed Menstruation, Amenorrhea and Menorrhagia already covered — 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. Persistently irregular cycles need medical evaluation (hormonal, thyroid, and structural causes such as PCOS or fibroids) before assuming a simple pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for irregular periods — 10 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi. Invigorates Blood and regulates menstruation.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin. Regulates the uterus and menstruation.
LR-14	Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi and harmonizes Liver and Stomach.
REN-4	Nourishes Blood and Yin. Strengthens the Kidneys. Strengthens the Uterus and regulates menstruation.
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Original Qi.
BL-20	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach. Resolves Dampness. Nourishes Blood.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Benefits Essence. Regulates the uterus.
LR-2	Drains Liver-Fire and subdues Liver-Yang. Resolves Damp-Heat in the genitourinary system.
REN-3	Resolves Dampness from the Lower Burner. Promotes the Bladder function of Qi transformation. Benefits the Uterus.

The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Premenstrual breast distension, irritability and mood swings, frequent sighing, shifting abdominal bloating, unpredictable cycle timing triggered by emotional stress.

Tongue: Normal or slightly dark body with red/purple sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry, like a guitar string.

Treatment principle: Smooth Liver-Qi flow, resolve constraint, nourish Blood, strengthen Spleen.

LR-3 ↓ SP-6 ↑ LR-14 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Liver-Qi-stagnation slide.

2. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Stabbing, fixed lower abdominal pain, dark menstrual blood with large clots, pain worse at night and with pressure.

Tongue: Dark purple body with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy, rough and uneven like a knife scraping bamboo.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, warm the channels, scatter Cold, move Qi to relieve pain.

SP-6 ↑ REN-4 ↑ LR-3 ↓ SP-10 ↓

Note: moxa applicable on REN-4. Direct match with this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide via the well-established dark/purple stasis-spot-tongue marker.

3. Spleen-Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Scanty, pale, delayed periods, poor appetite with postprandial bloating, loose stools, fatigue and limb heaviness.

Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender body with tooth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Weak, soft, especially at the right guan position.

Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen-Qi, augment Qi, raise sunken Yang, support Blood production.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ BL-20 ↑

Note: moxa applicable throughout. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Spleen-Qi-deficiency slide.

4. Kidney-Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Scanty, light or bright red menstrual flow, early or irregular periods, night sweats, heat in palms/soles/chest, lower back soreness, dry mouth and throat.

Tongue: Red, thin body with little or no coating, dry surface with possible cracks. Pulse: Fine and rapid, often weak at the left rear position.

Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney-Yin, benefit Essence, fill Marrow, nourish Blood, cool reckless Blood.

KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑ REN-4 ↑

Note: no moxa given the Yin deficiency. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Kidney-Yin-deficiency slide.

5. Damp-Heat in the Liver Channel View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sticky, yellowish menstrual blood, foul-smelling yellow vaginal discharge, genital itching or burning, bitter taste, body heaviness, dark scanty urine.

Tongue: Red body with redder sides, yellow greasy coating thicker at the centre and root. Pulse: Wiry, slippery, rapid.

Treatment principle: Drain Liver/Gall Bladder Fire, clear Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner.

LR-3 ↓ LR-2 ↓ SP-6 ↑ REN-3 ↓

Note: no moxa. This is a genuine match to this site's genital-specific Damp-Heat-in-the-Liver slide — the source's own vaginal discharge and genital itching content directly matches, the same confirmed-match logic as Vaginal Itching and Pain Along the Inner Thigh.

Related conditions

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