External therapy has a long history in China, the numerous contents have formed an important part of Chinese medicine practice. The external remedies are also popular home remedies for simple conditions. From a TCM viewpoint, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is merely categorized as a menstrual problem. However, external remedies are not frequently used for menstrual problems, only for menstrual pain and heavy menses problems sometimes. 

 

This kind of medicinal plasters can be prepared by ground a proper herbal prescription, mixed with a vegetable oil (usually sesame) to form a paste, then smeared on the selected body part and covered by a plaster. The active ingredients are absorbed through the skin to unblock meridians, promote blood and qi activities, expel pathogens and so achieve a therapeutic result.  

 

The selection of herbs depends on individual conditions. Physicians usually select herbs with strong flavors and energetic properties, which make the active ingredients more easily to penetrate and be absorbed.      

 

For PMS individuals, a medicinal plaster made by cinnamon mixture is suitable. Paste on the lower abdomen before sleep, stay overnight, take away and clean the area in the morning. This can relieve diarrhea and pain associated with PMS.  

 

 

This external therapy is usually aimed at improving the local circulation, so as to create effects like activating blood, removing stasis, relieving swelling, arresting pain and warming meridians. There are wet and dry applications; physicians either using a wet compress that soaked with saturated herbal solution or a dry pack that wrapped with crushed herbs. In order to create particular effects, physicians like to prescribe the herbs themselves, and then prepare them into desirable forms for pressing. Sometimes, the dry compress can simply be wax, mud, salt, green onion (white part), ginger or electrical tool with a heating effect, which is popular for menstrual pain and urinary difficulty.

 

Compress therapy for PMS puffiness: 

Selected Chinese mugwort leaf (30g), Manchurian wildginger (3g) and fennel (6g), crush them and stir-fry to heat, wrap with a linen bag and apply to the lower abdomen. Leave the compress for 20~30 minutes or longer. If the bag turns cool, reheat it and apply again. The ingredients warm the lower burner to stop pain and help the body to expel the coldness and dampness to relieve edema.

 

 

Herbal solution prepared for washing or bathing. This can be used to relieve skin problems during the premenstrual period. Apply daily until the arrival of the menses. 

 

 

 

In ancient China, pillows were made with various materials, besides the ordinary ones likes cotton and silk, stone, jade, crystals and wood were also popular. Some pillows were specially stuffed with herbs for healing and wellness purposes. 

 

The theory behind is that the head is regarded as "the house of essential substances" in TCM, essence from the organs are gathered there, and blood and qi (vital energy) always flow through it. Thus, the head serves as the highest center for regulating functions inside the body. Since we spend one third a day sleeping on a pillow, medicinal pillows can easily affect the head. The selected herbs are mostly aromatic, which help to tranquilize, refresh and dilate the local blood vessels leading to harmonize the internal environment.