Dysmenorrhea - Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Dysmenorrhea · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 7 min

Body Area: Pelvis

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic deficiency pattern in dysmenorrhea, characterized by ovarian dysfunction, dull menstrual pain, back pain, dizziness, and fatigue. The core pathogenesis is Liver and Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the uterus and meridians, leading to ovarian dysfunction, poor endometrial development, and menstrual pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Dull menstrual pain, back pain, dizziness, fatigue |

| Associated Symptoms | Tinnitus, poor sleep, scanty menstrual flow, late menstruation |

| Tongue and Pulse | Pale red tongue with little coating, thready and weak pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Liver-Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the uterus |

| Etiology | Aging, chronic illness, overwork, constitutional weakness, frequent childbirth |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| Ganshu (BL18) | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to T9 | Back-Shu point of Liver meridian; nourishes Liver Blood |

| Shenshu (BL23) | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to L2 | Back-Shu point of Kidney meridian; tonifies Kidney Qi |

| Taixi (KI3) | Depression between medial malleolus and Achilles tendon | Source point of Kidney meridian; nourishes Kidney Yin |

| Sanyinjiao (SP6) | 3 cun above the medial malleolus | Master point for gynecological conditions; nourishes Blood |

| Guanyuan (RN4) | 3 cun below the umbilicus | Tonifies Yuan Qi and nourishes the uterus |

Clinical Recommendation: Filament needle, reinforcing method; moxibustion may be applied to Shenshu and Guanyuan to warm and tonify.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Diao Gan Tang (调肝汤) or Yi Guan Jian (一贯煎)

Composition (Diao Gan Tang):

Dioscorea (Shan Yao), Donkey-Hide Gelatin (E Jiao), Angelica (Dang Gui), White Peony (Bai Shao), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), Morinda (Ba Ji Tian), Licorice (Gan Cao)

Action: Tonifies Liver and Kidney, nourishes Blood, and regulates menstruation.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Back pain | Add Du Zhong, Xu Duan to strengthen the lower back |

| Dizziness | Add Gou Qi, Ju Hua to nourish the Liver and brighten the eyes |

| Poor sleep | Add Suan Zao Ren, Yuan Zhi to calm the spirit |

| Scanty menstrual flow | Add Dang Gui, Shu Di to nourish Blood |

Western Mechanism Reference

Ovarian dysfunction with low estrogen levels causing poor endometrial development, HPA axis dysfunction, and menstrual irregularities. Liver-Kidney Deficiency corresponds to dysmenorrhea with ovarian dysfunction, where reduced estrogen levels and HPA axis dysfunction contribute to poor endometrial development and menstrual pain.

References

  1. Gynecology of TCM - Dysmenorrhea with Liver-Kidney Deficiency.

  2. Zang-Fu Pattern Differentiation: Liver-Yin Deficiency + Kidney-Yin Deficiency.

  3. WHO. (2023). Women’s health. World Health Organization.

Explore More

  • Find your solution at MendGod.com – Personalized herbal protocols and acupressure tools for menstrual health.

  • Deepen your knowledge at TcmCIO.com – Full research papers and clinical case studies on TCM women’s health.