Postpartum Bi Syndrome
Postpartum Bi syndrome refers to muscle, limb, or joint soreness or pain, heaviness, numbness, and impaired movement occurring within 100 days after childbirth, miscarriage, or induced labor, following exposure to external pathogenic factors. It may be accompanied by sweating, aversion to wind, and sensitivity to cold, with symptoms worsening in cold or rainy weather. Recurrent symptoms that persist over a long period are also considered part of the “postpartum Bi syndrome” category.
In classical Chinese medicine texts, related conditions are also referred to as “postpartum body pain,” “generalized postpartum pain,” “postpartum joint pain,” “postpartum painful obstruction,” “postpartum windstroke,” and “postpartum tendon and vessel contraction.”
TCM Pattern Differentiation and Formula Reference
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Pain or soreness in the limbs, joints, and muscles; a dull or lackluster complexion; fatigue and weakness; a pale, dusky tongue; a thin, white, greasy coating; and a fine, weak pulse.
In everyday terms:
- The joints and muscles in the limbs may feel painful or sore, with discomfort during movement.
- The complexion may look dull, lacking brightness and a healthy color.
- You may feel tired and weak, with little energy for daily activities.
- The tongue may appear pale and somewhat dusky rather than bright red.
- The tongue coating may be thin, white, and greasy, making the tongue surface look coated.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel fine and weak, with a feeble beat.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Supplement qi and nourish blood, invigorate blood, and unblock the channels and collaterals.
In everyday terms:
- Supplement qi → Support vitality and the functions of the organs, and help relieve shortness of breath, weakness, and a tendency to speak softly or little.
- Nourish blood → Nourish the blood and support blood and qi, with the aim of addressing a poor complexion, dizziness, palpitations, and numbness in the limbs.
- Invigorate blood → Promote blood circulation and address stasis, with the aim of easing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
- Unblock the channels → Promote the flow of qi and blood through the channels and microcirculation, with the aim of addressing numbness, pulling pain, and restricted movement.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Cold pain in the limbs and joints, worsening in cold and easing with warmth; aversion to wind and cold; cold hands and feet; a pale-red or dusky-red tongue with a thin, white coating; and a wiry, tight, wiry and moderate, or floating pulse.
In everyday terms:
- The limbs and joints may feel cold and painful.
- Pain may worsen noticeably in cold weather or conditions.
- Pain may ease somewhat with warmth or warming measures.
- Wind may feel uncomfortable, and you may feel sensitive to cold.
- The hands and feet may often feel cool or cold to the touch.
- The tongue may appear pale with a reddish tinge, or dusky red.
- The tongue coating may be thin and white.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel taut and tight, taut but more moderate, or noticeably superficial.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Dispel cold, eliminate dampness, unblock the channels, and relieve pain.
In everyday terms:
- Dispel cold → Disperse cold from the body or affected area, with the aim of easing cold pain and stiffness and discomfort that worsens in cold and improves with warmth.
- Eliminate dampness → Address dampness and support fluid metabolism, with the aim of easing heaviness, a sticky or boggy sensation, swelling, and a feeling of heaviness in the joints.
- Unblock the channels → Promote the flow of qi and blood through the channels and microcirculation, with the aim of addressing numbness, pulling sensations, and restricted movement.
- Relieve pain → Aim to ease pain, soreness, distending pain, stabbing pain, and tenderness, and improve comfort with movement.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Cold pain in the limbs and joints, accompanied by flaccid, weak muscles; fatigue and drowsiness; a pale complexion; soreness and pain in the lower back and back; aching, weak lower limbs; cold pain in the heels; a pale, swollen tongue or teeth marks along its edges; a white, slippery coating; and a deep, fine, weak pulse.
In everyday terms:
- The limbs and joints may feel cold and painful, causing noticeable discomfort with everyday activities.
- The muscles may feel soft and weak, and you may have difficulty exerting yourself or walking.
- You may feel mentally and physically tired and drowsy, with a desire to rest.
- The complexion may look pale and lack luster.
- The lower back and back may feel sore or painful, with discomfort when turning or bearing weight.
- The lower limbs may feel achy, weak, and lacking in strength, with easy fatigue when walking.
- The heels may feel cold and painful, causing discomfort when standing or walking.
- The tongue may appear pale and enlarged, or have tooth marks along its edges.
- The tongue coating may be white and slippery, and the tongue surface may look moist and shiny.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may be difficult to feel unless pressed deeply, and may feel fine and weak.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Dispel cold, eliminate dampness, warm yang, and relieve pain.
In everyday terms:
- Dispel cold → Disperse cold from the body or affected area, with the aim of easing cold pain and stiffness and discomfort that worsens in cold and improves with warmth.
- Eliminate dampness → Address excess dampness, with the aim of easing heaviness, a sticky or boggy sensation, swelling, and a feeling of heaviness in the joints.
- Warm yang → Support yang and the body’s warmth and activity, with the aim of addressing sensitivity to cold, cold limbs, weakness, and excess dampness.
- Relieve pain → Aim to ease pain, soreness, distending pain, stabbing pain, and pulling discomfort, and make movement more comfortable.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Joints feel warm to the touch and painful; the limbs feel heavy, sore, and weak; there may be fever and restlessness. The tongue is red with a yellow, greasy coating, and the pulse is soggy and rapid or slippery and rapid.
In everyday terms:
- The joints may feel warm to the touch and painful.
- The limbs may feel heavy, sore, and weak.
- Fever and a feeling of restlessness may occur.
- The tongue may appear red.
- The tongue coating may be yellow and greasy.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel soft and rapid, or smooth and rapid.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Clear heat, drain dampness, unblock the channels, and relieve pain.
In everyday terms:
- Clear heat → Address internal heat, with the aim of easing redness, swelling, burning sensations, sore throat, thirst, and restlessness.
- Drain dampness → Promote the elimination of dampness (through urine, perspiration, and other routes), with the aim of easing heaviness, stickiness, swelling, discharge, and difficulty urinating.
- Unblock the channels → Promote the flow of qi and blood through the channels and microcirculation, with the aim of addressing numbness, stiffness, and restricted movement.
- Relieve pain → Aim to ease pain, soreness, distending pain, stabbing pain, and pulling discomfort.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Joint and muscle pain, sometimes stabbing, with pain that remains in one fixed location; lochia that has not cleared; lower abdominal pain with clots; a dusky tongue with stasis spots or patches; and a wiry, choppy pulse.
In everyday terms:
- The joints and muscles may hurt, with noticeable discomfort during movement or when pressed.
- At times, the pain may feel sharp, like a pinprick.
- The pain may stay in one place rather than moving around, and may persist there when pressed or during movement.
- Postpartum lochia may continue and may stop and start rather than clearing.
- The lower abdomen may be painful or uncomfortable, affecting daily activities during episodes.
- Clots may be present in the discharge, which may be darker and thicker.
- The tongue may appear dusky, with visible stasis spots or patches.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel taut like a pulled string and less smooth, with a choppy sensation.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Nourish and invigorate blood, resolve stasis, and unblock the channels and collaterals.
In everyday terms:
- Nourish blood → Nourish the blood and support blood and qi, with the aim of addressing a poor complexion, dizziness, palpitations, and numbness in the limbs.
- Invigorate blood → Promote blood circulation, with the aim of easing pain, stiffness, and swelling associated with blood stasis.
- Resolve stasis → Address stagnant blood, with the aim of gradually easing stabbing or fixed pain and purplish, dusky marks.
- Unblock the channels → Promote the flow of qi and blood through the channels and microcirculation, with the aim of reducing numbness, pulling sensations, and restricted movement.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Distending pain in the joints and muscles, often varying with emotional changes; irritability and a tendency to anger; dry, bitter mouth; a pale tongue with a thin, white coating; and a wiry, slippery or wiry, choppy pulse.
In everyday terms:
- The joints and muscles may feel distended and painful, with a dull, full sensation.
- The severity of pain may vary with changes in mood or emotional state.
- You may feel restless or irritable and become angry easily.
- Your mouth may feel dry and bitter.
- The tongue may appear pale.
- The tongue coating may be thin and white.
- On pulse examination, the pulse may feel taut and smooth, or taut but less smooth and somewhat choppy.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Soothe the Liver, relieve constraint, unblock the channels, and relieve pain.
In everyday terms:
- Soothe the Liver → Ease constrained Liver qi and support its smooth flow, with the aim of addressing distending discomfort in the ribs, emotional suppression, and irritability.
- Relieve constraint → Address stagnation of qi, with the aim of easing fullness or discomfort in the chest and ribs, a sensation of obstruction in the throat, and restlessness.
- Unblock the channels → Promote the flow of qi and blood through the channels and microcirculation, with the aim of reducing numbness, soreness, tightness, and restricted movement.
- Relieve pain → Aim to ease pain, particularly distending, shifting, or stabbing pain attributed in TCM to Liver qi stagnation and impaired flow through the channels.
|Related Formulas
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
- Wang Chengde, Shen Pi’an, Hu Yinqi. Practical Chinese Medicine Rheumatology [M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2009: 483–493.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Volume on Chinese Patent Medicines) [M]. 2010 edition.