Ovarian cysts are one of the most common gynecological diseases in women, especially in women of childbearing age. Many women often feel anxious and confused when they learn that they have ovarian cysts, because they have limited knowledge of the disease and have many questions about treatment options. This article will explore the causes, symptoms, treatments, and preventive measures of ovarian cysts from the perspective of combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and combine actual cases to help everyone better understand and deal with this disease.

I. Cognitive Differences in Ovarian Cysts between Chinese and Western Medicine Perspectives
Western medicine cognition::

Western medicine classifies ovarian cysts into two types: functional and pathologic.Western medicine believes that most ovarian cysts have a lot to do with hormones, which stimulate the growth of cysts. However, Western medicine does not have many particularly good solutions for ovarian cysts. If the patient has no symptoms, Western medicine usually recommends observation until the surgical index is reached before treatment.

• ​categorization: Functional cysts (e.g., follicular cysts) and pathologic cysts (teratomas, endometriotic cysts, etc.), diagnosed by ultrasound, laparoscopy, and MRI.
• ​Therapeutic limitations: asymptomatic observation, >4cm surgery is recommended but recurrence rate is as high as 60%. chocolate cysts predispose to infertility and clearance is traumatic.

Chinese medical diagnosis::

• ​name of diseaseIt belongs to the category of "obstruction in the abdomen", which is referred to as "intestinal Qin" in "The Essentials of the Golden Chamber", and its essence is the obstruction of the uterus by qi, blood, phlegm, dampness and stagnation of the cells and uterus.
• ​core pathogenesis::
  1. ​Lack of positive energySpleen and kidney yang deficiency leads to phlegm and dampness, as the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine says, "Where evil comes from, its qi must be weak.
  2. ​Qi stagnation and blood stasis: Emotional disorders lead to liver depression and blockage of blood flow to form lumps.
  3. ​Phlegm-Dampness StagnationIn polycystic patients, phlegm-dampness is as heavy as "swamp breeding", making conception difficult.

Here's a little more about the more common chocolate cysts. I don't know if you have heard of this term before. Chocolate cysts can have an effect on pregnancy and are less likely to be conceived. It is a cyst that forms in the uterus. Normally, menstruation should be cleared up at the end of the period, but people with chocolate cysts either have drenching menstrual flow at the end of the period, or blood appears again a few days after the period ends. This is because chocolate cysts form structures that resemble small holes and pits, and the blood that comes out is not bright red, but brown. As the environment of the uterus is affected, it naturally poses a hindrance to pregnancy. Most of the western medical treatments for chocolate cysts are surgical removal or the use of purging, etc. This method is relatively harmful to the human body.

However, if the cyst, myoma or tumor is large, I suggest that it can be surgically removed first and then toned up with Chinese medicine afterwards, which may be more effective. This is because when a tangible real evil has formed, it may take a long time to eliminate it by relying on Chinese medicine alone, three months, six months or even one or two years. When combining Chinese and Western medicine, the advantage of Chinese medicine lies in its ability to improve one's immunity, enhance one's positive qi, and prevent the disease from recurring.

I have seen many patients with cysts and leiomyomas before, and they have one common characteristic, that is, the disease comes and goes, just removed here, but in less than half a year or a year, it grows again elsewhere, and it is difficult to cure it fundamentally, and this is the limitation of the western medical treatment in this regard.

Next, let's look at how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views ovarian cysts.

In Chinese medicine, ovarian cysts belong to the category of "obstruction", which is the name used by the ancients to describe the accumulation of tangible blood, that is to say, the accumulation of tangible evil in the female uterus, ovaries and other areas of the reproductive system. According to Chinese medicine, the first point of the core etiology of ovarian cysts is that "deficiency is the place where evils come together", and evils can easily invade where there is a lack of positive energy. Therefore, the formation of tangible real evil is often the site of Zhengqi weakness, that is to say, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, ovarian cysts, the patient's physical condition is declining. As we often say, when people are unlucky, they drink cold water and stuff their teeth, and when they are in poor health, all kinds of diseases are easy to come to them; the better the body, the less likely to get sick, and the poorer the body, the more likely to be plagued by diseases. Therefore, when treating ovarian cysts, you can't start with a strong attack, even while dispelling the evil, you should also pay attention to the care of the positive energy.

Secondly, qi stagnation and blood stasis, phlegm-dampness stagnation are common etiologic mechanisms for ovarian cyst formation. The manifestations are different for different etiologic mechanisms. Women with qi stagnation and blood stasis tend to have more menstrual blood and will experience significant swelling and pain during menstruation. A typical characteristic of patients with more phlegm-dampness is that they are fatter.

Many women who are preparing for pregnancy may have heard of polycystic ovary syndrome, generally speaking, polycystic women thinner relatively easy to get pregnant, fatter is difficult to get pregnant, this is because of phlegm-dampness heavy patients, the body's tangible real evil is more difficult to eliminate, like planting the seed in the swamp, the environment is not good, the seed may not germinate before the water soaked and bad, so phlegm-dampness of the women's body pregnancy is relatively difficult.In fact, in cases of qi stagnation and blood stasis and phlegm-dampness stagnation, they are often accompanied by kidney deficiency and essence deficiency, as well as qi and blood deficiency. In treating these patients, it is important to support the correctness of the body, and at the same time use drugs that resolve phlegm-dampness, qi stagnation, and blood stasis.

Moreover, these conditions are likely to appear in one person at the same time, just that the percentage of various factors is different, some have more deficiency, some have more Qi stagnation and blood stasis, and some have more phlegm-dampness. Generally speaking, people with more qi stagnation and blood stasis have less smooth qi; people with more phlegm-dampness like to eat sweets and fruits because they have more dampness in their bodies.

Symptom Comparison Table::

​typology	​typical performance	​Chinese medicine evidence	Chinese medicine
chocolate cyst	Postmenstrual dribbling, brown discharge	cold condensation and blood stasis (TCM)	invigorate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis (TCM)
teratoma (medicine)	Asymptomatic or lower abdominal mass	accumulation of phlegm and stasis	transform phlegm and disperse lumps (TCM)
physiological cyst	Self-absorbing within 3 months	stagnant air is predominant	promote warmth of the yang and benefit water (idiom); warming the yang and inducing diuresis

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​II. Analysis of Chinese Medicine Types of Treatment and Classical Formulas

1. ​Types of Qi stagnation and blood stasis
   • ​manifestations: Premenstrual bloating, lumpy menstrual blood, dark tongue with petechiae.
   • ​home side:.Poria Cinnamon Poria Pills(Gui Zhi + Peach Kernel + Red Peony), invigorates blood circulation and removes blood stasis, available for pregnant women.
   • ​combination of drugs: Combined with the Menstruation Regulating Pill (containing Cornus Officinalis and Angelica Sinensis) to improve menstrual bleeding.
2. ​phlegm-dampness-stasis type (TCM)
   • ​manifestations: obesity, profuse leucorrhea, and a thick, greasy tongue.
   • ​home side:.Cangbu and Phlegm Conducting PillsAdd Sanling and Curcuma to dissolve phlegm and disperse knots.
   • ​apply externally: Angelica dahurica + soap horn prickly powder vinegar dressing, transdermal absorption of dampness.
3. ​Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency Type
   • ​manifestations: Cold feet and limbs, frequent urination at night.
   • ​home side:.Zhenwu soupCombining with Angelica sinensis and Paeonia lactiflora powder to warm Yang and benefit water.

Before the treatment, let's emphasize "treating the disease before it gets worse", the best case scenario is that people will not develop ovarian cysts. In order to "cure the disease before it occurs", first of all, we should keep our mood happy, because an unhappy mood will easily lead to stagnation of qi. Secondly, you should eat less sweets in your diet. Nowadays society is different from the ancient times, and there are relatively few such diseases recorded in ancient medical books.

I remember reading the medical case of Wu Nanjing, a famous doctor in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, in which it was mentioned that a local doctor who was very good at treating infertility had a secret recipe for prevention, that is, to let the patient eat chicken stewed with Angelica sinensis, which was very effective at that time when the material wasn't particularly abundant. But nowadays, the vast majority of families, baby moms and girls preparing for pregnancy are basically not lacking in nutrition. However, now there are a lot of phlegm-damp body, which is also related to some of the concepts of modern society, for example, they say that it is good to eat fruits, can replenish micronutrients and vitamins, but is it really true?

People can think about it. So, eat less sweets and cold foods. If you can't do the dietary avoidance and you don't like to exercise, then even if you do the treatment, the result may not be good.

Two days ago I saw a patient in his early 20's who said his hands and feet were sweating a lot and asked if I could cure it. I took his pulse and found it to be weak, so I said I could regulate it. When I asked him about his sleep, he said it was okay. When I asked him what time he went to bed, he said he didn't go to bed until five or six in the morning. When I heard this, I directly told his parents that I could not cure this disease unless he changed his routine. So I think many people should realize that prevention is more important than cure.

For ovarian cysts of the qi stagnation and blood stasis type, there is a very good Chinese medicine that people who usually don't want to take Chinese medicine can try, calledPoria Cinnamon Poria Pills, which is effective for uterine fibroids, uterine cysts, and other diseases of the uterus. Another medicine that is more suitable for use with it is Tong Ren Tang'smenstruation regulating pill, suitable for people with low menstrual flow. The composition of the Menstruation Regulation Pill is similar to that of the Warm Menstruation Soup described in the Golden Chamber. I have used Gui Zhi Fu Ling Pill and Angelica Shao Yao San most often in the treatment of tangible disorders of the ovaries and uterus, and the results are better. Gui Zhi Fu Ling Pill is more convenient and can be taken by pregnant women, and it is suitable for people with cysts and fibroids, or those with phlegm-dampness, Qi stagnation and blood stasis. If the body is more weak, the effect will be better if it is taken together with the Menstruation Regulation Pill, which is considered a more generalized and good way to regulate cysts and leiomyosarcoma.

Earlier we talked about ovarian cysts of the qi stagnation and blood stasis type, the phlegm-dampness stasis type, and the spleen-kidney yang deficiency type, which may be a bit more specialized, so I don't know if you can understand them. If you have any questions, or if you have any related queries, you can raise them. For example, you can also bring up for discussion some of the points you have seen in the articles on health and wellness.

It occurred to me that I saw a very interesting patient today. His constitution is very poor. Yesterday, he and his son ate half an orange each, but his son was fine, but he had diarrhea five or six times a day. When he came to see me today, I told him that his constitution was not suitable for eating oranges, and that I could not cure this kind of disease. I think that when you meet a patient who is not suitable, you can choose not to see him, because a person's choice has a great impact on his physical condition and fate, and the time for some people to need a good disease has not yet come.

typical case::

• Case 1: Ovarian cyst of Qi stagnation and blood stasis type
• The patient, a 32-year-old female, suffered from ovarian cysts, accompanied by dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation and other symptoms. Through detailed questioning and pulse diagnosis, she was diagnosed with qi stagnation and blood stasis. She was given Guizhi Fuling Wan and Danggui Shaoyao San plus or minus treatment. After three months of follow-up B-ultrasound, the cyst was significantly reduced, and the symptoms of dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation were also improved.
• Case 2: Phlegm-dampness stagnation type ovarian cyst
• The patient, a 40-year-old female, suffered from ovarian cysts, was obese, and had symptoms such as scanty menstruation and fatigue. She was diagnosed with phlegm-dampness stagnation type. She was given Erchen Decoction and Cangfu Daotan Pills with modifications, and was advised to control her diet and increase exercise. Six months later, an ultrasound examination showed that the cyst had shrunk and her weight had also decreased.
• Case 3: Treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine
• The patient, a 45-year-old female, suffered from a large ovarian cyst with abdominal pain and other symptoms. The doctor recommended surgical removal first, followed by Chinese medicine conditioning. After the operation, she was given Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatment. Three months later, a B-ultrasound examination showed no signs of recurrence and the abdominal pain symptoms were relieved.

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​Third, must know the 4 major points of conditioning

1. ​dietary taboos
   • ❌ Sweets, raw and cold (aggravate phlegm-dampness)
   • ✅ Job's barley and red bean porridge, angelica stewed chicken (strengthens the spleen and relieves dampness)
2. ​work and rest management
   • Go to bed before 23:00 to avoid staying up late and depleting your liver and blood.
   • Case: 20-year-old patient stayed up all night causing sweaty hands and feet, and the symptoms were relieved after adjusting his work routine.
3. ​Exercise recommendations
   • Eight Duan Jin "regulating the spleen and stomach must be single lift" movements, daily morning exercise for 10 minutes.
   • Avoid strenuous exercise to aggravate qi stagnation.
4. ​emotional regulation
   • Positive thinking meditation + rose tea to de-stress the liver.

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​IV. Combined Chinese and Western medicine treatment strategies

​point	​Western medicine	​Timing of Chinese Medicine Intervention	​dominance
Cysts >4cm	laparoscopic resection	Chinese herbal medicine treatment started 1 week after the operation	Reduced relapse rate to 20%
chocolate cyst	Preoperative GnRH-a medication shrinks cysts	Combined with acupuncture at the Sanyinjiao and Guanyuan points	Shorten the postoperative recovery period
postoperative recurrence	Watchful waiting	Gui Zhi Fu Ling Pill + moxibustion at Qihai point	Control of growth rate

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​V. Advanced Guide for Chinese Medicine Enthusiasts

1. ​Tongue Recognition Techniques
   • Dark red petechiae on the tongue at first diagnosis → Qi stagnation and blood stasis
   • After three weeks the tongue turned white and greasy → Phlegm-Dampness worsened and the formula needed to be adjusted.
2. ​Combination of external therapies
   • ​auricular acupressure: Take endocrine, ovarian, and subcortical auricular points and change them weekly.
   • ​Chinese herbal foot soak: 15g of mugwort leaves + 5 slices of ginger boiled water, foot soak for 20 minutes before bedtime to warm menstruation and dissipate cold.
3. ​Structural Exception Handling
   • Uterine diverticulum causing prolonged periods: herbal medicine + acupuncture Guanyuan and uterine points after ultrasound diagnosis.

Core references from the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine

1. ​preventative treatment (medicine)
   • ​original text::
     "The superior workman treats the disease before it occurs, not the disease that has already occurred." (Su Wen - The Great Treatise on the Regulation of the Four Airs and the Divine)
     "The sage does not treat the already sick and treats the not yet sick; he does not treat the already chaotic and treats the not yet chaotic." (Su Wen, Treatise on the Method of Stabbing)
   • ​decode: Emphasizes prevention as the mainstay of health maintenance through the regulation of diet, work and rest, and emotional well-being.
2. ​Yin-Yang, Five Elements theory
   • ​original text::
     "Yin and Yang is the way of heaven and earth, the program of all things, the parents of change, the origin of birth and death, and the house of the gods." (Su Wen - The Great Theory of Yin and Yang)
   • ​decode: The balance of yin and yang is fundamental to good health, and disease stems from the imbalance of yin and yang.
3. ​Functions of the internal organs and health care
   • ​original text::
     "The five viscera are all endowed with qi in the stomach, and the stomach is the foundation of the five viscera." (Su Wen - Yu Ji Zhen Qi Lun)
     "The heart is the official of the sovereign, and the gods come out of it." (Suwen - Linglan Mysterious Treatise)
   • ​decode: The spleen and stomach are the foundation of the latter day, the heart dominates the spirit, health needs to regulate the function of the internal organs.
4. ​theory of disease caused by emotional conditioning (TCM)
   • ​original text::
     "Anger brings qi up, joy slows qi down, sorrow eliminates qi, fear brings qi down, fright disrupts qi, and thought knots qi." (Su Wen - Lifting Pain Treatise)
   • ​decode: Emotional excesses lead to disruption of qi, the source of all diseases

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

• "Act on yin and yang, harmonize with the arts, eat and drink in moderation, rise and live in a regular manner, and don't do labor." (Suwen - Shanggu tianzhen lian)
• "Nourish the yang in spring and summer, and the yin in fall and winter." (Su Wen - The Four Qi-Tongs and the Regulation of the Divine)

Classic quotes from the Golden Pillar.

1. ​Principles of treatment of miscellaneous diseases
   • ​original text::
     "The upper workman treats the disease before it is diagnosed, and when he sees the disease of the liver, he knows that the liver passes on to the spleen, so he should first stabilize the spleen." (Pulse Evidence of Sequential Diseases of the Organs and Meridians)
   • ​decode: Emphasize the importance of disease transmission patterns and holistic management168The
2. ​Application of classic formulae
   • ​Poria Cinnamon Poria Pills(The Pulse Evidence and Treatment of Pregnancy Diseases in Women):
     "A woman with persistent symptoms, the menstrual break is not more than three months, and get more than leakage ...... Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan Lord."
     ​effect: invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, for uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, etc.268The
   • ​udon (loanword)(The Pulse Evidence and Treatment of Stroke and Calendar Disease):
     "Disease of the calendar joints, not being able to flex or stretch, pain, Wu Tou Tang is the mainstay."
     ​effect: Warming menstruation and dispersing cold, treating cold-dampness paralyzing pains678The
3. ​Dampness Causes Disease and Treatment
   • ​original text::
     "Dampness injures in the lower part of the body, fog injures in the upper part of the body ...... Clear evils reside in the upper part of the body, and turbid evils reside in the lower part of the body." ("Organ and Meridian Sequential Disease Pulse Evidence")
   • ​decodeDampness is divided into cold and hot, need to identify and treat, such as cold dampness with warming Yang and dampness method.56The
4. ​Conditioning for Deficiency Labor Disease
   • ​original text::
     "Deficiency labor, palpitation, epistaxis, pain in the abdomen, dreaming of loss of semen, soreness of the limbs, irritable heat in the hands and feet, dryness of the throat and mouth; Xiao Jianzhong Tang is the mainstay."
   • ​decode: Harmonizing yin and yang, tonifying qi and blood, and improving symptoms of deficiency and fatigue.

The Golden Possession Food Recipes

• Angelica Ginger Lamb Soup: Warms qi and blood, improves coldness.
• Lily Dihuang Tang: nourishes the heart and moisturizes the lungs, treats lily disease (anxiety and insomnia)