Dong Quai & Peony
當歸芍藥散 · dāng guī sháo yào sǎn
For steady cramping period pain that comes with puffiness and low energy.
What it's for
This is for a cramping ache low in your belly that stays steady rather than hitting in sharp waves, usually alongside puffy legs and a generally drained feeling. In TCM it is read as the liver running short on blood while fluid backs up in the middle of the body, so the formula pairs blood-building herbs with ones that drain the extra water. Practitioners use it across the whole cycle rather than only on the worst days.
Signs this formula is a fit
At least 2 of the 3 main signs below should sound like you. The steady cramping ache is the core signal.
Main signs
A steady cramping ache low in your belly
more of a constant grip than a sharp stab
Puffy ankles and legs
worse by the end of the day, socks leave marks
Peeing less than you'd expect
you're drinking normally but not going much
Extra signs
- Pale, washed-out face
- Tired in a heavy, dragging way
- Dizzy when you stand up fast
- Pain tends to track with your cycle
Signs it isn't
- The pain is sharp and stabbing rather than a steady ache
- Your period is very heavy, or you bleed between cycles
- You're pregnant, which needs a practitioner to dose this safely
What's in it
Safety
- Built for a steady, mild cramping ache with puffiness. Not for sharp stabbing pain or a heavy flow.
- Don't self-prescribe while pregnant. Bensky says the chuanxiong dose needs practitioner supervision.
- Skip during a heavy period. Dong quai and chuanxiong both move blood and can make the flow heavier.
- Stop 7 days before surgery. AHPA flags dong quai for slowing blood clotting.
- Not for long stretches. Prolonged alisma use can upset your stomach or electrolytes.
- Generally well tolerated. Alisma is a diuretic, so expect to pee more than usual.
- Dong quai may raise bleeding risk with warfarin. Human case reports support this one.
- Chuanxiong's antiplatelet caution is theoretical, but flag it if you take blood thinners.