Warm the Menses

溫經湯 · wēn jīng tāng

A TCM formula for cold in the uterus with irregular periods, lower belly chill, and a mix of cold and heat signs.

What it's for

When the cold in your lower abdomen is the root of irregular periods or infertility, this is TCM's most nuanced formula for it. The unusual combination of warming herbs alongside tree peony bark and dwarf lilyturf (which cool and nourish) reflects the clinical picture: cold below with a trace of heat above. Practitioners reach for it when someone has a persistent chill in the pelvis, irregular periods that go early and late, dry lips, and palms that run warm despite feeling cold overall.

Signs this formula is a fit

Cold in the lower abdomen with irregular periods plus at least one more main sign below should sound like you.

Main signs

Persistent chill in your lower belly, especially around your period
a cold sensation that doesn't fully go away, often worse in winter or at night
Periods are unpredictable, going both early and late
the timing doesn't follow a pattern and you can't predict when your next cycle starts
Dry lips with palms that run warm despite feeling cold
a confusing mix of cold lower body and warmth in your hands or at dusk

Extra signs

Mild persistent spotting or light irregular bleeding
Low-grade warmth in the evening that doesn't feel like a real fever
Infertility history or difficulty conceiving
Purplish or pale tongue body
Thin, rough pulse

Signs it isn't

You have palpable masses in your lower abdomen (see a practitioner)
Your periods are heavy and hot with bright red blood
You have no cold sensation in the lower abdomen or pelvis
Your irregularity comes from stress or qi stagnation without the cold component

What's in it

Safety

Not for abdominal masses from excess-type blood stasis. That pattern is nuanced and needs practitioner confirmation.
Contains evodia fruit, which is warming. Not for strong heat signs: red face, heavy thirst, or rapid pulse.
Contains ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin), so this formula is not vegan or vegetarian.
Dong quai may interact with anticoagulants and increase bleeding risk. Talk to a clinician if you take blood thinners.

How to take it

What to get

Wen Jing Tang Wan

Plum Flower200 ct

Not yet available through Amazon.

A practitioner may be able to source it directly. Find a practitioner

Dose

Take 8 pills, 3 times a day. Other brands and forms use different doses, so follow the label on what you buy.

How long

Follow any time limit on the product label. If it gives none, ask a qualified TCM practitioner when to reassess. Do not keep taking it unchanged if nothing improves.