Experience from four dimensions application of classic formulas for treatment of dysmenorrhea

: The application of classic formulas from Shanghan Zabing Lun has a long history in treatment of dysmenorrhea. However, the understanding on how to use classic formula in treatment of dysmenorrhea is still insufficient in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mainly limited to syndrome differentiation and the formula-syndrome correlation. The treatment method of syndrome differentiation is flexible and changeable, but the process is tedious and difficult to copy. In addition, its experience is not easy to summarize and pass on, and it is difficult for beginners to comprehend the essence. Formula-syndrome correlation method is accurate, quick acting, but subjective, too mechanical, and will have obvious side effects in case of prescription mistakes. For complex diseases or when suffering from a variety of diseases, the efficacy of formula-syndrome correlation method is not so obvious. By analyzing the advantages and limitations of these two methods, the author has created a four-dimensional therapy which combines the advantages of these two, from four dimensions including disease differentiation, syndromes differentiation, time differentiation, and constitution differentiation in clinical application for dysmenorrheal. Its clinical curative effect is satisfactory. Four-dimensional therapy is a way of thinking, to guide clinicians for accurate diagnosis and precisely choosing drugs; meanwhile, the personalized health guidance is given according to different constitutions and different seasons, which also has certain significance to treat the undiseased.