Leukorrhea:an introduction of morbid leukorrhea and various types.

  ✵Gynecology of TCM is a branch to study the physiological and pathological characteristics of women and to prevent and treat syndromes specific to women. Gynecology of TCM research scope including irregular menstruation, amenia, metrorrhagia, infertility, postpartum syndromes, breast syndromes, and miscellaneous syndromes, etc.

Leukorrhea(morbid leukorrhea, gynaecological diseases).

 
 ✵The leukorrhea is also known as morbid leukorrhea, or gynecological diseases, or leukorrheal diseases, a group of morbid states characterized by excessive leukorrhea with abnormal color, quality, and smell, accompanied by general or local symptom. In real cases, the color may not always white, but in colors.

 ✧The leukorrhea normally means the whitish discharge.

 ✧The yellowish leukorrhea is the yellowish viscid discharge, usually indicating the presence of pathogenic damp.

 ✧The reddish leukorrhea is profuse leukorrhea mixed with reddish discharge, usually indicating the presence of damp-heat.

 ✧The leukorrheal disease is a groupd of morbid states characterized by excessive leukorrhea with abnormal color, quality and smell, accompanied by general or local symptoms.

 ✧Except the leukorrhea, yellow leukorrhea, reddish leukorrhea, there are other types in real cases, known as green leukorrhea, black leukorrhea, etc. These are all known as leukorrhea disease.

 ✧The pathogenic reason that leads to the leukorrheal diseases, are known mostly due to spleen-deficiency type, liver-depression, kidney-deficiency type, dampness pathogen, etc. The related syndromes of leukorrhea are introduced: leukorrhea of the spleen-deficiency type, leukorrhea of the kidney-deficiency type, leukorrhea of the dampness pathogen type, leukorrhea of the toxic-damp type, and various other types of leukorrhea include leukorrhea of the five types, leukorrhea with asthenic fever, leukorrhea with bloody discharge of thin woman with much heat, leukorrhea with white discharge of obese woman with much phlegm, white leukorrhea with fishy smell, white leukorrhea with abdominal pain, are also introduced, the leukorrhagia or profuse leukorrhea is also introduced.

Leukorrhea of the spleen-deficiency type.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea of the spleen-deficiency type is mainly due to tiredness, overstrain or overfatigue, taxation fatigue, which leads to spleen deficiency, and insufficiency of the kidney, as a result, lead to primordial Qi insufficiency and leukorrhea. Its symptoms normally are incessant profuse leukorrhea, large amount, thin and dilute water, whitish or pale yellow without unpleasant smell, accompanied by lassitude or spiritlessness(mental fatigue), pale complexion(looks pale white on face), anorexia or poor appetite, loose bowels(thin sloppy stool), edema of the legs or edema of the feet, pale tongue with white greasy coating, and relaxed pulse. Some cases are accompanied by low back pain or pain in lower abdomen, etc.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "The leukorrhea, for spleen and stomach deficiency and hurt, collapse of Yang Qi, or dampness and phlegm flow downward, accumulation..." ^[03].

Leukorrhea of the kidney-deficiency type.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea of the kidney-deficiency type is mainly due to deficiency of kidney yang from various reasons, symptoms normally are continuous profuse watery leukorrhea, large amount, no special smells, accompanied by lumbar pain, aversion to cold, cold limbs, cold sensation in the lower abdomen, frequent micturition(frequent urination) and even worse in night, loose bowels(thin sloppy stool) or diarrhea, dark or dim complexion(looks grey, green, dark), pale tongue with white tongue coating, pulse is deep, thready and slow. Some cases may be accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus, etc.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "In the case of a woman suffers from red and white leukorrhea, in general, it is due to irregular menstruation, sexual strain(exhaustion due to sexual indulgence), or blood deficiency from childbirth..." ^[02].

Leukorrhea of the dampness pathogen type.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea of the dampness pathogen type is mainly due to the down-pouring of damp-heat. Symptoms normally are profuse, sticky yellow leukorrhea with an unpleasant odor, accompanied by bitterness in the mouth, dryness of the throat, lower abdominal pain, reddened tongue with a yellow greasy coating, and soggy rapid pulse, etc.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "The leukorrhea, for spleen and stomach deficiency and hurt, the collapse of Yang Qi, or dampness and phlegm flow downward, accumulation...for the dampness phlegm flow downward type, for the Qi deficiency, phlegm and retained fluid type." ^[03].

 "Leukorrhea: the leukorrhea are mostly due to dampness and heat pathogens, flowing down as a belt, ...but there are also cases due to cold and dampness, or heat first then develops to cold, or cold at the initial stage, ...retained as phlegm and retained fluid, flow down..." ^[07].

Leukorrhea of the toxic-damp type.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea of the toxic-damp type is also known as toxic-damp leukorrhagia, is mainly caused by the invasion of toxic damp. Symptoms normally are excessive purulent and bloody leukorrhea with an offensive odor, with yellow or green purulent discharge, or with blood, pruritus vulva, frequent micturition(frequent urination) and yellowish color, accompanied by lower abdominal pain, lumbar aching, bitterness in the mouth, dryness of the throat, reddened tongue with yellow greasy tongue coating, and slippery rapid pulse, etc.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A woman suffers from leukorrhea, will lead to infertility, should be treated urgently... The red type is due to heat invading the small intestine, the white type is due to heat invading the large intestine, for the original reasons, all due to dampness and heat accumulated in the Ren channels, penetrating the urinary bladder, flow into the large intestine or small intestine, fluids passing with urine, dripping and discharged, as it is known as Dai Xia(leukorrhea). In the mild case of leukorrhea, not much in volume, but in the severe case dripping heavily, for a longer period, as a result, lead to essence and blood dried and withered, emaciation..." ^[06].

Leukorrhea of the five types.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea of the five types is normally known as green leukorrhea, red leukorrhea, white leukorrhea, yellow leukorrhea, black leukorrhea. The pathogenic reasons are due to the hurt of different Zang-viscera.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "Woman suffers from leukorrhea, there are five names of it, due to menses after childbirth, wind pathogen invading the uterus opening, transmitted to Zang and Fu viscera...color as green mud, ...or color as red fluid, ...or color as a white nasal spray, ...or the color yellow as rotten melons, ...or the color black as clotted blood..." ^[04].Different types are introduced:
 ⑴. A woman suffers from leukorrhea, color green, is the condition belongs to the liver; other symptoms are dampness and heat accumulation or stagnancy, red urine and difficulty in urination, blood deficiency of the liver, or dryness heat and wind-heat; ⑵....the color red, is the condition belongs to the heart; or hurt from worry and thinking; ⑶....the color white, is the condition belongs to the lung; ⑷....the color yellow, is the condition belongs to the spleen; ⑸....color black, is the condition belongs to the kidney; ⑹.... Qi and blood deficiency; ⑺....the collapse of the middle Qi; ⑻....damp phlegm invasion of lower energizer; ⑼.... Qi deficiency, phlegm retained fluid invasion of lower energizer;

 "There are cases due to Qi deficiency of the Ren and Chong channels, excessive internal lust, exogenous pathogens wind cold heat invading the uterine ostium(orifice of the uterine cervix), abominable liquid and blood combined and flow downward, in the condition of cold then color is white, heat then color mostly is red, unbalance of cold and heat, then color is red and white, are all leukorrhea, and known according to colors..." ^[05].

 "Leukorrhea: the leukorrhea are mostly due to dampness and heat pathogens, flowing down as a belt...in case color yellow, is the dampness and heat syndrome of the spleen, ...in case color white, is the dampness and heat of the lung, ...in case color red, is the syndrome heat hurt the blood-phase, ...in case color cyanotic, is the syndrome stagnant heat of the liver and hurt the spleen with dampness, ...in case color black, is the syndrome kidney heat... All these are due to heat and dampness, but there are also cases due to cold and dampness..." ^[07].

Leukorrhea with asthenic fever.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea with asthenic fever is also known as leukorrhea with deficient heat. Symptoms are deficient heat accompanying leukorrhea, deficient heat is also known as asthenic fever.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A woman suffers from leukorrhea, pulse is rapid feeble and with fever..." ^[06].

Leukorrhea with bloody discharge of thin woman with much heat.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea with a bloody discharge of thin woman with much heat is also known as red leukorrhea with deficient heat. Symptoms are deficient heat, passing red leukorrhea(leukorrhea with bloody discharge), with other symptoms related to blood deficiency and deficient heat.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A thin woman suffers from blood deficiency and heat from it, is often troubled with red leukorrhea..." ^[06].

Leukorrhea with white discharge of obese woman with much phlegm.

 
 ✵The leukorrhea with a white discharge of an obese woman with much phlegm is also known as white leukorrhea with phlegm. Symptoms are Qi deficiency, passing white leukorrhea(leukorrhea with white discharge), with other symptoms related to Qi deficiency and phlegm accumulation.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A fat woman suffers from Qi deficiency and phlegm from it, is often troubled with white leukorrhea..." ^[06].

White Leukorrhea with fishy smell.

 
 ✵The white leukorrhea with the fishy smell is also known as smelly leukorrhea with white discharge. Symptoms are white discharge as nasal mucus, fishy smell, often sorrow and unhappy, mainly due to chronic leukorrhea and extreme Yang deficiency.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A woman suffers from chronic leukorrhea and unstoppable, Yang is extremely deficient, white discharge is slithery as nasal mucus, fishy and unpleasant smell, much sorrow and unhappy, is the condition of a great cold syndrome..." ^[06].

White Leukorrhea with abdominal pain.

 
 ✵The white leukorrhea with abdominal pain is also known as leukorrhea with white discharge and pain in the abdomen. Symptoms are white discharge, pain and cold in the abdomen or around the belly button, mainly due to chronic leukorrhea hurt Yang.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A woman suffers from chronic leukorrhea and unstoppable, cold and pain in the abdomen or around the belly button..." ^[06].

Leukorrhagia(profuse leukorrhea).

 
 ✵The leukorrhagia is also known as profuse leukorrhea, or Bai Yin. Symptoms are white discharge is often passing with urine, turbid as rice water, mainly due to turbid Qi from stomach vicus, and flow down to the urinary bladder.
 ✵Ancient herbalists who hold a syndrome differentiation viewpoint with similar explain of pathogenic reasons, and the relevant representative work are introduced and quoted:

 "A woman suffers from Bai Yin(profuse leukorrhea) and it is often passing with urine, its state is turbid and similar to rice water, is the condition turbid Qi flowing down to the urinary bladder, belongs to leukorrhea syndromes..." ^[06].

Leukorrhea of other types.

 
 ✵The Leukorrhea of other types are known including:

 ✧Leukorrhea, white or red, sore waist, dizziness and dim eyesight(dazzled, blurred vision), distention and pain in the lower abdomen, feel weak in limbs(feeble or weak in hands and arms, feet and legs), drowsiness and deficiency, much phlegm and fat, or excess heat and slim, this is the case of irregular menstruation, sexual strain, postpartum blood deficiency, dampness and phlegm flow downward.

 ✧Leukorrhea, white or red, incessant and unstoppable, pain in abdomen, vexing pain in the extremities(vexing pain in hands and feet, arms and legs), poor appetite(low food intake), gradually emaciated(thin and weak), this is the case of deficiency in Yin and Yang, Qi and blood, Nutrient Qi and Defense Qi.

 ✧Leukorrhea, white or red, pain in abdomen, poor appetite(low food intake), alternation of constipation and diarrhea(sometimes difficulty in defecation, sometimes diarrhea), much phlegm, oppression in the chest and panting(difficulty in breath), this is the case of Qi collapse with dampness accumulation and excess heat.

References:

• 01.Leukorrhea:an introduction of morbid leukorrhea and various types.
• 02.Song Shi Nǚ Ke Cuo Yao(the Synopsis of Song's Gynaecology).By 宋林皋(Sòng Lín Gāo)[Ming].
• 03.Nǚ Ke Cuo Yao(the Synopsis of Gynaecology).By 薛己(Xuē Jǐ)[Ming].
• 04.Nǚ Ke Bǎi Xiào Quán Shū(the Efficacious Complete Book of Gynaecology).By 龚居中(Gōng Jūzhōng)[Ming,1630].
• 05.Huang Shi Nǚ Ke(the Synopsis of Huang's Gynaecology).By 黄彦荣(Huáng Yànróng)[Ming,1504].
• 06.Ye Shi Nǚ Ke Zhèng Zhì(the Syndromes and Therapeutics of Ye's Gynaecology).By 叶桂(Yè Guì)[1817].
• 07.Fù Kē Liáng Fāng(the Effective Prescription of Gynecology).By 何梦瑶(Hé Mèngyáo)[1751].

 Last edit and latest revision date:June 8th 2020 at 14:30