Herbs for Menstrual Pain

Cramp bark (Viburnum opulus) is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to about 13 ft (4 m). It has lobed leaves, clusters of white flowers, and red oval berries. As the name suggests, cramp bark is known to relieve muscular spasms—particularly of the smooth muscle in the uterus—making it a popular remedy for menstrual cramps, tension, and certain types of colic or back pain. It also exhibits mild sedative and relaxant actions.

Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa) is a perennial growing to about 1–2 ft (30–60 cm), with sticky leaves and purple tubular flowers. One of the most prized herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s considered both cooling (raw) and nourishing (prepared), supporting liver, kidneys, blood, and longevity.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a creeping perennial, up to 3 ft (1 m) tall, featuring feathery, finely divided leaves and flat-topped clusters of white or pale pink flower heads. Renowned since ancient times as a wound herb and fever remedy, yarrow is an all-purpose herb for circulatory health, cold & flu support, and menstrual regulation.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a small deciduous tree or shrub, often up to 16 ft (5 m), producing coarsely toothed leaves and distinct, ribbonlike yellow flowers in autumn or winter. Its bark and leaves are highly astringent, making witch hazel widely used for skin, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids.

Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a strongly aromatic evergreen perennial reaching about 3 ft (1 m), with fleshy, lobed blue-green leaves and yellow-green, five-petaled flowers. Historically revered for its medicinal and magical properties, rue was employed by the Greeks and Egyptians for menstrual stimulation and eyesight improvement.

Blue cohosh is an upright perennial herb reaching 3 feet in height, with large three-lobed leaves, yellow to purple flowers, and striking blue berries. It grows wild in much of eastern North America from Manitoba to Alabama, preferring woodland valleys and damp, north-facing slopes. The name 'cohosh' comes from the Algonquin language, and the plant was a popular remedy among many Native American tribes. Though taken by both sexes for genitourinary issues, it was primarily valued as a women's herb, and that tradition continues in modern herbal practice.

Caraway is an aromatic annual herb growing to 2 feet with a ridged stem, feathery leaves, and umbels of white flowers in midsummer. Exploding capsules release two small narrow seeds. It grows wild in Europe, North Africa, and Asia, preferring sunny sites up to 6,600 feet above sea level. Cultivated in Europe, Russia, North Africa, and the United States, the seeds are harvested ripe in late summer. Caraway has been valued since ancient times for its digestive and respiratory benefits, and the seeds are commonly used in cooking.

White peony is an upright perennial growing to 6.5 feet with large white flowers and divided, dark green leaves. Its history of medicinal use in China stretches back at least 1,500 years, most notably as one of the herbs in 'Four Things Soup,' a renowned female tonic. Traditionally, it is believed that women who take the herb regularly become as radiant as the flower itself. The plant is cultivated throughout northeastern China and Inner Mongolia, propagated from seed in spring or from root cuttings in winter. The root of 4- or 5-year-old plants is harvested in spring or autumn and valued as a hormonal tonic.

Corydalis is a small herbaceous perennial growing to 8 inches with narrow leaves and pink flowers. Native to Siberia, northern China, and Japan, it is commonly cultivated in eastern and northeastern parts of China. Propagated from seed in early spring or autumn, the rhizome is harvested in late spring and early summer when the aerial parts have withered. This important Chinese remedy has been used at least since the 8th century to help 'invigorate the blood' and relieve almost any painful condition, particularly menstrual cramps and chest and abdominal pain.

Dill is an aromatic annual growing to 30 inches with an erect hollow stem, feathery leaves, and numerous yellow flowers in umbels. Its very lightweight, pungent fruit (seeds) are harvested in late summer. Native to southern Europe and central and southern Asia, dill grows wild in open areas and is widely cultivated—notably in England, Germany, and North America. The leaves are picked as a culinary herb. An ancient Egyptian remedy in the Ebers papyrus (c. 1500 BCE) recommends dill as one of the ingredients in a pain-killing mixture. The ancient Greeks are believed to have covered their eyes with fronds of the herb to induce sleep. Dill was commonly used as a charm against witchcraft in the Middle Ages, when it was burned to clear thunderclouds. Its name comes from the Norse 'dylla,' meaning 'to soothe.'

Squaw vine is an evergreen herb that grows up to 1 foot tall, forming mats on the ground. It has rounded shiny leaves, fragrant white flowers on flowering stems, and produces small bright red berries. Native American women commonly used this plant as an infusion to hasten childbirth, and it was occasionally employed for other conditions including insomnia, rheumatic pain, and fluid retention. The plant grows in dry woodland sites in the eastern and central United States.