I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 72 - 65: Restoring Chest Yang, Blood Flows Naturally
"Dr. Lu, just tell me what I should do, I trust you," Wei Jun said.
"I’ll first give you some acupuncture, then you should take some medicine to replenish your Qi and blood. Make sure to fall asleep before eleven o’clock when you get home. In the morning, shake your arms, pat your elbows, armpits, and groin, then stand on your tiptoes. Keep your diet simple with just a bowl or two of rice and a few small dishes. You’re suffering from Yin deficiency causing internal heat, so you absolutely must avoid greasy and heavy foods. Even if you’re really hungry, hold back. This will help restore your gastric Qi, got it?" Lu Jiu replied.
Of course, he didn’t understand.
But Wei Jun was smart enough.
Whether he understood or not, he decided to follow the instructions first.
"Got it," Wei Jun said.
Lu Jiu nodded and then started taking out the finest needles.
Even though Wei Jun, like Tian Xuelin, had fatty liver, their symptoms were entirely different according to traditional Chinese medicine’s diagnosis, so the treatment methods would naturally be different as well.
Before clearing Wei Jun’s liver and gallbladder, Lu Jiu needed to replenish his Yang.
Because his liver blood deficiency was due to a lack of Qi. As it says in the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet, "the pulse in the inch needs to be weak, if weak there is no Qi, if no Qi, then there will be lack of nourishment, if nourishment is lacking, blood will be insufficient, causing cold in the chest."
The essence of Wei Jun’s liver blood deficiency was actually Qi deficiency, and Qi deficiency meant Yang deficiency.
Many anemia patients have symptoms of cold chest, which is a manifestation of Yang deficiency.
If one merely sees anemia and supplements blood directly, no matter how much blood tonic one takes, it won’t help. Why? Because blood tonics are often very cloying medicines, requiring more Yang to metabolize them. Given that the patient himself suffers from anemia caused by Yang deficiency, adding more would only make things worse.
Hence, once Heart Yang is replenished, blood will naturally be restored. To supplement blood, Heart Yang must be replenished.
Similarly, treating Wei Jun’s kidney Yin deficiency with just Yin replenishment would be ineffective; nurturing Yang first or balancing Yin and Yang are better approaches. One should not just replenish Yin.
As for exercise, Lu Jiu didn’t recommend Wei Jun to do walking or standing exercises.
Firstly because Wei Jun’s primary symptoms weren’t cold and dampness, and secondly because patting the affected areas would be very beneficial for him.
As recorded in the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, Spiritual Pivot, Evil Guest Chapter: "When evil resides in the lungs and heart, its Qi stays in both elbows. When in the liver, its Qi stays under both armpits. When in the spleen, its Qi stays in both groins. When in the kidney, its Qi stays in the popliteal fossa. All these eight voids are chambers of the mechanisms, places the vital Qi passes through and blood connects. Evil Qi and stasis blood must not be housed. If retained, it injures tendons and bones, causing contracture."
This passage means that if there’s evildoing in the lungs and heart, evil Qi will stay in the depressions of both elbows; if in the liver, it will stay beneath both armpits; if in the spleen, it will stay in the groin; if in the kidney, it will stay in both popliteal fossae.
Frequently patting these areas can expel some evil Qi, greatly benefiting the body.
Nowadays, many summarize this as the Eight Voids Health Preserve method.
The actions Lu Jiu instructed Wei Jun were to help him actively relieve pressure on the Five Viscera, helping expel a portion of evil Qi through patting.
Of course, when there’s already evil Qi present, patting these spots can be intensely painful. The kind of pain where even pressing lightly will make you frown, but this pain is essentially the Five Viscera warning you of an issue there. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
The more it hurts, the more you must pat until it no longer hurts.
"Lie down," Lu Jiu said.
Wei Jun obediently lay on the small bed.
Lu Jiu then inserted a needle at the Guan Yuan acupoint and began performing the Mountain Burning Fire Needle Technique.
Since Heart Yang needed supplementation, the small intestine’s Yang must also be strengthened.
The heart and small intestine are connected; insufficient Heart Yang means the fire in the small intestine is insufficient. With less fire, small intestine motility slows, affecting the spleen’s transformation function and the body’s ability to sort clear from turbid. Enhancing the small intestine’s function can restore the spleen’s transformation ability, ensuring logistical support for the Five Viscera and Six Bowels. Supplementing kidney Yang nurtures the true fire of the life gate, allowing the fluid in the Hydronephrosis to ascend towards the heart and lungs through the kidney fire’s vaporization.
Though humans have two kidneys, their functions aren’t identical; one is kidney Yang, the other is kidney Yin. The former stores fire, and the latter stores water. Together, they form Yin and Yang. If one fails, life will be halved.
By enhancing the small intestine and supplementing kidney Yang, Wei Jun’s lower heater essentially has an ample fire source. Wei Jun’s liver blood deficiency is mainly due to insufficient Qi, with a primary cause being a lack of fire or upward ability.
The liver is responsible for coursing and discharging, its Qi rises; rising naturally requires fire’s power. In nature, high temperatures rise, low temperatures descend. The liver’s coursing in the human body needs fire to fulfill this rising function.
The small intestine is a hollow organ and shares the lower heater with the liver. Strengthening the small intestine to replenish kidney Yang effectively treats the liver’s coursing and discharging function.
However, there’s an issue here. As the liver’s coursing and discharging function restores, it will also bring pathogenic Qi from the liver to the heart.
Wood generates fire. Excessive wood Qi entering the heart will inevitably lead to an imbalance in heart Yin and Yang.
Since Liver Wood is Yin Wood and Heart Fire is Yin Fire, Yin Wood generates Yin Fire. Before Lu Jiu can supplement Heart Yang, Heart Yin might predominate.
Therefore, while strengthening the small intestine and supplementing kidney Yang, Lu Jiu also needs to drain Heart Fire.
This kind of treatment is a new challenge for Lu Jiu as well.
Because he has to simultaneously use both the Mountain Burning Fire and Piercing Cold Supplement and Drainage Acupuncture Techniques.
How to achieve a balance between supplementing and draining, Lu Jiu himself also doesn’t know, only able to explore to the best of his ability.
In fact, the progress of traditional Chinese medicine depends on repeated clinical attempts.
One can study books to trace disease causes and learn from patients to understand methods, combining the two transforms knowledge into medical skill.
Phew~~
Lu Jiu let out a gentle breath, feeling the Qi in Wei Jun’s body.
While coordinating acupoints, his techniques continued to vary.
Sometimes using Mountain Burning Fire on some acupoints, sometimes using Piercing Cold, without realizing it, a slight sweat began to form on his forehead.
Though acupuncture seems simple, it is actually taxing on the mind, much like threading a needle, requiring constant focus where even the smallest error can affect efficacy.
Even though Lu Jiu had mastered both acupuncture techniques proficiently, his practice was still too little, and experiential lack can’t be compensated by systems alone, forcing Lu Jiu to explore independently.
Off to the side, Li Xiaxia didn’t understand acupuncture. She only saw several needles inserted into her husband’s chest, with them constantly vibrating, and Lu Jiu occasionally twisting some needles back and forth, making Li Xiaxia frown involuntarily.
Wouldn’t those needles inserted into the body really hurt?
In the past, just being pricked by an embroidery needle caused extreme finger pain, let alone these needles being completely inserted.
Moreover, could just a few needle jabs really cure the illness?
If this were true, traditional Chinese medicine would indeed be quite miraculous.
Li Xiaxia, having never visited a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, was naturally extremely curious about Lu Jiu’s methods, though her thoughts were relatively simple.
Whether a white or black cat, if it catches mice, it’s a good cat!
As long as Lu Jiu can cure her husband’s illness, she wouldn’t utter a word even if he performed a Shaman Dance, and would willingly pay the medical bills!
