Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1127 Acupuncture to Cure Lily Disease: Will She Be Able to Stand Up? (Two Chapters Combined)
Hearing what the patient said, Fang Yan nodded and said:

"Indeed, this hysterical paralysis was first studied in France in the 19th century, when it was called 'hysteria'. Martin Chakwer, a psychiatrist at the Salpétrière Hospital in Paris, believed through clinical observation that it belonged to the category of mental and psychological disorders. Then, after entering this century, the disease was classified in the International Classification of Diseases as a physical dysfunction caused by psychological conflict and stressful events."

"The characteristic is obvious symptoms of limb paralysis, but medical examinations have not found any substantial damage to the nervous system, muscles, or bones."

"But we in traditional Chinese medicine have been studying this disease for much longer. Zhang Zhongjing recorded it during the Han Dynasty. We named it 'Lily Disease'."

The patient's wife asked Fang Yan with some curiosity:

"Why is it called lily disease? Is this disease related to lilies?"

Fang Yan said with a smile:

"Because this disease is closely related to the traditional Chinese medicine lily."

"The original text of the Golden Chamber Synopsis mentions 'lily' as the core drug for the treatment of lily disease."

"It includes formulas such as Lily and Anemarrhena Decoction and Lily and Rehmannia Decoction, all of which use lily as the main ingredient."

"To put it simply, this disease is like being naturally restrained by lilies, so the ancients named it 'Lily Disease' for better memorability."

Upon hearing the dialect, the patient's wife looked surprised and muttered:

"Lily...lily can actually cure this disease."

Lin Suxin, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner standing nearby, chimed in:

"Traditional Chinese medicine believes that lily is sweet and slightly bitter, slightly cold in nature, and enters the heart and lung meridians. It has the effects of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, clearing the heart and calming the mind. It can precisely target the core pathogenesis of lily disease, namely 'yin deficiency and internal heat, and restlessness of the mind,' and alleviate symptoms by nourishing the yin of the heart and lungs, clearing away deficiency heat, and calming the mind."

At this moment, the patient's wife slapped her thigh and said:

"Oh dear, we made lily bulb and lotus seed porridge before, but he wouldn't eat it. This is just unbelievable!"

She spoke to the dialect:

"Wouldn't this problem be avoided if I ate it earlier?"

Fang Yan was taken aback when he heard what the patient's wife said.

Then he waved his hand:
"You can't say that. The root cause of lily disease is long-term emotional distress and the accumulation of yin deficiency and internal heat. It cannot be resolved by just a bowl of lily porridge."

"Besides, your husband's illness has dragged on for twenty years. It's like a piece of damp wood with a layer of mold inside. It needs to be dried slowly and scraped off carefully."

He picked up his pen and circled the word "lily" on the prescription:
"However, you are right, lily is indeed the key medicine for treating this disease. The prescription I gave you is based on Lily and Rehmannia Decoction, which is like adding oil and removing ash from the lamps of the heart and lungs, so that they can shine again."

Zhang Zhongxiao laughed and said:
"So, my problem of the past twenty years really is related to not eating lilies? I should have listened to advice and drunk more porridge back then."

"Not entirely," Fang Yan said, her tone becoming more serious.

“For your illness, emotions are the ‘catalyst’.”

"Stock market fluctuations and work pressure are like adding fuel to a fire. The stronger the fire, the more severe the 'yin deficiency' becomes, and the more frequently paralysis will occur. In the future, in addition to taking medicine, I will also have to learn to 'extinguish the fire'."

He looked at Zhang Zhongxiao's wife:
"You can also keep more lily bulbs, lotus seeds, and white fungus at home. You can boil them in water or make porridge as a daily supplement."

"But more importantly, let him listen to more music, take more walks, or even just spend half an hour each day basking in the sun to relax his mind."

Zhang Zhongxiao's wife nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, yes! I told him a long time ago to stop playing the stock market. Now he has to listen to Dr. Fang."

Zhang Zhongxiao himself sighed:

"I used to think I had a good mindset, but now I realize that you can't hide what's on your mind; it will always find a place to surface."

He said in dialect:

"Your illness is like a spring; the more you strain it, the more it bounces back, but if you relax it, everything will be fine."

Then, Fang Yan began to prescribe remedies:

Lily bulb 30g, Rehmannia root 15g, Anemarrhena rhizome 10g, Poria cocos 12g, Wheat bran 15g, Prepared licorice root 6g.

After the performance, the people standing behind Fang Yan felt a little uncomfortable.

Previously, local prescriptions often contained more than twenty ingredients, but now only six are needed.

Jin Wubing asked directly:
"Huh? That's it?"

Fang Yan put down his pen, looked up at Jin Wubing, and smiled:

"That's all, these six herbs are enough."

"This is too easy!" Jin Wubing said.

Fang Yan picked up the prescription paper, pointed to the names of the medicines on it, and explained:

"The core of lily disease is 'yin deficiency and internal heat, and malnourishment of the heart and spirit,' just like a room that has been smoked for a long time. You need to open the windows to ventilate and wipe away the accumulated dust first, instead of piling things up all at once. This prescription looks simple, but every ingredient has a practical use."

He pointed to "Lily 30g" and said:
"Using lily bulbs can nourish the yin of the heart and lungs and clear away deficiency heat, just like watering parched land, directly targeting the root of the disease. Rehmannia glutinosa is sweet and cold, nourishing yin and helping lily bulbs replenish 'yin fluid'. Anemarrhena asphodeloides is bitter and cold, clearing and moistening, specifically targeting 'deficiency fire' caused by yin deficiency. These three herbs 'treat the root cause' and turn over the underlying 'yin deficiency and internal heat'."

“The remaining three ingredients are for ‘calming the mind’ and ‘regulating the spirit’,” Fang Yan continued.

"Fu Shen is more focused on nourishing the heart and calming the mind than Fu Ling, like finding a safe place for the mind; Fu Xiao Mai can calm the mind and relieve irritability, dealing with that feeling of emptiness and restlessness; Zhi Gan Cao harmonizes the other herbs and can also work with Fu Xiao Mai, somewhat like Gan Mai Da Zao Tang, helping to stabilize emotions."

He paused, then looked at the crowd:
“You think there are too few medicines because you’ve seen me treat mostly miscellaneous and stubborn diseases before, which require me to consider multiple pathogenesis mechanisms. For example, if there is both cold and dampness and qi deficiency, then I have to use cold and hot medicines and tonifying and purging medicines together. But Mr. Zhang’s disease is different. The core pathogenesis is very simple: prolonged emotional depression has turned into fire, which has depleted the yin of the heart and lungs. There are not many complicated concurrent symptoms.”

"The most classic treatment for lily disease in the 'Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber' is Lily and Rehmannia Decoction, which only contains two ingredients: lily and rehmannia. I have already added four auxiliary ingredients, which is quite comprehensive."

Fang Yan picked up the prescription paper and waved it:

"The key to medicine is not quantity, but 'matching the symptoms.' It's like archery: if you find the target, you can hit it with one arrow; if you don't find the target, ten arrows will be useless. For his illness, the focus is on 'nourishing yin' and 'calming the mind.' Each of these six medicines has its own function, and adding one more medicine may only cause more trouble."

Jin Wubing scratched his head:
"Then...don't we need to add some meridian-clearing medicine? Isn't he paralyzed?"

He said in dialect:

“His paralysis is not due to blocked meridians, but rather because his ‘spirit’ can no longer control his ‘body’.”

Fang Yan paused, knowing Jin Wubing's level of understanding, and then used another analogy:

"It's like a puppet show. The strings aren't broken, but the person holding the strings has panicked and their hands are out of control. At this time, you should first calm the person holding the strings, instead of cutting or reconnecting them. Once their mind is calmed down and the yin deficiency fire subsides, their limbs will naturally obey commands. Adding medicine to clear the meridians would be putting the cart before the horse."

Jin Wubing suddenly realized.

After listening, Zhang Zhongxiao understood and nodded, saying:
“Dr. Fang is right. My illness is indeed strange. It’s not a matter of bones and muscles. Let’s try this prescription.”

Fang Yan handed the prescription to Xie Chunrong, who was standing to the side, and said:

"Have the pharmacy decoct the medicine twice, drink one bowl later, and then take it warm in the morning and evening."

"After taking the three doses, adjustments will be made as needed, but the overall direction will remain the same. Use less medication and focus more on calming your mind. You should recover quickly in no time."

Xie Chunrong nodded, and then went out to the pharmacy.

Then, speaking in dialect to the patient:
"Come on, let me give you another acupuncture treatment to see the effect."

The patient thought that Fang Yan had finished, but unexpectedly, Fang Yan wanted to give him acupuncture.

He spoke to the patient in a dialect:
"Although acupuncture cannot replace the fundamental role of medication in nourishing yin and calming the mind, it can help relieve symptoms and shorten the course of treatment."

“Lily disease is essentially caused by yin deficiency and internal heat in the heart and lungs, resulting in malnourishment of all the meridians. Therefore, I plan to acupuncture six acupoints to nourish yin, clear heat, calm the mind, and stabilize the will.”

"Which six acupoints?" Jin Wubing asked kindly from the side.

Having previously observed acupuncture performed in a dialect, he now has high expectations for acupuncture performed in a dialect.

He said in dialect:

“Shenmen, Taiyuan, Sanyinjiao, Fuliu, Neiguan, and an extra meridian point called Anmian.”

Upon hearing about these acupoints, Jin Wubing showed a thoughtful expression.

Lin Wenfeng, standing to the side, spoke up to explain:

"Shenmen (HT7) calms the mind and soothes the nerves, which should relieve anxiety. Taiyuan (LU9) nourishes yin and moistens the lungs, which can regulate the meridians. As for Sanyinjiao (SP6), it can strengthen the spleen and nourish yin, and harmonize the liver, spleen and kidneys. I don't use Fuliu (KI7) much, but this acupoint is on the kidney meridian, which can nourish yin and reduce fire. If I'm not mistaken, it should be for those with obvious deficiency heat, bitter taste in the mouth and yellow urine."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan nodded in confirmation.

Lin Wenfeng smiled and continued:
"The Neiguan acupoint is a pericardium meridian acupoint, which can relieve chest tightness and regulate Qi. It should be targeted at areas with intense emotional fluctuations. As for the extra meridian acupoint Anmian acupoint, it is of course for helping with sleep."

He finished speaking in his dialect and took out the Heavenly Craftsman's Needle.

The reason they didn't take the Sea Dragon Needle was that Fang Yan thought the Heavenly Craft Needle had a proven track record of success in treating mental illnesses, with Ma Wenying being a living example.

Although it probably caused Ma Wenying to explode four times... it did have an effect after all.

Moreover, the Heavenly Craft Needle can be repaired if it breaks, and it can be repaired when Lao He returns from the sea. But if the Sea Dragon Needle breaks, it's truly broken.

After twenty years of suffering from lily disease, I still feel that the Tiangong Needle technique is slightly more reliable.

Without further ado, Fang Yan went to the patient and said to him:
"Adjust your breathing. I will insert the needle while you breathe. Don't be nervous. If... I mean if you suddenly can move, don't make any large movements."

Upon hearing Fang Yan's words, a glint of anticipation flashed in Zhang Zhongxiao's eyes, and he said with a hint of excitement:

"Okay! I've written it down."

Then Fang Yan picked up the needle and said to Zhang Zhongxiao:
"Mr. Zhang, we will now begin acupuncture. I will needle the following six acupoints in order: Shenmen, Taiyuan, Neiguan, Sanyinjiao, Fuliu, and Anmian. If you experience any discomfort during the process, please let me know."

Zhang Zhongxiao tried his best to relax his body in the wheelchair and nodded:
"Dr. Fang, please feel free to use the acupuncture. I've had this illness for twenty years, and there's nothing to be afraid of."

Fang Yan nodded, then first disinfected the Shenmen acupoint on the patient.

With his left hand, he held Zhang Zhongxiao's right wrist at the ulnar side, while with his right hand he gripped a slender Tiangong needle and aimed it at the Shenmen acupoint.

Then he used the "finger-cutting needle insertion method", which means pressing the skin next to the acupoint with the nail of the left thumb, holding the needle with the tip close to the edge of the nail in the right hand, and when Zhang Zhongxiao exhaled slowly, he suddenly pushed his wrist gently, and the Tiangong needle went into the skin with a "hissing" sound.

The unique sound of the Heavenly Craft Needle made He Jingwei envious and He Dong somewhat jealous.

Fang Yan, that kid really has a lot of good stuff.

At this moment, Fang Yan was fully focused and inserted the needle about 0.5 inches deep. He saw a red halo appear around the needle and then began to perform a small twisting motion.

At first, when the needle was first inserted, Zhang Zhongxiao didn't feel anything special, only hearing two strange "hissing" sounds. He thought he had accidentally pricked himself and leaked air, but nothing happened. Just a few seconds after Fang Yan began inserting the needle, he suddenly frowned and said:
"Hey! Dr. Fang, I feel... a slight tingling or numbness in my wrist, and this area around my heart..." He slowly pointed to his chest with his movable finger and said:
"I felt a bit tense just now, but suddenly it doesn't feel so tight anymore."

The dialect explanation is as follows:
"Although you are paralyzed, you have a strong sense of Qi! The heart governs the mind. The Shenmen acupoint is the original acupoint of the Heart Meridian, which regulates the heart Qi and calms the mind. Being able to feel the 'clutching' sensation in your chest lessen is a sign that your mind is beginning to relax."

"However, this also proves that there is no problem with your body's meridians."

Hearing this from the dialect, the patient breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Yan then moved to the left side of the wheelchair and aimed at the Taiyuan acupoint, located at the radial artery pulsation point on Zhang Zhongxiao's left wrist.

This time, he used the "relaxation and insertion method". He used his left thumb and index finger to stretch the skin of the acupoint, held the needle in his right hand, and quickly inserted it about 0.3 inches into the acupoint. After the "hissing" sound, he saw the Qi being obtained. Fang Yan then began to perform acupuncture by twisting and lifting the needle with a small amplitude.

"How do you feel this time?" Fang Yan asked the patient.

The patient shook his head. He had just tried his best to lift his hand, but it was no use. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly shuddered.

"Wait! Something's not right!" the patient exclaimed.

Fang Yan quickly stopped the acupuncture and asked the patient:
"how?"

Zhang Zhongxiao gestured to his arm with his eyes and said to Fang Yan:

"My hair stood on end."

"A chill ran through the meat."

Fang Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this; the guy had been jumping up and down in surprise.

“This is normal; it’s the sensation of needles,” Fang Yan said.

However, the fact that you can feel the needle indicates that things are not bad, and this is normal.

Then, Fang Yan deliberately lingered on the needle at that spot for a while longer. Just then, Zhang Zhongxiao let out a soft sound of surprise:

"Dr. Fang, it felt like someone gently touched this spot, and then there was a... it's hard to describe, but the cool feeling from before has now become a moist sensation, like water slowly flowing up my arm and reaching my shoulder. It's swirling around here, and I feel much more comfortable."

Having said that, he tried to move his left arm, raising it upwards as before. This time the range of motion was still small, but the speed was much faster, and a look of joy appeared on his face:

"Did you see that? It seems like I have a bit more energy than before! I wasn't this fast before!"

His family members all nodded in agreement; the change was too obvious.

The patient's wife spoke in dialect:

"Dr. Fang's treatment is really effective! It's only the second needle and it's already like this. I wonder what the effect will be after all six needles are inserted!"

The patient became even more curious. He felt that the Tiangong needle in Fang Yan's hand was like a key, inserted into his acupoints and trying to unlock them. Then his body suddenly reacted as if the lock cylinder had been pried open.

He had never used acupuncture before, but this was the first time he had felt such a strong sensation.

He asked in dialect:

"Dr. Fang, how exactly do you do it with such a tiny needle? How come there's a change as soon as it's inserted?"

Dialect explanation:

"The lungs govern all the meridians, and Taiyuan is the original acupoint of the lung meridian, which governs the qi of the whole body. Nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, replenishing lung qi, nourishing all the meridians, naturally makes one feel more comfortable and stronger."

"Lily disease is related to the heart and lungs, and this acupoint is indispensable. It is placed second, which shows its importance."

The patient nodded, seemingly understanding, and said to the dialect speaker:

"Does that mean the acupoints in the later stages won't be as sensitive as the ones in the earlier stages?"

Fang Yan shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't feel it, it's just that everyone has their own role, so the feeling will be different. It's like watering a parched field. Watering the roots first quenches the thirst, and then watering the branches and leaves encourages budding. The purpose is different, so the reaction will naturally be different."

As he spoke, he disinfected the Neiguan acupoint on Zhang Zhongxiao's left forearm, and continued:

"Next, we'll puncture Neiguan (PC6). This acupoint connects to the pericardium meridian and is responsible for 'relieving chest tightness and regulating Qi.' When you're watching the stock market fluctuate, do you feel like there's something pressing on your chest?"

"After this needle goes in, there might be a surge of energy that rushes up your arm to your chest, pushing out that stuffy feeling."

After hearing the dialect spoken, Zhang Zhongxiao said:

"Then please come quickly!"

At this moment, Fang Yan took out two needles, ready to use them both at once. Zhang Zhongxiao was taken aback and asked:

"Why are the needles inserted at the same time?"

Fang Yan said to him:
"The Neiguan acupoint is a pair, located on the palmar side of the forearm, 2 inches above the wrist crease, so needles should be inserted on both sides."

After speaking, Fang Yan inserted the needle directly into the hole. The sound of the Heavenly Craft Needle rang out again. Fang Yan inserted the needle one inch deep and both needles obtained Qi.

Next, the dialect began to gently turn, and Zhang Zhongxiao silently felt it. Suddenly, he let out a long, unconscious "whoosh," as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

Then he said:
"So comfortable! So comfortable! I feel that tightness in my chest being released little by little as you rotate the needle! My breathing has become so much easier!"

He tried taking a few deep breaths, and his face flushed.

"So amazing!?" Zhang Zhongxiao's wife exclaimed in surprise as she looked at her husband.

He explained to her in dialect:
"In traditional Chinese medicine, the Neiguan acupoint is connected to the Yinwei meridian and is one of the eight extraordinary meridians. It is good at treating heart and chest diseases. It can relieve chest tightness, regulate Qi, harmonize the stomach and relieve nausea, and calm the mind. He could feel that his Qi was smooth and his chest tightness was relieved. This is a sign that the acupuncture was effective, and it also shows that our judgment was correct, which is consistent with his emotional tension and Qi stagnation."

"Because if he didn't say the right thing, he wouldn't have this reaction."

Zhang Zhongxiao nodded repeatedly and said:

"Dr. Fang is right. I feel like I'm taking control of my body again."

Next, Fang Yan asked Jin Wubing to help roll up Zhang Zhongxiao's trouser legs to his knees, exposing the Sanyinjiao acupoints on both sides (3 inches above the tip of the medial malleolus).

Jin Wubing was naturally very happy to help, and immediately came over to assist.

The patient's feet were numb at that moment, and he wanted to see if he could prick the patient so hard that he would jump up.

Fang Yan waited until Jin Wubing rolled up his trouser leg, then he used his left hand to stabilize the skin at the acupoint, and his right hand to insert the needle straight in about 1 inch. After obtaining the Qi, he began to gently manipulate the needle and slowly rotate it.

After a short while, Zhang Zhongxiao said softly:
"Hey...it feels like a warm breeze is flowing into my ankle, not hot, but warm and comfortable."

"I feel a sensation in my entire calf, especially in the soles of my feet."

His right toe twitched slightly involuntarily. It should be noted that when he was paralyzed, he had difficulty moving his limbs and his toes could hardly move.

This subtle change made his wife cover her mouth in surprise.

"Hey! It works!" Jin Wubing excitedly pointed to the patient's leg and shouted to the people around him.

Chen Mike, who was standing nearby, picked at his ear, signaling him to calm down. Lin Wenfeng explained:

"The Sanyinjiao (Three Yin Channels) regulates the Yin of the Liver, Spleen, and Kidney. When Qi is obtained here, a warm sensation travels along the meridian, which can effectively nourish Yin and Blood, improve Yin deficiency, and can be used to treat symptoms such as dry mouth, five-center heat (heat in the palms, soles, and chest), and restless sleep."

"If you can feel it, then this place is definitely right, but... it seems like it's not quite there yet..."

Fang Yan continued to perform acupuncture, but that was all he could do. He was not discouraged and took out two more Tiangong needles to insert into the bilateral Fuliu acupoints (2 inches directly above the Taixi acupoint, at the anterior border of the Achilles tendon).

The Fuliu acupoint has a strong effect of nourishing yin and clearing heat. According to the prescription, the needle should be inserted about 0.8 inches deep. After obtaining the qi, the lifting and thrusting tonifying method combined with twisting should be used with a little force, with the intention of guiding the kidney water upward to nourish the body.

The patient, after undergoing acupuncture in a dialect-speaking manner for a while, said:
"When Dr. Fang inserted the needle into this acupoint, I felt... I felt that my throat and lower abdomen were a bit dry and hot, but now they don't feel so dry! And my body feels more relaxed."

Zhang Zhongxiao licked his lips, looking somewhat pleased.

As he performed the acupuncture, he said in a dialect:
"Fuliu acupoint is an acupoint on the Kidney Meridian. It is said to 'govern asthma, cough, chills and fever,' and it belongs to the metal element in the Five Elements theory, corresponding to the lung metal element. It has a strong effect of nourishing yin and clearing heat, and what you feel is exactly the effect of reducing deficiency fire."

Zhang Zhongxiao nodded.

However, he was still a little disappointed, thinking that the needle would prick him up.

He paused, then couldn't help but ask Fang Yan:

"Dr. Fang, the needle hasn't come in, so it's probably not going to work, right?! The next needle is for sleeping, and I don't think it can be inserted now."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan explained to Lin Wenfeng:

"The needles will be left in place after the acupuncture treatment, so don't panic."

Speaking in dialect, he began to insert the last needle. The acupoint was located at the midpoint of the line connecting the Fengchi and Yifeng acupoints on the back of the neck. This acupoint is an important point for calming the mind.

The needle should be inserted gently, about 0.5 inches deep, and then rotated slightly after the needle is removed.

Shortly after the needle was inserted into the Anmian acupoint, Zhang Zhongxiao's mind relaxed noticeably, and his eyelids began to feel heavy.

He yawned slightly: "Phew... I really want to take a nap!"

As he spoke, his posture changed from being slightly tense at first to completely relaxing as he leaned back in his wheelchair.

My double eyelids started to fight each other.

After checking all the needle positions, Fang Yan said to Zhang Zhongxiao:

"Leave the needles in for 20 minutes. Close your eyes and rest, feel the changes in your body, and call me anytime if you need anything."

Zhang Zhongxiao yawned, then closed his eyes as instructed. After a short while, he began to breathe evenly and gently, and he actually fell asleep.

The consultation room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone held their breath and watched. They saw that Zhang Zhongxiao's fatigue gradually disappeared, and his complexion changed from tense and pale to rosy and relaxed. His fingers and toes would twitch slightly unconsciously.

His wife gripped the wheelchair armrests tightly, her eyes filled with expectation and gratitude.

She didn't know if her husband would be able to stand up in twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, Fang Yan had returned to his seat and started writing medical records, seemingly unconcerned about whether Zhang Zhongxiao could get up or not.

He Jingwei looked at the patient, then at Fang Yan, and finally focused his attention on the patient. Like everyone else, he wanted to see if the patient could stand up.

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words is now complete. There will be an extra chapter later.

(End of this chapter)