Physician's Odyssey Chapter 520 - Providing Treatment Together

"Since I have applied to be the patient for the selection, then it's best for me to test your treatment method personally." Tan Luoyou nodded his head and continued, "But I will not be trying the medicines suggested by the western medicine faction."
Instantly, the judges started to discuss amongst themselves after Tan Luoyou's speech. After all, the latter was an experienced specialist, and if those medications were useful for sleep disorders, how could he not have tried them before?
Initially, Tan Luoyou thought that there might be a breakthrough method from the western medicine faction, but he was disappointed.
This was also the western medicine's current situation, with its strong reliance on medication. Although they had an advantage when it came to surgery, it's hard for them to achieve any breakthroughs when it comes to mental or immunity-related illnesses.
At this moment, Ouyang De looked at Su Tao and Ling Yu and realised that he had underestimated the two of them.
In a battlefield, women and kids were the most dangerous due to their sex and age, since it's easy for them to conceal themselves, not to mention that this was the National Healer Selection, so they should toss aside the prejudice of age and not judge a book by its cover.
However, Ji Donghe was full of disdain and felt that the two physicians were making a fool of themselves to attract attention.
Thus, he said, "For sleep disorder illnesses, aside from medication treatment, there is the psychological intervention. What can acupuncture and massage do? What an international joke you're playing here!"
On the other hand, Peng Hanyi remained silent as he swept a glance at Ji Donghe. He could feel that there's something unusual about Ji Donghe's behaviour. He's a little too emotional. How can he say these words in this sort of environment?
Does he not know that the judges will mark the candidates by their overall performance?
But it's impossible for Peng Hanyi to understand the reason why Ji Donghe lost his composure. After all, he was thrown into a disadvantageous position by TCM, which he held in disdain, so he couldn't suppress the arrogance within him and flared up.
Naturally, Helian Zhen wouldn't let go of this detail and inwardly sighed before he searched for Ji Donghe's marking table and gave him a cross on his character.
"Then, Ling Yu and I will conduct treatment for you together?" Su Tao asked as he looked at Ling Yu.
"Sure, since both of your methods are the same. Furthermore, it will also test your teamwork." Helian Zhen agreed to Su Tao's suggestion.
As for Ling Yu, he was somewhat surprised, since he never expected that Su Tao would make such a suggestion.
But he soon figured out Su Tao's intention. The two of them might be competitors, but they're also in the same faction and were facing the three western medicine candidates.
This year's National Healer Selection only had three quotas, and they could both be accepted. Although the chances weren't high based on the past data, it's not impossible.
As Su Tao and Ling Yu opened their medical boxes to prepare the required equipment, Ling Yu asked, "How will we split the work?"
"The Medical Dao Sect is reputed for their acupuncture techniques, so you can perform acupuncture as the primary treatment while I coordinate you with a massage." Su Tao replied.
Hearing his words, Ling Yu was briefly stunned. Didn't that mean that he would be taking the bigger contribution?
But since he had a mild temperament, he did not argue about it and replied, "Then, I'll go with your arrangement."
"Have you noticed the problem?" Su Tao asked.
Nodding his head, Ling Yu replied, "Based on his condition, we have to clear up his meridians, and the procedure will be very complicated."
At this moment, Tan Luoyou walked over, which Su Tao helped him onto the bed and explained, "The meridians in your body are extremely damaged. Although acupuncture generally won't be painful, it might cause some discomfort later, so you have to be prepared."
Waving his hand, Tan Luoyou calmly replied, "A little pain is fine, just go ahead and proceed with the treatment."
Everyone felt admiration for Tan Luoyou's courage. After all, he's a National Healer himself, and for him to become a patient for another doctor required enormous determination.
But this was also an excellent opportunity to test the candidates' abilities.
Seeing that Ling Yu had already prepared his needles, Su Tao took a pulse for Tan Luoyou and asked, "Did you have a hobby of winter swimming when you were young?"
Hearing his words, shock flashed in Tan Luoyou's eyes as he replied, "I did! But I stopped five years ago. You're saying that my condition has something to do with winter swimming?"
Winter swimming was a healthy activity, and it could strengthen the blood vessels' flexibility, making it beneficial to prevent cardiovascular diseases. For people that have winter swimming as a hobby, it's rare to find anyone with hypertension or arteriosclerosis amongst them.
But then again, there's always pros and cons in everything. If the stress exceeds what the body could endure, then it would cause harm to the organs. There was one time when Tan Luoyou failed to control the time and rhythm, which put a high amount of stress on his body. After that, not only did he suffer from a severe cold, that incident even left a severe repercussion to his body.
However, the repercussions were somewhat concealed. So if Su Tao hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't know that his sleep disorder that troubled him for years was a repercussion left from that incident!
Su Tao turned to look at Ling Yu, which the latter knew that Su Tao was giving him an opportunity.
Hence, he also took Tan Luoyou's pulse and briefly pondered before he continued Su Tao's words, "It's highly related. Back then, you must have been severely ill. So even if you've recovered, that incident still left a repercussion in your body. For example, it will be easy for you to catch cold whenever the weather changes."
As shock flashed in Tan Luoyou's eyes, he bitterly smiled. "Both of your analyses are right. Such an incident took place, and it was also because of that, I noticed that my immunity dropped and stopped winter swimming. Furthermore, I also have to pay attention to my body warmth."
"Furthermore, you must have a habit of taking medication the moment you show any signs of a cold to suppress the symptoms." Su Tao further analysed.
With helplessness in his eyes, Tan Luoyou could only continue to nod his head. Su Tao and Ling Yu were both spot-on.
This was also the magic of TCM's diagnosis. Physicians could uncover details from the patient's pulse, complexion, and the body's condition.
Nodding his head at Ling Yu, Su Tao continued, "Being able to catch a cold often is a sign of a lack of Yang in your body. Although you've suppressed it with medication, the chill in your body did not recede, and it's clogged up your meridians. As a result, your blood flow won't be smooth, which resulted in your limbs feeling numb and having sleep paralysis. Previously, the prescription I gave you was to replenish the Yang in your body to temporarily smoothen out your meridians, but it's not a permanent solution. So if you want your condition to be completely treated, then we will have to take a different approach and reforge your kidney meridian."
"Reforge? Aren't meridians fixed in the body? Can they be reforged?" Tan Luoyou was baffled.
With a smile, Ling Yu took over the question and explained, "The meridians in the body are akin to water channels. Because of the medication that you've been taking, the channels are clogged.
"Since you have taken decoction, the channels have already been cleared. But they're still in a mess with different sizes, so you will need an external force to help you reforge them. At the same time, reforging the meridians isn't the same as circulating your blood with acupuncture. Your kidney meridian is badly damaged, so there will be intense pain during the process."
Hearing the explanation, Tan Luoyou finally understood, so he turned to give a curious look at Su Tao and asked, "You previously mentioned stopping the medication. Then, does that mean that I don't have to take the medication that you previously prescribed for me?"
"That's right! You have taken all sorts of medications, which includes hypnotic medicine and TCM herbs. Western medicine will significantly damage your kidney function, not to mention that you're suffering from a lack of Yang in your body. So your condition has worsened with the western medicine accumulating in your kidneys.
"As for my prescription and the previous guidance from other physicians, they will clear up your meridians. But then again, this method is domineering, since forcefully clearing up your meridians will also bring harm to your meridians, so it cannot be used often. But after this acupuncture and massage treatment, you won't need them anymore." Su Tao smiled.
When a physician amongst the judges heard Su Tao's words, he wore a grave expression. He had prescribed medication for Tan Luoyou in the past, but he knew that it's not a permanent solution.
This physician was an expert in decoction, and his name was Zhu Wenyuan. His status was equivalent to Song Sichen and Dou Fanggang in the TCM industry, but he researched decoction for his entire life without much knowledge on acupuncture. So when Tan Luoyou came to look for him, he prescribed the latter a decoction to smoothen the meridians.
But in the end, Tan Luoyou's condition did not improve.
Seeing that a junior pointed this out, he couldn't help feeling somewhat embarrassed. But soon after, he was relieved. After all, not all doctors could guarantee that they could treat any illness with absolute certainty, not to mention that someone at his level had a wide breadth of mind.
Furthermore, the juniors have seen through something, and he would also be redeeming TCM's prestige if they managed to treat Tan Luoyou.
Although making so many analyses might seem simple, it proved both Su Tao and Ling Yu's stunning diagnosis capabilities.
Inwardly signing, Zhu Wenyuan now knew why his friend, Murong Hong, was filled with praises for Su Tao after his return from South Korea's International Medical Summit. His friend must have determined that Su Tao was the hope of TCM!
At this moment, he was filled with excitement because Ling Yu of the Medical Dao Sect's performance wasn't at all inferior to Su Tao. Just the thought of having two young National Healers made his heart beat faster.
It was a thought that had never appeared in his heart before. In the past, TCM had a low passing rate in the National Healer Selection, and it could be considered great if there could be one passing.
But he never expected that TCM would have two young talents in this National Healer Selection with outstanding performances. They even completely suppressed the western medicine faction!