Once Zhou Liting left, the Chinese medicine department returned to its usual calm.
Lu Xuan glanced at the computer and found no one had registered for the Chinese medicine department, but it wasn't as urgent as last week.
Reaching for the teacup on the table, Lu Xuan stood up and walked to the back of the consultation room.
He gazed out into the distance through the window.
Behind the health center was the famous night market street of Qiu City. During the day, it was basically deserted except for the occasional pedestrian passing by.
However, Lu Xuan had heard from the uncle that it got very lively at night, sometimes buzzing with activity even at two or three in the morning, the sounds of toasting and drinking incessant.
While Lu Xuan was lost in thought, Wang Youqing's voice suddenly came from behind: "Lu, are you free tonight?"
"Why?"
Lu Xuan turned around to look at him.
Wang Youqing chuckled and said, "Let's go for some night snacks. The night market behind our health center is exceptional, and it's the season for crayfish. Are you free?"
"Uncle, staying up late isn't good."
"Life is short, and we should enjoy it. It's really hard not to indulge in anything at all," Wang Youqing was quite open-minded about it.
He's a doctor himself, doesn't he know staying up late is bad for health?
Knowing is one thing, but sometimes you just have to stay up late.
Night snacks are something you have to indulge in at least once during summer.
"Both Cheng from the pediatric department and Zhou are going. They specifically said you have to go, otherwise, they won't go either."
With that said, Lu Xuan knew he couldn't refuse, especially since Cheng Gaowen and Zhou Liting were going too. He could only agree: "Alright, I won't go home tonight. I'll just eat something here."
"By the way, are we drinking?"
"How can you have night snacks without drinking?"
Wang Youqing replied, slightly annoyed.
"Alright, got it."
Wang Youqing shot Lu Xuan a strange look. Why was this guy suddenly asking about drinking?
Unable to figure it out, Wang Youqing left, puzzled.
Once Wang Youqing left, Lu Xuan, having nothing better to do, went directly to the herbal medicine room and got a prescription.
Chaihu, Scutellaria baicalensis, ginseng, Pinellia, Baked Licorice, fresh ginger, Chinese Dates.
Anyone studying Chinese medicine would probably quickly think of a prescription upon seeing these ingredients.
Little Chaihu Decoction.
For Lesser Yang Disease in cold pathogenic disease, where the pathogen is half interior and half exterior, symptoms like alternating chills and fever, discomfort in the chest and ribs, disinterest in eating, irritability, nausea, bitter taste, dry throat, dizziness, with a thin white tongue coating and wiry pulse, Little Chaihu Decoction can be used.
However, Lu Xuan also knew another use for the Little Chaihu Decoction.
It can help with alcohol detoxification.
It's common knowledge that drinking damages the liver, which Lu Xuan, having studied Chinese medicine, naturally knew.
After preparing the medicine, Lu Xuan had no intention of taking it for free. He took his medical insurance card to pay for it.
But just as he was about to leave, a voice in his ear stopped him:
"The Little Chaihu Decoction can indeed help with alcohol detoxification, but adding Atractylodes and Polygonum would make it even better."
"Chaihu's voice is heard for the first time!"
"Seems like Dr. Lu's knowledge isn't quite there yet!"
Ignoring the latter comments, Lu Xuan turned back into the herbal medicine room and added Atractylodes and Polygonum to the Little Chaihu Decoction.
"Dry ginger, that was premature of you. Dr. Lu's skills aren't bad; even Aconite agreed."
Dry Ginger: ...
"That's something he remembered later. He's still not that skilled. If he were, he would've added those to the prescription from the start."
Lu Xuan isn't one to hold grudges, but this time, he made a mental note about Dry Ginger. Indeed, it's a hot-tempered herb.
With the alcohol-detoxifying prescription ready, Lu Xuan paid on the external machine before returning to the consultation room.
He had just sat down when a stranger's inquiry came from the door: "Is this the Chinese medicine department?"
"I'm looking for Dr. Lu from the Chinese medicine department."
Lu Xuan turned his head, pausing for a moment before he quickly responded, "That's me."
"You're Dr. Lu?"
Wang Shengyu's voice carried a hint of surprise. Although she had heard Dr. Lu was very young, seeing him in person was still a shock.
So young.
For some reason, upon seeing Lu Xuan's young face, any hope Wang Shengyu had crumbled into despair.
Could such a young Chinese medicine doctor really do it?
Doubt filled Wang Shengyu's mind. She was already thinking of leaving, but she felt that might be too hurtful. Besides, since she was already here, checking wouldn't hurt. If nothing else, she could book a flight to Beijing later.
She had already given up on going to the Ninth Hospital nearby. After multiple visits, it had always been the same.
Moreover, her mother's condition couldn't wait any longer.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Lu."
Lu Xuan nodded, turning his gaze to Li Qinxue, who was sitting in a wheelchair: "Auntie, where does it hurt?"
Lu Xuan's courteous concern gained quite a bit of favor with Wang Shengyu.
"Young as he may be, he's still more polite than many doctors at the hospital."
Wang Shengyu thought to herself, as she wheeled her mother, Li Qinxue, into the consultation room, briefly explaining the situation.
Urinary retention.
After listening, a word floated up in Lu Xuan's mind.
In Western medicine, it's called urinary retention, also known as urinary obstruction.
Urinary retention can be divided into excess and deficiency. Excess is often due to damp-heat, qi stagnation, or blood stasis hindering the flow of qi; deficiency is often due to weak middle qi or kidney yang leading to flow disruption.
Modern medicine mainly treats this surgically, but that's the Western approach.
"Dr. Lu, can Chinese medicine treat my mom's condition?"
"We've been to the Ninth Hospital several times, and even to the City First Hospital. But after the surgery, there hasn't been any improvement, and it's only getting worse." Wang Shengyu's face was full of concern.
Lu Xuan didn't speak right away. He waited for Wang Shengyu to finish before reassuring her: "It's hard to say right now; let me check the pulse first."
Wang Shengyu placed her mother Li Qinxue's arm on the pulse pillow, and Lu Xuan placed his fingers on her wrist.
Li Qinxue's pulse was weak, almost like Zhang Song's condition.
Although not as severe as Zhang Song, it wasn't much better.
But reflecting on it, it made sense.
Half a month without urinating—never mind a patient post-surgery, even a healthy person would be half-dead.
"Tongue."
This didn't require Wang Shengyu's assistance. Li Qinxue could manage this herself.
She stuck out her tongue, and Lu Xuan took a close look. The tongue coating was white and slippery, with cracks.
A white, slippery tongue coating generally indicates conditions like spleen and stomach cold deficiency or accumulation of cold and dampness internally.
This could result from qi and blood deficiency or insufficient yang qi causing spleen and stomach cold deficiency. As for the accumulation of cold and dampness internally, it could be due to external cold exposure, but clearly, Li Qinxue wasn't an external cold case; it was more likely an internal injury, with the pathogen still at the defensive level.
Considering the presence of tongue cracks along with her advanced age, a severe illness with damage is apparent; the treatment plan would naturally involve Qi Replenishing and elevating Yang to address prolapse.
Lu Xuan had already devised a treatment plan in his mind.
Still, he waited.
After a while, Lu Xuan revealed a satisfied smile, perhaps the most satisfied since coming to the health center.
His diagnosis matched those guys' descriptions almost perfectly.
The condition was severe old-age illness damage, lung qi deficiency unable to regulate water pathways, and the primary approach would be supporting the proper qi with Qi Replenishing Soup.
However, there was a difference: the amount of Dried Astragalus Root in the Qi Replenishing Soup was increased fourfold, and white aconite was added to the prescription.
Initially, Lu Xuan didn't understand the reasoning for this adjustment, but upon hearing Astragalus's explanation, it became clear.
Astragalus replenishes qi, while white aconite helps transform decay and regenerate flesh, so the two can expedite wound healing.
However, merely taking Qi Replenishing Soup might not suffice, and it would depend on the specifics after medication for further analysis.
Lu Xuan prepared the prescription and instructed: "Once home, start brewing immediately. After drinking the medicine, if there's an appetite, thirst, and urge to urinate but still no urination occurs, come by in the afternoon."
"Huh?"
Holding the medicine, Wang Shengyu seemed a bit at a loss: "Come back in the afternoon?"
Lu Xuan nodded, "Yes, though it might not be necessary; we'll have to see. If all goes well, your mother's urinary retention should be curable."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Thank...thank you, Dr. Lu!"
Wang Shengyu expressed her gratitude repeatedly while holding the medicine, then wheeled Li Qinxue out of the Chinese medicine consultation room.
"Though there was help from those guys, I've made significant progress."
Clenching his fists, Lu Xuan brimmed with ambition.
For the long march, he had finally taken the first step.