I Can Hear the Heart's Voice of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chapter 545 - 233: Angelica Sini Decoction with Evodia rutaecarpa and Ginger

The young woman frowned, clearly not quite understanding what Lu Xuan meant.

Just as she was about to ask, Lu Xuan smiled and explained, "Why do we need patient cooperation?"

"Actually, it’s quite simple. The prescribed medicine must be taken as directed; you can’t skip doses or alter the dosage. Sure, some medicines may not reach their optimal effect due to various reasons, but patient cooperation is still crucial."

At this point, Lu Xuan paused for a moment and then continued, "Why is it that prescriptions from traditional Chinese medicine practitioners typically cover three or seven days, rarely extending to half a month or even a month’s supply?

There’s a reason behind this. Many believe that Chinese medicine is less effective than Western medicine, but that’s not necessarily the case. As long as the diagnosis is accurate, the effectiveness of Chinese medicine can be comparable to or even exceed that of Western medicine.

Initially, after taking medicine for a few days, the condition improves, but if you keep taking it beyond what’s needed, the excess could disrupt the body’s yin-yang balance, causing physical ailments."

The young woman seemed to be pondering.

She appeared to understand, but also seemed uncertain.

Lu Xuan knew that while his words were simple to grasp, for someone unacquainted with traditional Chinese medicine, fully comprehending them wasn’t easy.

He didn’t dwell too much on this, instead returning to the main topic: "Having talked about yin and yang, let’s discuss why there’s menstrual pain?

Nowadays, many young women suffer from this issue, and it mainly manifests as cold-induced menstruation pain, which I believe accounts for over 80%, especially among young, unmarried women. Hence, today we are focusing on how to manage cold-induced menstruation pain.

When it comes to cold-induced dysmenorrhea, we must mention a formula."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiuwen immediately perked up his ears.

Zhang Guangli seemed to have guessed something, yet remained composed, keeping his eyes on Lu Xuan.

"This formula is from Zhang Zhongjing’s ’Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases’, the ’Angelica Sini Decoction with Evodia rutaecarpa and Ginger.’ It’s known for its immediate effect in treating cold-induced menstrual pain."

Lu Xuan smiled at Zhang Guangli: "Zhang Guangli, being an experienced practitioner in traditional Chinese medicine, should know this formula, right?"

"Though my expertise isn’t in this area, I am quite familiar with this formula."

Zhang Guangli nodded: "When I first got into Chinese medicine, I heard about it from my father, and now most students in this field start with cold pathogenic diseases. Most of the formulas in that text are well-known, but how to apply them and in what conditions is subject to personal judgment.

But I did have a hunch when Dr. Lu mentioned the formula, and it turns out I wasn’t wrong."

Lu Xuan was not at all surprised that Zhang Guangli knew the formula.

This County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine director might not be as skilled as Huang Beishan and others, but to hold this position, he had to have some competence.

Without some capability, he wouldn’t be in his seat for long before being replaced.

A hospital director may not know everything, but, at a minimum, must be familiar with cold pathogenic diseases.

Being familiar with cold pathogenic diseases, knowing this formula is as certain as can be.

Zhang Guangli pondered for a moment and continued, "I know the formula, but regarding the cold-induced type Dr. Lu mentioned, I have some doubts. I have some insights on judging it, but haven’t encountered many such cases. I wonder if Dr. Lu could elaborate more?"

"What is characterized as the cold-induced type?"

Lu Xuan smiled slightly, answering his own question: "The cold-induced type has a few main characteristics, starting with the tongue, which usually appears pale.

Some people may be slightly overweight. The tongue coating is thin and white, and if combined with a stagnant constitution, there may be variations like dark spots or pattern-like spots, which are common.

The body type is generally moderate or somewhat plump but not excessively. Such people usually have a small appetite, feeling full after eating a little.

Their complexion isn’t particularly rosy, typically appearing pale, and their digestion and absorption are generally mediocre.

They’re also usually sensitive to cold and prefer warmth. For instance, they may have cold hands and feet and prefer to drink warm water and eat warm food, rather than cold, and tend to be introverted.

Why is cold constitution-related menstrual pain so common?

In many cases, the pain is severe as menstruation begins but gradually eases after a few days.

This is primarily due to deficiency and coldness.

What conditions might deficiency and coldness generate?"

At this point, Lu Xuan looked at Zhang Guangli and Ji Xiuwen.

"Stasis!" Zhang Guangli, after a moment of thought, blurted out.

"Correct, stasis leads to pain."

Lu Xuan nodded with a smile: "Let’s take a common example: in summer, when the weather is hot, water doesn’t freeze easily. It’s simple logic—water only freezes below zero degrees, but above zero, it doesn’t. In winter, with cold weather, water freezes easily.

Our body’s fluids are the same; when it’s warm, the fluids vaporize, speeding up the flow, but when it’s cold, the flow slows down.