Catching the Jumping Lump
"Can I really watch it?"
Su Ziyang was a little unsure of the old lady's open-mindedness, so he quickly asked her again.
"Look at you, such a slowpoke, grown man." Liu Jinyu gave Su Ziyang another push from behind.
Su Ziyang then stood by the bed.
"Auntie, can I ask you something?"
Su Ziyang looked at Old Madam Liu with a smile.
"Go ahead and ask!" Old Madam Liu's voice regained its warm and friendly tone.
As she spoke, Old Madam Liu continued to massage Er Biao's stomach without stopping.
"I also experienced your technique; you did it on my friend, and I watched. I really don't know what you were touching. After going home, I tried it a few more times, but I couldn't feel anything. What were you touching?!"
Su Ziyang chuckled and voiced his question. Er Biao, who was lying on the bed, opened his eyes and strained his ears, ready to hear the answer.
"Haha. You two kids are quite daring! Touching what? Let me hold your hand and let you touch it, then you'll know what you're touching!"
Old Madam Liu's warm hand grasped Su Ziyang's hand and moved it to Er Biao's stomach. Grandma Liu didn't use too much force when she grasped Su Ziyang's fingers, but Su Ziyang could feel a point throbbing above Er Biao's navel.
"Oh..." Su Ziyang suddenly realized.
"We call it 'jumping bumps.' You see, when this child came last time, the bumps were jumping very fast and very sharply off-center. This time, when you touch it, don't you see that the jumping is slower and gentler?"
Su Ziyang didn't feel any reaction from Er Biao last time, but this time the spot where Er Biao was throbbing was indeed softer, and the throbbing was gentler and slower.
Upon hearing the mention of touching the pulsating object, Su Ziyang suddenly remembered that he had been studying Umbilical Acupuncture recently. Umbilical Acupuncture involves diagnosing illnesses based on the movement and shape of the navel.
Could it be that this massage is used to diagnose illnesses based on the location of the pulsation?
Su Ziyang voiced his thoughts, and Old Madam Liu's smile widened even more, "You really have a knack for this, you're so quick to learn!"
Hearing Old Madam Liu praise him, Su Ziyang scratched his head shyly.
"Lao Geda, tell this young man surnamed Su what the different positions of the 'jumping knot' represent?"
Old Madam Liu intended to test Liu Jinyu, but Liu Jinyu never expected her aunt to suddenly challenge her, and she stammered for a long time without being able to say a word.
"Oh, you child! I just taught you last night! How could you forget already!" Old Madam Liu sighed, sounding somewhat disappointed.
"Oh dear, Auntie. I said I was sleepy last night, but you still insisted I memorize that. I really didn't remember it!" Liu Jinyu pouted, stomped her foot, and whined.
"You! Just like your dad. He's the Lao Geda, and so are you. You've spoiled him rotten, never experiencing any hardship. Last night, you were still playing on your phone past one in the morning, don't think I didn't know!"
When Liu Jinyu realized that her little trick had been exposed by her aunt, she stuck out her tongue, pouted, and looked out the window without saying a word.
"The location of these rashes is related to the condition; different illnesses manifest in different locations."
While explaining to Su Ziyang, Old Madam Liu continued to rub Er Biao's stomach.
"This throbbing lump, located off to the upper left of the patient, indicates indigestion, bloating and pain under the left rib, and reduced appetite. Over time, it can lead to gastritis or gastric atrophy, insufficient blood supply to the heart, and a cold, sore sensation in the right leg."
Old Madam Liu spoke at a moderate pace. Since Su Ziyang had come to learn from her and hadn't brought his usual notebook, he quickly took out his phone and opened Notepad to write things down, "Grandma, please tell me what to say, I'll type it out on my phone and remember it!"
"Good, good, good!" Old Madam Liu exclaimed repeatedly when she saw Su Ziyang typing so diligently.
"If the throbbing lump is located on the upper right side, it can cause cholecystitis and back swelling as described in Western medicine, weakness in the right arm, numbness in the ring and little fingers, sciatica in the left leg, and weakness and soreness in the calf muscles. After walking for a long time, it will appear as if you are walking with a limp."
If the deviation is located above the center of the face, which is the Ren meridian, it can cause hiccups, loss of appetite, anorexia, nausea, dry heaving, abdominal distension and pain, and enlargement of the gastric cardia if it extends upwards. In severe cases, it can form a tumor and further develop into cancer.
If it deviates towards the Chong meridian, it is most likely to affect the head, causing dizziness, lightheadedness, pulsating, throbbing pain, and a feeling of heaviness in the head and lightness in the feet, making it difficult to walk.
If a lump shifts to the upper back, it can cause back pain and stiffness, which can extend upwards to cause neck pain and stiffness (a condition known in Western medicine as "cervical spondylosis"); it can also rise to the brain and cause headaches at the back of the head; over time, it can accumulate blood and form a tumor (due to qi stagnation and blood stasis), leading to a brain tumor.
If the lump is displaced forward and downward, it can cause lower abdominal pain and urinary retention (known in Western medicine as "acute prostatitis"). In women, it can cause uterine prolapse or uterine fibroids.
When the lumbar disc herniation shifts to the posterior position, it causes soreness and pain in the lower back, and the inability to turn or straighten the back. There is also an urgent need to defecate but no bowel movement, and the person walks like a duck (in Western medicine, this is called "acute lumbar disc herniation").
The throbbing pain shifted downwards and backwards, causing numbness and weakness in both legs, loss of mobility, and a dull ache in the sacrum (a condition known in Western medicine as "spinal cord disorder of lower limb paralysis").
If the throbbing lump shifts to the lower left or right, it can initially cause sciatica or stiffness in the leg and wrist muscles; in severe cases, it can cause hip joint pain, leg immobility, and eventually, compression of blood vessels leading to avascular necrosis of the Bones.
Old Madam Liu spoke fluently and without pause, describing various uncomfortable sensations not only in colloquial language but also using formal academic terms from traditional Chinese medicine and even some Western medical diagnoses.
"Auntie, I've remembered everything." Su Ziyang took note of what the old lady said, and respectfully squatted down beside her, watching her technique.
"I used this knowledge a lot when I first started learning it, but I don't use it much anymore."
Old Madam Liu Su Ziyang was surprised that the things he had just painstakingly memorized were useless, so Su Ziyang asked in astonishment, "Why is that, Auntie?"
"Yeah, people were poor back then and couldn't afford to go to the hospital. They'd come here when they had a headache or fever. You not only had to cure them, but you also had to explain what was wrong with them so they knew what was wrong! At least they felt better!"
Old Madam Liu quickly resolved Su Ziyang's doubts. "Now, everyone comes with a hospital diagnosis; they know what's wrong. They're here for treatment, so we don't need to judge their internal problems based on where the thrombus is shifting. We just need to reposition the thrombus and cure their illness!"
"Ah! I understand." Su Ziyang nodded. What the old lady said was absolutely right. She wasn't just talking about her family's traditional medical skills; she was also pointing out the current state of traditional Chinese medicine. Most of the people who came to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor had already sought treatment from Western medicine doctors, and even then, they were helpless.
For example, when a patient comes in, they will directly tell you the name of their illness, "I have gastritis," "I have a myocardial infarction," "I have high blood pressure," or "I have uterine fibroids," instead of saying, "I have stomach pain," "I have chest pain," "I'm dizzy," or "I have abdominal pain."
When standardized, prescribed disease names replace the symptoms that the body experiences itself, is that also a disease?
"So now I'm focusing on technique!"
Old Madam Liu really didn't hide anything and revealed her usual methods.
As she spoke, Old Madam Liu demonstrated several techniques to Su Ziyang:
The first method: Have the patient lie flat on their back on the bed. Stand to one side and place both palms firmly on the patient's lower back muscles. Press and lift the muscles towards the abdominal muscles, reaching the navel area. Repeat this several times.
The second kneading method: The patient lies supine on the bed. Place the palms of your hands, with the tiger's mouth (the area between the thumb and index finger) on the patient's abdominal muscles (i. e., the left hand on the Shangwan acupoint, and the right hand on the Guanyuan or Qihai acupoint). While pressing down with the thenar eminence of both hands, move them towards the center (navel). When approaching the center, reduce the pressure. Repeat the operation, making it feel like your palms are circling.
This technique is one that elderly women often use, and it's also a very effective one.
The third method: The patient lies supine on the bed, while the patient stands to one side. The palm of one hand is placed on the displaced, throbbing lump, and the fingers are firmly pressed downwards. The patient pulls the lump back towards the navel.
The fourth method involves having the patient lie supine on the bed while you stand to the side. Use your fingers to grasp and lift the abdominal muscles around the navel, then gently sway them a few times. The force should be a concentrated upward lift.
The fifth pushing method includes single and double pushing. Single pushing involves pressing the palm of one hand firmly against the skin and applying force downwards or forwards with the heel of the palm. Double pushing involves pressing both palms firmly against the skin simultaneously, with the heels of the palms facing each other, and applying force in opposite directions. This technique is not commonly used, but it is essential for treating headaches, lumbar disc herniation, and Bones necrosis. (Press the ten acupoints on the feet: Yongquan, Kunlun, Chengshan, Weizhong; push on both sides; push in opposite directions on the lower back; then use other techniques such as kneading, stroking, and lifting.)
Su Ziyang was trained in acupuncture and massage. He understood everything the old lady said and could do it immediately. Su Ziyang then imitated the Old Madam Liu's technique on the bed sheet next to him.
Looking at Su Ziyang's soft and nimble hands, Liu Jinyu was amazed. "I never expected a grown man to have such soft hands."
"After all, they're professionals." Su Ziyang said with a hint of pride.
Seeing Su Ziyang's nimble hands, Old Madam Liu pulled Su Ziyang to her seat. "Let's give this little guy a try!"
Old Madam Liu asked Su Ziyang to demonstrate the massage technique on Er Biao. Since it was a rare opportunity to teach him personally, Su Ziyang didn't refuse and immediately placed his hands on Er Biao's stomach, beginning his kneading technique.