Atractylodes and Phellodendron Powder
Acupuncture point selection.
Su Ziyang selected acupoints according to standard procedure: one needle at Hegu, one needle at Taichong, and one needle at Zusanli.
The knee was treated primarily with the Five Knee Needles technique, while the Jing-Well point next to the big toe was lightly pricked to release a small amount of blood.
Although the acupuncture point selection is not complicated, the technique is very important. Since gout is a hot pain, Su Ziyang used the "Heaven-Penetrating Coolness" acupuncture technique.
The "Heaven-Penetrating Coolness" technique utilizes the method of "release" to achieve a sensation in the body.
Therefore, the formula for the Heaven-Penetrating Coolness acupuncture method is as follows:
"Heaven-Penetrating Coolness it can dispel heat; three steps forward and one step back, and it's icy cold. Inhale once through your mouth and exhale five times through your nose."
The whole body feels like it's on fire, and the heat keeps rising. If you add a cooling method, the heat will naturally dissipate in a short time.
Su Ziyang intended to use this method to eliminate the heat toxins from this person's body.
Su Ziyang held acupuncture needles in his hand, located the acupoints, disinfected them with alcohol, and held the needles securely.
After breaking the skin and inserting the needle, Su Ziyang began to perform a twisting technique when the needle was about one inch deep.
At this point, twist the fingers six times, not too fast. Six is an yin number. After performing the twisting technique several times...
Su Ziyang slowly withdrew the needle halfway out; now the needle was about halfway inside the acupoint.
At this point, the lifting and inserting technique should be used, specifically the lifting and inserting release method. This involves quickly pushing the needle outwards and then slowly inserting it back in.
After repeating this process about three times, Su Ziyang suddenly felt the needle tip sink under his finger, like a fish biting a hook.
"Got it!"
Su Ziyang sighed inwardly. Once he could achieve this feeling with his technique, he gently lifted the needle slightly. He could then naturally feel the coolness on the acupoint.
This is a very simple method of purging. If you are a beginner in acupuncture and are not good at the techniques of Tonification and Sedation by Following and Opposing and the twisting and turning motion, then you can use this very simple method.
After Deqi at the acupoint, gently lift it upwards by about the distance of a mung bean; this is called the "dissipation method".
After Deqi, gently insert the needle downwards by the distance of a mung bean; this is the tonifying method.
This is called "lifting beans" and "inserting beans".
A very simple method of tonification and purgation.
If the "Heaven-Penetrating Coolness" technique doesn't work the first time, then repeat the operation.
Success depends on whether one can hold the needle and focus their mind, and whether one can achieve mental concentration; this is the most important thing.
Secondly, there's the issue of proficiency in the technique. More practice and increased proficiency can significantly improve the success rate of the technique.
"It's cooler now, more comfortable?"
People who practice qigong have a sense of qi, so they are naturally more sensitive to changes in qi than ordinary people. Su Ziyang Su Ziyang a cool sensation under the needles, so he asked.
"It doesn't feel like being stabbed with a knife anymore, but it still hurts."
The patient's words were very reasonable, and the pain had indeed been relieved to a great extent.
"Okay. Let's do the acupuncture for a while. I'll write you a prescription. After I remove the needles, you can go and get the medicine. Once you get home, decoct one dose and take it immediately."
Su Ziyang patted the patient on the shoulder, and the patient nodded, closed his eyes, and waited.
It doesn't hurt as much as before, so overall it's bearable to some extent.
For gout, there are usually two approaches.
According to the classic prescriptions in the book "Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet", the first option is Cinnamon Twig, Peony Root and Anemarrhena Decoction.
The original text reads, "For pain in all joints, emaciation, swollen feet as if detached, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a feeling of nausea, Cinnamon Twig, Peony Root and Anemarrhena Decoction is the main treatment."
The word "" (wāng) has two interpretations.
The first one, as a noun, refers to a condition characterized by curvature of the shins, spine, or chest.
The second meaning is thin and weak.
Therefore, this prescription can also treat some diseases similar to rheumatoid arthritis.
This prescription comes from the fifth chapter of the "Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet," which discusses stroke, arthritis, and related symptoms. The prescription is as follows:
Cinnamon twig (4 liang), peony root (3 liang), licorice root (2 liang), ephedra (2 liang), fresh ginger (5 liang), atractylodes rhizome (5 liang), anemarrhena rhizome (4 liang), saposhnikovia root (4 liang), prepared aconite root (2 pieces).
This formula is also effective in treating gout.
Another prescription is called "Atractylodes and Phellodendron Powder," which comes from the book * Golden Mirror of Medicine *. The mnemonic verse for it is as follows:
"Damp-heat accumulation in the feet, cypress,"
Two-Miao Niu Du Ji Gua Xiong,
The waist feels like it's covered with damp phlegm.
Stewed kidneys with salt and pepper were indeed effective.
The Atractylodes and Phellodendron Powder includes Atractylodes lancea, Phellodendron chinense, Achyranthes bidentata, Eucommia ulmoides, Stephania tetrandra, Chaenomeles speciosa, and Ligusticum chuanxiong.
This prescription is mainly for treating lower back pain, which moves downwards and causes damp heat to flow to the feet, which is what the prescription means by "heat flowing into the feet".
Since gout usually starts in the big toe, it's actually very similar to damp-heat accumulation in the feet.
Therefore, based on the severity of this person's pain, Su Ziyang thought for a moment and modified the two prescriptions, that is, combined the two prescriptions into one.
A prescription was written with Atractylodes and Phellodendron Powder as the main formula, plus several herbs from Cinnamon Twig, Peony and Anemarrhena Decoction.
Atractylodes lancea 15g
15g of Phellodendron bark
12g of Achyranthes bidentata
8g of Eucommia ulmoides
8g of Fangji
8g of papaya
Chuanxiong 6g
Anemarrhena asphodeloides 8g
5g of white peony root
7 pay.
One of the herbs, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, requires further explanation.
The book * Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica of Materia Medica* describes Anemarrhena as follows:
It tastes bitter and is cold in nature. It is mainly used to treat thirst, internal heat, eliminate pathogenic factors, treat edema of the limbs, promote urination, replenish deficiencies, and boost qi.
Su Ziyang added Anemarrhena asphodeloides, mainly to treat his swollen toes and knees, and to dissolve the fluid within them.
After writing the prescription, Su Ziyang performed acupuncture on the patient. The pain relief was very effective at this point, and the patient was almost pain-free.
After removing the acupuncture needles, the patient sat up, gently moved his joints, and then got out of bed.
"How was it?"
Su Ziyang asked him to sit down, and the patient limped to his seat and nodded. "It doesn't hurt as much as before, doctor, my medicine is ready."
"Okay, it's all prescribed. Remember to avoid certain foods while taking the medication. I won't go into too much detail about what you should avoid, you've probably already looked that up online, right?"
Su Ziyang pointed to the prescription that had been sent out on the computer.
"Hey, doctor. Let me ask, how long do I need to abstain from these foods?"
The patient's words stunned Su Ziyang. There's an old saying that goes, "Better to have a sore oozing pus than to suffer poverty from a bad mouth."
"Um... do you usually have a lot of social engagements?" Su Ziyang asked in return.
The patient smiled a little sheepishly, "Oh, it's not really a social obligation. It's just that, well, it's summer now, so if we don't grab some skewers and a few draft beers, wouldn't summer be wasted?"
"Smack!"
Before Su Ziyang could speak, the person following behind the patient slapped him hard across the neck.
"Damn it, look at his toes, and he's still talking about small beers. You're just waiting for amputation! You idiot."
Su Ziyang was amused and chuckled twice, saying, "Alright, alright. Be careful when taking your medicine lately. You can have a treat when you're better!"
"Okay, okay! Thank you, doctor!"