March 24, 2014

10. He Hongxia: My child is three and a half years old, 1.05 meters tall, and weighs 19 kilograms. The child has had a fever for four days. Hospital tests showed mostly normal results, but the tonsils are swollen. The doctor prescribed antibiotics for four days, switching types each day, yet the child still develops a fever at home, especially at night when the temperature can reach 39°C. Are there better treatment options?

Answer: Simply changing antibiotic types every day will not necessarily improve the condition. Tonsillitis can cause recurrent fevers; both Western and traditional Chinese medicine can be effective. Compared with Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine is more flexible and equally effective, but it requires syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment.

March 24, 2014

1. Yichuan

My son is 1 year and 7 months old and has a bladder hernia that appeared 53 days after birth. Despite trying many methods, it has not healed. Now he sleeps normally. When should we schedule surgery?

Answer: Surgery should be performed as early as possible. It is recommended to go to a large hospital where anesthesia conditions are well-equipped. General anesthesia is not necessary; epidural anesthesia is sufficient, which minimizes harm to the child’s intellectual development. Of course, choosing general anesthesia has its advantages too: the child won’t cry, and parents won’t panic.

2. Liang Xiaoyu

Female, 24 years old, unmarried. In recent months, she has felt pain in the anterior superior iliac spine. Sometimes, an improper sleeping position causes some abdominal pain, and she also experiences lower back pain before and after menstruation. An ultrasound shows 1 cm of fluid accumulation in the fallopian tube. Is this a serious problem?

Answer: Not really. All the symptoms you described can be explained by gynecological inflammation. You should seek treatment promptly; otherwise, the condition may worsen and lead to numerous complications and comorbidities.

3. Yingmei

My husband is 48 years old. After his first gallstone surgery, a lump resembling a breast grew at the incision site, reportedly because the inner layer was not properly sutured. He underwent a second surgery a year later, and now, four to five years later, another mass has appeared at the incision site. The diagnosis is subcutaneous soft tissue scar tissue, and pathology shows no abnormalities. Do we need a third surgery? Are there any other treatment options?

Answer: If there is no discomfort, surgery is unnecessary. For people with a scar-prone constitution, each surgery leaves behind surgical scars.

4. Suiyuan

I experience dizziness, headaches, and restless sleep. What could be the cause, and what medications can I take to regulate these symptoms?

Answer: Dizziness and headaches are very complex syndromes. Hypertension, anemia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, cervical spondylosis, and other conditions can all cause headaches. Only by identifying the exact cause can we provide targeted treatment.

5. Serving RMB

Male, 50 years old, with a family history of hypertension, normal heart rhythm. Can he use traditional Chinese medicine for conditioning?

Answer: You already meet the criteria for hypertension and arteriosclerosis, so early treatment is essential. Taking appropriate symptomatic medications is sufficient. In addition to medication, you should also increase exercise, maintain a light diet, and manage your emotions to keep your mood relaxed.

6. Yang Jianjun

Male, 37 years old, with frequent atrial premature beats. Does traditional Chinese medicine have any good treatments for this condition?

Answer: Frequent atrial premature beats are milder than frequent ventricular premature beats, but they are still pathological phenomena that require treatment. For young adults in their thirties with normal blood pressure, the first consideration should be rheumatic heart disease. Western medicine offers relatively few drugs for treating this condition; amiodarone is the first choice, followed by beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Traditional Chinese medicine has many methods for treating this condition and allows flexible syndrome differentiation, so you can consult an experienced local TCM doctor.

7. Meng Xiaohu

What causes bilateral anterior cerebral artery spasm, and how should it be treated?

Answer: About 80% of cerebral artery spasms originate from cerebral arteriosclerosis. Such patients may experience transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Regular blood pressure monitoring, lipid and blood sugar checks, and prompt treatment upon detection of problems are essential.

8. tzhzhx

What medication is best for epididymitis?

Answer: Traditional Chinese medicines for treating epididymitis include Tiantai Wuyao San and Nuangan Wan. If there is no pain but hard lumps, it may be epididymal tuberculosis, which can be treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs.

9. Chen Yuan

I have had colitis for several years, and many traditional Chinese medicines have not been very effective. Recently, I saw a single prescription online (roasted hawthorn slices mixed with liquor, then added water and brown sugar). Since it only uses common ingredients, I tried it a few times and noticed some improvement. Can I take it long-term?

Answer: Colitis usually comes in the following types: ① allergic colitis; ② ulcerative colitis; ③ irritable bowel syndrome. The treatment methods for these three types differ. Hawthorn is a commonly used herb in TCM for treating gastrointestinal diseases. Preparing it as you described does seem to work, but I personally have no experience with this approach.

10. Qianqian Tian Tian

A teacher of mine has gastric lymphoma. Online sources say this disease is difficult to cure. I’d like to ask: Can modern medical technology completely cure it?

Answer: Most malignant lymphomas of the digestive tract belong to the non-Hodgkin category. Chemotherapy is effective but not curative. Using traditional Chinese medicine in combination with chemotherapy can not only alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy but also slow down disease progression and prevent recurrence.

11. Modern Communication

My child is constipated and often goes three to four days without a bowel movement. What should we do in this situation, Dr. Pei?

Answer: Constipated children often eat too little fiber-rich food and prefer meat, eggs, and dairy products while avoiding vegetables. We should adjust their diet and encourage more physical activity.

12. eling

My mother has been diagnosed with neurogenic tinnitus and now gets zero sleep. She has tried many medications without success. What should we do?

Answer: Sleep is crucial for life; without sleep, there is no energy. Long-term lack of sleep can disrupt the body’s overall functions, and tinnitus is just one small part of this dysfunction. Therefore, treating insomnia is the top priority. Once sleep problems are solved, other issues will naturally ease, and tinnitus will no longer be a concern.

13. If Love Continues

Female, 27 years old, healthy, dreams every night, feels tired and listless during the day, has difficulty concentrating, sometimes feels dizzy, and dreams continuously whenever she falls asleep. What could be the cause, and how should it be treated?

Answer: Dreaming during sleep is itself a problem. Sleep quality can be divided into: ① deep sleep without dreams is the best; ② shallow sleep with dreams is medium; dreams with memory are slightly better, while those without memory are slightly worse; ③ inability to sleep is the worst. The next day’s mental state is closely related to these three types of sleep. Therefore, in TCM, treating poor sleep without dreams is called “calming the spirit,” while treating poor sleep with dreams is called “calming the soul.” Herbal remedies combined with Western medications like diazepam can achieve ideal results.

14. WSL

My father has advanced pancreatic cancer and cannot undergo chemotherapy or surgery. He suffers from diarrhea, lower back pain, and vague abdominal pain. Currently, he takes Fenbid for pain relief, which works reasonably well. What kind of treatment would you recommend for his symptoms?

Answer: Pancreatic cancer is known as the “king of cancers.” Its incidence has been increasing year by year, and its mortality rate and rapid progression make it the most aggressive malignancy. If convenient, I suggest coming to my clinic.

15. Xu Tian

Two masses have grown inside my thymus. The doctor says they might be fibroids and recommends surgery. Is this dangerous, and are there any side effects?

Answer: If there is no discomfort, surgery can be postponed. Although the thymus’s function has declined, it remains a potential factor influencing the immune system, and improper handling could lead to a series of adverse effects.

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March 26, 2014

1. Hu Shujuan

I suffer from allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal turbinate hypertrophy, and have nasal polyps on one side. What good solutions are there?

Answer: Allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps reinforce each other, and repeated infections lead to sinusitis. Surgical treatment can be effective, but it is not a cure. Traditional Chinese medicine is also effective for this condition, but long-term medication is required, and symptoms of allergic rhinitis and sinusitis will gradually improve.

2. A Confused Life

Can pregnant women receive injections or take medication for colds and coughs? I have a cough that keeps me awake at night. Today I went to the hospital, and the doctor prescribed Jin Hua Pian for pregnant women and Fei Li Ke mixture, plus intravenous drips. The Fei Li Ke mixture contains (Scutellaria baicalensis, Peucedanum praeruptorum, Stemona tuberosa, Carthamus tinctorius, Gentiana scabra, Paulownia root, Hedyotis diffusa, and Red Tube Medicine), but the outer packaging warns pregnant women to use it with caution. Dr. Pei, is this medicine safe for pregnant women? Do you have any good prescriptions?

Answer: It’s best not to take it. All Western medicines are synthetic chemical or biological preparations, which can easily cross the placental barrier and have a significant impact on the fetus.

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