8. Love to Strive but Can’t Win

Question: Male, 25 years old. Recently, I suddenly feel pain in my right ear when I open my mouth wide or clench my teeth. What could be the cause, and what medicine should I take?

Answer: You may have temporomandibular joint inflammation. Massage and physiotherapy can be effective, and general painkillers also work. To achieve a cure, you’ll need traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment.

Sticking together, easily obstructing the flow of qi; when qi flow is blocked, pain occurs. Using wind-dispelling and dampness-resolving medicines is effective. It is recommended to try Duohuo Jisheng Wan, Jiuwei Qianghuo Wan, and Guifu Bawei Wan.

---

8. Feng Yamei

Question: I’d like to ask—my father has advanced liver cancer, and CT scans show that only one-fifth of his liver remains. He’s already in pain. Can it still be treated?

Answer: Based on my experience with advanced liver cancer, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all unsuitable. Only traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment can prolong life. Even traditional Chinese medicine doesn’t necessarily have to use powerful herbs. As the Inner Canon says, “For mild cases, reverse the pattern; for severe cases, follow the pattern.”

---

9. Su Jin Nian Shi

Question: My mother is 52 years old and has been diagnosed with cervical spondylosis. She has had dizziness for a month, but her blood pressure is normal. What else could be causing this dizziness? When she sits up, her head feels very swollen.

<!-- translated-chunk:25/53 -->

Answer: After cholecystectomy, post-cholecystectomy syndrome may occur, including inflammation of the gallbladder stump, bile duct dilatation, calculus calcification, and bile reflux gastritis. It is recommended to take Chaihu Shugan Wan and Xiaoyao Wan for a long period.

---

3. Junjun

Question: Due to bile reflux, my stomach has now prolapsed by 7 cm. I don't know what to do. My chest on both sides always feels bloated, and taking Muxiang Shunqi Wan makes it much better. Some doctors say that anti-inflammatory drugs should not be taken for this condition, and I also feel that the more I take anti-inflammatory drugs, the worse the burning sensation in my stomach becomes.

Answer: You have bile reflux gastritis combined with gastric prolapse. Patients like you often experience frequent hiccups and burning sensation in the epigastric region in addition to pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen. It is recommended to take an acid-suppressing Western medicine, such as omeprazole or pantoprazole, and additionally try Chaihu Shugan Wan and Xiangsha Liujun Wan.

4. Xiaoxiao

Male, 24 years old, from Wushan County, Gansu Province, with an 8-year history of masturbation. Currently experiencing frequent nocturnal emissions and tinnitus. Also has had superficial gastritis for nearly 8 years, mainly feeling discomfort before and after meals. How should this be treated?

Answer: First, maintain a relaxed mood and do not feel regretful or inferior due to your long-term history of masturbation; instead, bravely face the future. Second, increase physical exercise and try taking Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Jingui Shenqi Wan, or Xiangsha Liujun Wan. If there is still no improvement after one month of oral medication, consult a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for syndrome differentiation and treatment.

---

5. The Vanishing Youth

A blood test at the hospital confirmed gout. I've heard that this disease is a "disease of the wealthy." Can it be completely cured?

Answer: First, you should temporarily abstain from meat, eggs, and dairy products, and even plant-based proteins like tofu should be avoided. Second, drink plenty of water and increase physical activity; fasting is an effective method for treating gout. If you can persist in losing one-fifth of your body weight, gout may resolve on its own without treatment. Western medicines such as probenecid, colchicine, and allopurinol can lower uric acid levels, but they have significant side effects and are not suitable for long-term use. Traditional Chinese medicine offers many prescriptions, but their efficacy is slow and requires long-term medication.

---

6. Liu Dao

I have suffered from tinnitus for many years. I am 39 years old this year. Is this due to kidney yin deficiency or kidney yang deficiency? What medicine should I take?

Answer: Kidney deficiency can cause tinnitus, but not all cases of tinnitus are caused by kidney deficiency. The most common causes of tinnitus, besides kidney deficiency, include catarrhal otitis media, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and recurrent colds leading to eustachian tube inflammation. Treatment must be targeted according to the specific cause to be effective.

---

7. Haozai

What information can be gleaned from the following test results? Hepatitis B surface antigen—positive; Hepatitis B surface antibody—negative; Hepatitis B e antigen—negative; Hepatitis B e antibody—positive; Hepatitis B core antibody—positive.

Answer: You have "small three positive" hepatitis B, which means the virus is not actively replicating. If there are no symptoms, you are considered a hepatitis B virus carrier. If symptoms are present, it is classified as chronic hepatitis. The term "hepatitis B virus carrier" has been phased out since the 21st century, and all such liver diseases are now categorized as chronic hepatitis.

---

8. Citizens

Male, with loose, foul-smelling stools that are often unformed, abdominal distension, excessive flatulence, and a dull ache in a horizontal line above the navel when palpated. When squatting, there is a dull ache in the right upper quadrant. A routine physical exam reveals no abnormalities. What could be the cause? What traditional Chinese medicines can be used for conditioning?

Answer: Your right flank pain suggests possible cholecystitis, while the pain above the navel may indicate chronic gastritis. Loose stools could be due to gastrointestinal syndrome. My preliminary diagnosis is: first, chronic gastritis combined with gastrointestinal syndrome; second, chronic cholecystitis. The term "gastrointestinal syndrome" was first proposed by Japanese researchers, but the international medical community now refers to it as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

---

9. Sasha

My child is eight months old and has thrush, which keeps recurring. Is there any way to cure it completely?

Answer: Thrush is caused by Candida albicans. Garlic, vinegar, and nystatin can all be used for treatment. If these methods are ineffective, it may not be a fungal infection. The key is to check whether there is a white membrane on the ulcer site. If there is no white membrane, it may be a simple ulcer, and the treatment approach will be different.

---

10. Elderly Person

My son is ten and a half months old and has very poor immunity, often getting sick. He has been hospitalized twice since birth, and I’ve lost count of how many times he’s had a fever. Last month on the 28th, he developed a fever due to pharyngitis, and since then he keeps relapsing—getting better for two or three days only to have another fever. Now he has severe coughing, runny nose, and fevers every two or three days. We’ve given him intravenous fluids and antibiotics, but it keeps recurring. How should pharyngitis be treated? How can his immunity be improved?

Answer: Your child has chronic pharyngitis combined with tonsillitis, and possibly chronic rhinitis as well. Children with these conditions tend to catch colds repeatedly. The key is to first treat chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, or chronic rhinitis, and at the same time consider oral or injectable thymosin preparations.

---

11. Li Hanjun

What should be done about duodenal diverticulum?

Answer: Duodenal diverticulum is relatively difficult to treat. Patients often experience pain and discomfort in the epigastric region, which subsides when lying down but worsens when standing. If there is no inflammation, symptoms may remain absent for a long time. Inflammation usually occurs when food residues enter the diverticulum and cause decay. Very few patients require surgery due to severe pain, while most can achieve symptom relief through traditional Chinese medicine treatment.

---

12. Xiao Song

Is cryptogenic cirrhosis scary? Can it be completely cured? I am 30 years old and feel no discomfort. I was hospitalized at Xiangya Hospital in Changsha for more than ten days and underwent comprehensive examinations, all of which were normal. The final diagnosis was decompensated cryptogenic cirrhosis. I don’t want to take medication every day! How should I treat it?

Answer: I’m not familiar with cryptogenic cirrhosis. There used to be a concept called cryptogenic liver disease, but since the 21st century, most of these cases have been classified as autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis, in addition to liver-related symptoms, requires at least one or two positive autoimmune antibodies, the most common being antinuclear antibody (ANA) and smooth muscle antibody (SMA).

---

13. Su Yu Er An

Female, 25 years old, with persistent sweating of the palms and soles, especially in summer. How should this condition be treated?

Answer: If the only symptom is excessive sweating, it is likely due to autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Such patients should undergo a comprehensive examination. For a young woman of 25, the first step is to check for gynecological issues, such as adnexitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, or menstrual irregularities, as these can easily lead to endocrine and autonomic nervous system disorders.

---

May 22, 2014

1. Ding Zhen

Patient, 50 years old, male, with long-term headaches due to post-concussion sequelae. What medicine should he take?

Answer: Start with Xuefu Zhuyu Tang. If it’s difficult to find a TCM doctor for syndrome differentiation and treatment, there are currently no suitable Western medicines available.

---

2. Ding Zhen

A 17-year-old child suffered a cervical spine fracture that injured the spinal cord, resulting in near-total paralysis. It has been seven or eight months since the injury. Is there any possibility of recovery?

Answer: High-level paraplegia caused by cervical spine fracture damaging the spinal cord not only leads to lifelong disability but can also result in premature death. The chances of recovery are slim. Cervical spine fractures affect the respiratory and circulatory centers, and severe cases can be immediately fatal.

---

3. Walking Among Water Clouds

Female, 25 years old, already gave birth, with poor appetite—feels hungry but eats very little, lacks energy, and her periods are usually delayed by seven days, with breast tenderness before menstruation. She has also had mild gastritis. How can she improve?

Answer: Delayed periods indicate endocrine imbalance, with low estrogen levels leading to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, which in turn causes poor appetite and abdominal distension.

---

4. xcl

My daughter is six years old. Last month, I accidentally discovered small lumps about the size of peanuts on both sides of her throat. After examination, it was diagnosed as tonsillitis. The doctor prescribed some medication and advised a light diet, but after more than a month, there has been little improvement. Dr. Pei, do you have any good treatment methods?

Answer: Chronic tonsillitis can lead to repeated colds, weakening the child’s immune system. Treatment should be prompt and not neglected. I do not agree with removing the tonsils; conservative internal medicine treatment should be tried first. The tonsils are immune organs located at the intersection of the upper respiratory tract and digestive tract. Removing them is like plugging one’s ears while stealing bells—it removes the sentry post, destroys the Great Wall, and leaves lifelong consequences for the child.

---

5. Chenxian Rescue

My friend’s father is 51 years old. Recently, a tumor was found in his abdominal cavity (8.0 cm × 8.8 cm × 10.3 cm), located in the right retroperitoneum. There is currently no metastasis, and the diagnosis suggests a high probability of neurogenic lesion. The patient has no symptoms, and the doctor does not recommend surgery. How should this be treated?

Answer: Yes, a neurogenic disease should be considered, but malignant lymphoma and other tumors should also be ruled out, as well as teratomas. If there are no symptoms, temporary observation is acceptable, but a definitive diagnosis is necessary, and a biopsy may be required if needed.

---

6. Shen Hua

There is a one-centimeter stone in my right hepatic bile duct. Is there any way to remove it?

Answer: A one-centimeter stone can be removed, primarily through conservative internal medicine treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine has a relatively high success rate in removing such stones.

---

7. Amy

Female, 27 years old, married, experiences breast pain and severe soreness from the tailbone up to the waist in the week before each menstrual cycle, waking up in pain in the middle of the night, along with soreness in the calves.

May 23, 2014