The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 312
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 312
“Ah, herbal acupuncture?”
When I mentioned herbal acupuncture while explaining the treatment plan, Kang Joyun looked up with interest.
“The herbal acupuncture was good when I was in pain last time too. Are you using the same thing?”
“Yes. Looking at the records, it was anti-inflammatory herbal acupuncture last time too. I’ll use that for the sternoclavicular joint, and for the muscles including the subclavius, I’ll use a different herbal acupuncture that helps relax them.”
During the previous treatment, my attention had been focused on his mother who was accusing him of faking illness.
Being curious about treatment methods was only possible now that he had some peace of mind, right?
“Isn’t there herbal acupuncture that helps strengthen ligaments? It would be good if something could hold them more firmly.”
Kang Joyun asked.
Of course, there are many types of herbal acupuncture.
There are herbal acupunctures where the key is how much you dilute one main ingredient, like bee venom acupuncture using bee venom, placenta acupuncture using placenta, and bamboo salt acupuncture using salt, while others are prepared by combining various herbal medicines.
When I first started the clinic, I received samples from various external herbal pharmacies and tried them on myself.
I selected and used ones with good medicinal properties that were safe, and now that I have facilities, I’m also conducting additional research.
“There’s naturally herbal acupuncture that’s good for ligament recovery too. But for the sternoclavicular joint that’s hurting now, anti-inflammatory herbal acupuncture is better. Even slight swelling means acute inflammation.”
Personally, I mainly used joint-ligament herbal acupuncture on the joints of elderly patients with long medical histories.
Although it has anti-inflammatory effects, strengthening muscles and bones is the foundation. It was a concept of enhancing the recovery ability of ligaments and joints that had worn down from long use.
Even though cases like Kang Joyun’s are chronic damage from overuse, since he’s young and has sufficient regenerative ability, he’ll recover quickly just by controlling the inflammation.
“Ah, an older brother I know said he got ligament strengthening injections, so I was curious. Please give me whatever I need.”
After I gave him a brief explanation, Kang Joyun nodded, saying he understood.
“Ligament strengthening injections? You got them at a hospital, right? Prolotherapy? DNA injections?”
“Uh… I’m not sure.”
“The fundamental principle is similar. DNA injections use PDRN, which is a partial DNA substance, and prolotherapy injects high-concentration glucose. These trigger inflammatory mechanisms so that damaged ligament cell regeneration and tissue composition can increase.”
“Do they deliberately create inflammation?”
“Yes. That way they proliferate and rearrange to recover into healthy ligaments.”
And actually, that’s the original principle of these injections… The reason people typically feel better right after getting the injection is because they mix in lidocaine, a local anesthetic, under the pretext of reducing the pain of the injection procedure.
The ratio of lidocaine varies by hospital, but when someone goes to a specific hospital, gets an injection, feels better immediately, then hurts again after some time, it’s simply because they put in a lot of anesthetic.
Anyway, just because it’s called ligament strengthening doesn’t mean it’s unconditionally good – there’s absolutely no reason to get it when you’re in perfect condition.
“I guess I don’t need to get it right now.”
“That’s right. Of course, even without damage, there might be some stiffness or slight rigidity from heavy use, but I’ll treat you as needed while checking by pressing.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Even acupuncture works by causing slight damage and then recovering, but it’s much less invasive than injection needles or medications.
I made a confident promise that I would take good care of him and sent Kang Joyun to the treatment room.
I first loosened his muscles with warm compresses and physical therapy, then proceeded with acupuncture treatment.
Even at a glance, tension was concentrated throughout his right shoulder and upper limb, so I instructed him to lie on his side with his right side up.
It would be good to treat his chest and back together too.
“I’ll start with the sternoclavicular joint herbal acupuncture.”
The sternoclavicular joint was not difficult to find at all since it could be grasped right at the front of the clavicle.
I palpated the slightly swollen area and then injected the medicinal solution accordingly.
“It stings a little, right?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
Next was muscle relaxation.
Using a syringe with a short needle, I injected herbal acupuncture into the subclavius muscle in small portions.
“This area is quite stiff too, right?”
“Uh, ugh, yes.”
The relatively non-burdensome acupuncture needles were placed in all areas showing tension, as I explained earlier.
If someone’s energy is very depleted, they might occasionally get needle fatigue just from receiving many acupuncture needles, but there was no worry of that with Kang Joyun.
Meticulous needling from the pectoralis minor to the deltoid, rotator cuff, trapezius, and levator scapulae.
Since loosening contracted muscles too suddenly might change the sensation of applying force and affect athletic performance, I only placed needles mainly in areas where blood stasis had formed significantly, infusing energy.
“Let me take a quick look at your lower back too.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Archery is a sport where core and lower body stability are important. You maintain a fixed posture for a long time, and no matter how well you distribute gravity, it doesn’t stay perfectly symmetrical.”
“That’s true…”
From the aiming posture where he slightly twists his upper body to the right to shoot, I could feel tension even in his right oblique muscles, quadratus lumborum, and gluteus medius.
“Are your supporting left wrist and elbow okay?”
“They’re fine when shooting, but my elbow and forearm hurt when pressed.”
In many ways, he came at just the right time.
Even if consistent management like Kim Ijin’s isn’t easy, getting acupuncture once in a while when muscle fatigue accumulates like this improves condition in various ways.
“Wow… I feel like I’m being reborn.”
With so many needles, his whole body looked like a hedgehog, but Kang Joyun just found it fascinating and smiled broadly.
“I’ll leave them in for about 20 minutes. Let me know if the position gets too uncomfortable.”
He said there was no problem and gave me an okay sign with his fingers.
* * *
A short while later.
Before Kang Joyun left, I called him to the examination room briefly to check his condition.
“How’s the throbbing under your collarbone?”
“Oh, it’s gone. Lifting my arm feels comfortable too. It used to feel a bit heavy around this point.”
I had planned to prescribe medication if there was any remaining pain, but fortunately that didn’t seem necessary.
Since I had thoroughly released the trigger points in the shoulder joint complex, lifting the arm would be lighter and applying force overall would be more comfortable.
“Good. Can you come tomorrow too?”
“Yes, I can spare time like today. Within an hour.”
“Then let’s do pharmacopuncture two or three more times. It won’t take long.”
“Can I practice right away?”
A difficult question.
Hmm, in principle, resting would naturally be better.
But would he really rest if I told him to rest before the national team selection?
“The symptoms aren’t severe, so practicing won’t make it worse. But if you feel sharp pain or aching, heavy discomfort, stop immediately.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Keep monitoring as you go, and let me know if you have pain anywhere else.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you. I’ll trust only you, Clinic Director!”
Kang Joyun’s face brightened at the news that he could practice.
After bowing gratefully, he left the examination room swinging his arm much more lightly.
“I think it’ll go well. …I’ll do my best until the end.”
* * *
After Kang Joyun left, there was something I kept wanting to search for.
But as soon as charting ended in the afternoon, new patients kept coming, so I couldn’t find a proper break.
Eventually, I could only look up information about this Olympics after coming home from work.
The Summer Olympics don’t start until late July?
There are still nearly three months left, and the location is….
“Riyadh?”
Was this Olympics being held in Saudi Arabia?
I had been so absorbed in my work that I hadn’t noticed, but I think I glimpsed such advertisements at the airport.
“I thought I wouldn’t have reason to go there again anytime soon….”
The Olympics made me interested.
I suddenly remembered the villa that Seo Inae strongly recommended investing in and Faisal helped purchase.
The house he prepared asking me to visit often – it felt awkward to rent out right after buying, so I was just maintaining it. Should I take this opportunity to visit once?
‘But I’d feel bad about taking another vacation just to have fun.’
Our kind Vice Directors wouldn’t say anything, but that’s exactly why I need to maintain boundaries.
It would be fun to enjoy a vacation at the villa while watching the games….
Even though last time was unavoidable due to work, I felt too embarrassed to take a week off just to watch the Olympics for fun.
I finished my brief imagination and looked up the selection process.
Wow, archery already finished rounds 1, 2, and 3 and is doing final selection.
Basketball is.
“Huh? Basketball national team selection is already over?”
The selection methods for the two sports were quite different.
Unlike archery where you can clearly rank and select, basketball national team selection was decided by people like the Director and Coach according to positions.
The Performance Improvement Committee recommends candidates, they train and are evaluated at the Athletes’ Village, and finally 12 representative players are selected.
“Why didn’t Lee Jini contact me? Don’t tell me….”
Don’t tell me Lee Jini wasn’t selected?
Unless it was a serious hotbed of corruption, that shouldn’t happen, but thinking the same thing, I scrolled down.
“Ah, if they had eyes, there’s no way they wouldn’t select her.”
And I found Kim Ijin’s name on the roster.
This season’s MVP and key player of the championship team.
Though I couldn’t watch every game, whenever I watched TV, Kim Ijin’s abilities had improved remarkably.
There was no way they’d miss such an outstanding player that sometimes I wondered if it was okay for her to be that good.
I hadn’t searched by selection method, but when I searched specifically for Kim Ijin, I saw quite a few excited articles.
[‘Kim Ijin’s Era’…Olympic Medal Contention Countdown Begins]
[Kim Ijin Has No Match Domestically…Will She Write Legend in Riyadh Too?]
The confirmed national team had several familiar names besides Kim Ijin.
Wow, amazing.
Will I feel more rewarded for buying a TV during this Olympics?
I only cheered in my heart for Kang Joyun since nothing was confirmed yet and it might pressure him.
But I immediately sent a congratulatory message to Kim Ijin, whom I occasionally keep in touch with.
Along with scolding for not telling me until now.
‘Ah, was she trying to surprise me? Should I have pretended not to know?’
But I had already pressed the send button.
I’ll just congratulate her that much more, right?
Can’t help it, I thought while waiting for a reply, and soon the phone rang.
“Huh, isn’t she at the Athletes’ Village?”
I naturally assumed it was Kim Ijin and picked up my phone.
[Chairman Choe Gwije]
An unexpected name appeared on the screen.
“Hello? This is Hanyewon.”
When I answered the phone right away wondering what was going on, I heard a clicking sound of someone’s tongue from the other end of the phone.
– Ah, Doctor Han. I’m sorry for contacting you so suddenly.
Is he with someone? Choi Gwi-jae noticed the call had connected and politely apologized.
Is he having another argument with his children…?
“It’s fine. What’s the matter? Do you suddenly have somewhere that hurts?”
Ever since he took herbal medicine for his incontinence treatment, whenever I asked, he always said he was fine.
Even after that, he would request herbal medicine once each season changed, or come to the oriental medicine clinic with Grandmother Heo Sunnam to treat his knees, but there were no major injuries.
– Doctor, if you’ll excuse me, could you make a house call just once like when we first met?
“Oh my, are you having trouble moving around?”
But suddenly a house call?
Given his age, his health could deteriorate even if he was fine until yesterday.
I was startled, wondering what had happened.
– Oh no, it’s not that, so this is a presumptuous request. I’m perfectly fine. A close acquaintance is getting bear bile to brew and drink… but I’d like to have them examined before that.
I felt relieved at his following words. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a serious situation.
Hmm, if it’s an acquaintance of President Choi Gwi-jae who’s requesting a house call… could it be an elderly business figure?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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