The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 327

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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 327

She had definitely been stable when I checked her pulse after dinner.

Since players could get indigestion from eating while tense, I was paying special attention to those with weak digestive systems or sensitive nerves.

Myeong Seonju in particular had a sensitive personality despite appearances, having previously treated her for vasovagal syncope.

She was naturally prone to nervousness, and her autonomic nervous system wasn’t particularly stable.

I had helped balance it considerably during previous treatments, and though she seemed fine when we met again, you can’t reset a lifetime of living patterns.

With Jang Mingyeong’s injury promoting her to the starting lineup, I’d been continuously observing her for any developing symptoms.

“Did it suddenly become uncomfortable when you lay down to sleep?”

“Yes, Clinic Director. I lay down around 11 o’clock and was fine at first. I thought I’d sleep well and work hard tomorrow.”

I slowly nodded my head.

But then?

“But then, how should I put it… suddenly I remembered the moment I was playing against France. How did I jump to block that shot? I started thinking about it…”

“And then you lost your sleepiness?”

“Yes, yes. Game moments flashed by like a panorama, and my heart started racing like when I’m actively playing. No, I’m resting now, I’m in bed – I tried to reassure myself, but then it suddenly hit me that tomorrow is the finals. U-until now I was so focused on filling Mingyeong Sunbaenim’s position that I didn’t have time for other thoughts. But suddenly, ah, what if I make a mistake in the Olympic finals…”

Myeong Seonju rambled incoherently.

Even while speaking, she couldn’t find where to focus her gaze.

With the lights on, I could see her temples and ears were slightly flushed.

“You suddenly had many thoughts. Besides insomnia, what physical symptoms do you have? Is the palpitation most uncomfortable?”

“Yes. I know I should sleep quickly instead of having useless thoughts to be in top condition tomorrow, but even when I tried to clear my head, I kept hearing my heartbeat. Like when I collapsed before, it was pounding and my chest felt tight, and I kept getting cold then hot – my body felt so strange. Even when I tried the breathing technique you taught me, I couldn’t calm down and time just kept passing… I know it’s rude, but I came to find you…”

I kept nodding as I listened to Myeong Seonju’s story.

She must have been very anxious and scared.

Especially as time passed, her fear of staying up all night and ruining her condition must have grown.

“You did well coming here. This is why I’m here for times like this. Come in and sit over here.”

She could have come even earlier, but saying so might sound like scolding.

I smiled brightly and reassured Myeong Seonju with the most comfortable atmosphere possible.

“Ah, yes.”

“Shall I check your pulse?”

The symptoms she’d just described were sufficient for understanding.

Her pulse was definitely fast. Her heart was racing just like when she first came for treatment for vasovagal syncope.

Yet amidst this, her heart pulse was empty?

Fire from the heart and liver was surging to her head, making her face red and mind confused.

This was exactly Gami-ondamtang syndrome.

Gami-ondamtang was medicine used for heart-gallbladder deficiency timidity – when people with weak hearts and courage who startle and tense easily complain of palpitations and insomnia.

“First take this medicine, then tell me more about what’s making you anxious.”

If this were the clinic, I would have explained how the symptoms developed and what medicine I’d use, but today’s situation was different.

Considering the time needed for the medicine to be absorbed, I immediately took out Gami-ondamtang preparation.

When I poured it into a cup with warm water for her to drink, Myeong Seonju urgently received it with both hands.

“Thank you.”

“Drink it slowly. You don’t need to sleep right away. Even sleeping two or three hours less won’t make all your practice disappear, so keep your mind at ease.”

Since she was even rushing to take the medicine, I deliberately spoke and acted more slowly.

Of course, considering tomorrow’s condition, my goal as team doctor should be to get Myeong Seonju to sleep even five minutes sooner.

But the more she thought that way, the more impatient she’d become, exciting her sympathetic nervous system and moving further from sleep.

So I said the opposite.

Actually, if I just wanted to make her sleep, pressing the sleep acupoint would suffice.

But insomnia is merely a result of sympathetic nervous system excitement.

Even if I forced her to sleep like knocking her unconscious, the same symptoms and complex thoughts would repeat even during tomorrow’s game.

“Yes.”

I began counseling calmly.

“You’ve been unable to sleep before games before, right? Didn’t it work out somehow?”

If she answered that she ruined games after sleepless nights, it would be a bit troublesome.

I’d have to redirect by saying it was nothing in the long run.

But the opposite was more likely.

The previous night’s sleep amount and condition are important… but actually not that important.

Even if you stay up all night before the college entrance exam, would 12 years of studying disappear?

“Ah, that’s right! It happened sometimes in middle and high school. I’d wake up from dreams too. I completely forgot since I’ve been sleeping deeply after your treatment.”

“Your brain and nervous system became healthier through treatment. Plus you matured mentally by accumulating experience through national competitions and professional games.”

Myeong Seonju smiled slightly.

“That’s right. I was in good condition until now, but standing in such a presumptuous place like the Olympics made me suddenly nervous. Actually, I don’t even know how I was selected as a national representative. I thought just being able to play briefly would be an honor, but with my senior’s injury, I took on too big a role.”

“It’s understandably burdensome. But the director, coach, and captain all think you can do it best.”

“Phew… it’s scary. There must be people better than me… how did I end up…”

She was almost reflexively being modest.

She didn’t originally have a self-deprecating personality, but was consumed by the burden of heavy responsibility and anxiety about mistakes.

I didn’t miss this point and cut through the cognitive error.

“Do you really think so?”

“Pardon?”

“If Myeong Seonju really said she couldn’t do it, there are many people who could cover.”

I spoke firmly.

Twelve people came to Riyadh as women’s basketball national representatives.

There were only two at center position – Jang Mingyeong and Myeong Seonju – but when substituting due to player fatigue or flow changes, specific positions sometimes disappear or become doubled.

Positional roles aren’t rigidly divided, and some teams play positionless basketball, don’t they?

Even on the Korean team, if she were absent, there were others who could handle the paint.

“That’s… I don’t want to.”

When I pointed out that part, Myeong Seonju’s face stiffened slightly.

“Right. Even if it’s burdensome, you want to play yourself, don’t you?”

I faced Myeong Seonju and grinned.

As expected, she showed her desire for the position she was assigned.

Even if she was momentarily caught up in negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and wanting to run away.

If she hadn’t had the competitive spirit to begin with, she wouldn’t have made it this far.

“Don’t think of it as too big a stage. The director’s eyes aren’t so blind as to entrust the national team’s starting position to someone unqualified, and our country’s player pool isn’t that thin either. What if player Myeong Seonju makes a mistake? It’s nothing special. The game might just continue, or you might get substituted. If you get substituted? Just rest for a bit and go back in when needed.”

“Ah…”

“Even if you feel lost and scared now, once you hear the whistle, your body will move and you’ll be where you need to be.”

While comforting Myeong Seonju, I briefly shared my own story.

I too had times when I was scared to face patients with difficult diseases or patients with unique personalities that made communication difficult.

But by giving my all with the knowledge I’d accumulated and momentary passion, I was able to reach their hearts and gradually achieve treatment effects.

“Thank you.”

Myeong Seonju’s wavering eyes stopped, and her fidgeting hands clenched into tight fists.

She bit her lips with determination.

Having calmed down somewhat during our conversation, when I checked her pulse again, the tachycardia had noticeably subsided.

“What else are you thinking about? If you have any worries, feel free to talk about them.”

“Ah.”

Myeong Seonju hesitated for a moment, but as I waited quietly, she began to share her honest thoughts one by one.

“I feel like my family will be disappointed if they watch, and if I can’t move well at crucial moments, people will curse me on the internet, and my friends will be watching too and might laugh at me…”

She really seemed to have all sorts of thoughts running through her mind.

“But my parents wouldn’t be disappointed over something like this. The people cursing will say a few words and forget about it. And my friends probably aren’t that interested in me anyway.”

Even without me refuting each point, she already knew the logical answers.

She nodded her head sheepishly.

“You know well. But do your thoughts keep spiraling anyway?”

“A bit… it seems that way.”

In that case, there was another good method for times like this.

“Please lie down for a moment. I’ll help you so no thoughts come to mind.”

“What? On your bed, Clinic Director? Um… excuse me.”

I had Myeong Seonju lie down on the bed and opened a packet of acupuncture needles.

“Are you doing acupuncture treatment too?”

“Yes. It’s acupuncture that stops thoughts. I’ll insert them very briefly.”

Usually, when it comes to acupuncture for insomnia and palpitations, even if the techniques differ slightly, there’s a certain range.

If using Saam acupuncture primarily, I would use heart sedation or gallbladder sedation.

There would also be methods of stimulating the Baihui point and Sishencong points on the head, or inserting needles into the chest and abdomen to calm the pounding heart proximally and treat the digestive system.

I usually use similar methods for steady treatment while slowly circulating qi and blood.

“I’ll only insert exactly three needles.”

But today was a day that needed a slightly special impact.

“One is at the Baihui Point at the top of the head. It’s the point that handles all symptoms related to the brain, nerves, and mind.”

First, I inserted one needle into her head.

The Baihui Point was a location that barely hurt when lightly pricked with a thin needle.

“Two are at the Yongquan Point on the soles of the feet. It’s an excellent acupoint with bidirectional effects that can either wake up someone who has fainted or conversely calm them down.”

It had the slight disadvantage of being quite painful, so it’s not often used with needles in clinical practice.

But it was equally an acupoint with tremendous efficacy.

“The soles of my feet?”

When I was about to insert the needles, Myeong Seonju was startled and tried to sit up.

Of course it would hurt.

But personally, I thought the procedural pain was also part of the treatment mechanism.

Like when vasovagal syncope occurs, the body feels a sense of crisis from excessive sympathetic nervous excitement and suddenly shuts down.

When you get acupuncture at Yongquan, it hurts so much that you’re shocked and all thoughts disappear, then as the pain subsides, wouldn’t you gradually calm down?

“Now, breathe in. Whooo-.”

In that sense, wouldn’t it be more effective if you received it without knowing?

There’s even a saying that a corpse would jump up and try to kill the doctor, it’s such a strong therapeutic point.

Surely after getting the acupuncture, no thoughts would come to mind.

I gently pressed Myeong Seonju’s shoulder to make her lie back down.

And pierced her sole with the needle.

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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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