I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 227 - 194: Stroke Without Speech—Where’s the Problem?

"What's going on here?"

"I don't know, it should be someone who saw Dr. Lu before."

"What illness do they have?"

"You should ask someone else, I'm from out of town."

"I think it was paralysis, I saw this old lady a little over a month ago, and she could only sit in a wheelchair back then."

"Paralysis!?"

"Can that be cured!?"

"No way, she was treated like this in just a month?"

"Dr. Lu must be something!"

"You're kidding, he can even treat cancer, what is a little paralysis in comparison?"

"..."

Yu Guolai excitedly led his mother into the clinic, unable to hide the smile on his face.

Actually, his mother had been able to walk with a cane for a couple of days, but could only walk for about ten minutes before needing to rest.

With persistent practice over the past few days, Yu Guolai accompanied his mother in walking exercises, and today they came because she could now walk for about an hour without much trouble.

With such significant progress, Yu Guolai and his mother hurriedly went to see Lu Jiu.

"Dr. Lu, my mom can walk now, but still has difficulty speaking. Is there anything that can be done about it?" Yu Guolai asked as he brought his mother into the clinic.

After a stroke leading to hemiplegia, speech function is indeed lost. Even if mobility shows some recovery, speaking remains a problem, but it's not a complex issue to treat.

In traditional Chinese medicine, speech loss following illness is categorized as 'unvoiced syndrome.'

Generally, in conditions like stroke, or postpartum, severe cases result in unvoiced syndrome.

To resolve this issue, one should understand why a normal person can speak.

The "Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor," Spiritual Pivot: Chapter of Worry and Silence, contains this passage: "The throat is the pathway for grains and liquids to enter the stomach. The pharynx is the pathway for the flow of qi in and out. The epiglottis is the doorway of sound; the lips are the valves of sound; the tongue is the mechanism of sound; the uvula is the gate of sound. The nostril distributor divides the way of release. The hyoid is directed by the Spirit, controlling the tongue's movements. Therefore, when there is continuous nasal discharge, it's due to a failure of closure of the nostril distributor, losing its function in dividing qi. If the epiglottis is too small and thin, the qi will be released quickly, the opening and closing are smooth, and breathing is easy; if the epiglottis is large and thick, the opening and closing are difficult, the qi release is slow, hence stuttering occurs. When someone suddenly cannot make a sound, it's usually due to cold qi invading the epiglottis, which can't open or, even if it can, not enough for sound production."

This passage is Qi Bo's answer to Huangdi's question, essentially indicating that when a person suddenly cannot speak due to worry or anger, which pathway is blocked and what qi is hindered that results in the inability to produce sound.

Qi Bo elaborated thoroughly on how humans produce sound: the throat serves as the pathway for grain to enter the stomach, the pharynx allows the passage of qi, the epiglottis acts as the door of sound, lips function as gates, the tongue is likened to a switch that controls sound, the uvula acts as a gate on the sound pathway, and the nostril distributor controlling the division of qi, enabling qi to exit through the mouth and nose. Ultimately, the hyoid, under the governance of the spirit, commands the tongue.

Therefore, continuous nasal discharge often stems from a failure of closure in the nostril distributor, leading to a dysfunction in qi division.

If the epiglottis is small and thin, the exhalation rate increases, opening and closing are easy, making breathing smooth; if the epiglottis is large and thick, opening and closing become difficult, breathing slows, and stuttering happens.

A sudden inability to speak is often attributed to an invasion of cold qi lodging in the epiglottis, hindering its opening, or if able to open, not enough to enable sound production.

Qi Bo's discourse elucidates the external factors of why people suddenly cannot speak. Post-stroke speech loss has external causes but the core internal issue lies within the heart; the tongue connects internally to the heart; when the tongue is rigid and speechless, patients cannot articulate fluently, often due to lack of heart spirit nourishment and insufficient qi and blood.

Although the primary problem resides in the heart, other organs are also damaged, resulting in the patient's inability to speak.

Symptoms like qi deficiency causing blood stagnation, liver yang rising, wind-phlegm turbidity, etc., leading to cerebral malnutrition can also prevent speech.

The internal issue is with the heart, and the external with the epiglottis.

Understanding the two causes of speech loss makes treatment relatively straightforward.

Additionally, Lu Jiu coordinates with the Five Viscera, inadvertently reducing the difficulty level.

"Auntie, can you communicate with me now?" Lu Jiu looked at Yu Guolai's mom with a smile.

"...Bla... some... Klean, klum… ment…" Yu Guolai's mom, struggled with her tongue not being able to straighten out, speaking each word seemed to exhaust much of her energy.

Seeing this, Lu Jiu didn't push further, then looked at Yu Guolai, "Understood, let me try acupuncture to see how it works. Let's have your mom sit over there first."

"Okay." Yu Guolai was thrilled, gently helped his mother over to a small bed, and slowly sat her down.

Lu Jiu retrieved the finest needle from the drawer and followed.

While treating the heart, the epiglottis must also be regulated.

Without a doubt, the Lianquan point must be needled.

This point inherently treats rigid tongue and speechlessness post-stroke.

With a slight thought, after considering the basic point combinations, Lu Jiu immediately inserted the needle.

Baihui, Lianquan, Shenting, Quchi, Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Xinshu...

After several needles, Lu Jiu clasped Yu Guolai's mom's wrist, beginning to communicate with the Five Viscera.

Fortunately, the Five Viscera were not unfamiliar with Lu Jiu; after several treatments that allowed Yu Guolai's mom to stand, her body's Five Viscera unconditionally trusted Lu Jiu, cheering at the prospect of aiding in an ailment cure.

"Heart Fire, can you now drive out the cold lodged in the epiglottis?" Lu Jiu asked.

"I can, indeed, but currently collaborating with Hydronephrosis is quite tough for me, plus the cold isn't only in the epiglottis; the energy I can divert is limited, so resolving the cold in the epiglottis in one go is unlikely, but with your help, it's possible," Heart Fire said.

Lu Jiu knew a stroke was attributable to encountering cold.

Plus, considering Yu Guolai's mom's qi and blood deficiency, even though Heart Fire might strive its utmost, there isn't enough qi and blood to support dividing troops for battle.

After all, compared to the epiglottis, the internal cold in the body deserved greater attention.

However, with Lu Jiu's assists, aiding in a short burst of capacity enhancement for the Five Viscera, there wasn't zero chance.

"If I now enhance yang through acupuncture while solving your Heart and Kidney Imbalance issue, under limited qi and blood conditions, what extent could you achieve?" Lu Jiu asked.

Heart Fire paused, "If this acupuncture's effect doubles, I could make a third of the cold in the epiglottis disappear."

"Great, that's enough," Lu Jiu said.

…