The most important thing is that acupuncture treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for acute conditions has almost no side effects compared to Western medicine, which is something Western medicine cannot match.

For instance, in the case of stroke, there are currently many patients with high blood pressure, and strokes caused by high blood pressure can occur at any time.

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease with high incidence, high mortality, high disability rate, high recurrence rate, and low cure rate, often striking suddenly.

After a stroke, if it is not detected in time and the patient does not receive timely and effective rescue and treatment, they may die within minutes or hours if the stroke is severe, and those with milder strokes may suffer lifelong after-effects.

Although most stroke patients can survive after being rescued, they may still have lifelong sequelae, such as hemiplegia, facial distortion, slurred speech, difficulty in movement, memory decline, etc. Patients cannot take care of themselves, their quality of life decreases, and it also brings mental burdens to the patients and their families.

When a stroke occurs suddenly, the microvascular vessels in the brain slowly rupture, and the patient may suddenly develop facial distortion, collapse suddenly, or fall due to weakness in the limbs, possibly accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness or headache.

In such a situation, TCM acupuncture can be utilized, and it is not as troublesome as Western medicine. Without any conditions, you can prick the tips of the patient’s ten fingers with a sewing needle, inserting and withdrawing immediately, ensuring that blood comes out.

Simultaneously squeezing while pricking, at least three or four drops of blood should come out from each fingertip. Also, a light prick on the tip of the nose can cause some blood to seep out.

After this treatment, the comatose patient may gradually awaken. If the effect is not obvious, you can also prick the tips of the ten toes to draw blood.

In TCM emergency, acupuncture is considered paramount. Therefore, learning TCM requires learning acupuncture. Learning acupuncture also requires understanding that it can rescue acute and critical conditions. Acupuncture embodies the strength of TCM emergency and demonstrates the significant effects of TCM in emergency rescue to the world.

If it still doesn’t work, you can prick the philtrum, slanting the needle upward with twisting for intense stimulation to promote the patient’s awakening.

When a stroke suddenly occurs, the patient’s Qi and blood surge to the head, and the hands and feet start to feel cold. At this point, massaging and rubbing the hands and feet until they warm up can stabilize Qi and blood, balance Yin and Yang, and gain time for the rescue.

The fingertips and toe tips are the starting points of the body’s twelve meridians, and bloodletting at these points can awaken the mind and open orifices, effective for coma caused by various reasons. Moreover, the method of bloodletting at the fingertips and toe tips has the effects of expelling heat and eliminating stasis, promoting blood circulation and opening meridians, protecting the brain and awakening the mind, and is one of the traditional characteristic emergency rescue measures of TCM.

After bloodletting, it can relieve the pressure in the meridians, facilitate the circulation of Qi and blood in the meridians, adjust the overall meridian balance, and is extremely helpful in promoting awakening, restoring symptoms, and eliminating post-stroke sequelae.

Zhang Guangli then fell silent.

Indeed, TCM acupuncture has effects in treating acute conditions, but not every TCM doctor knows acupuncture.

Even if they know it, they might only know a little. Using it for acute treatment still falls short.

Zhang Guangli himself was exposed to TCM from a young age and learned some knowledge about acupuncture. TCM is comprehensive, and knowing internal medicine makes learning acupuncture naturally easier.

However, acupuncture is easy to learn but hard to master. Learning a little is no problem, but mastering the art of acupuncture is not easy.

For most people, mastering TCM internal medicine is already commendable; how would they have time to study acupuncture as well?

Seeing Zhang Guangli silent, Lu Xuan glanced at him, seemingly understanding his thoughts, and smiled, saying, "Actually, TCM acupuncture is not that difficult to learn. As long as one is willing to learn, putting in some effort is not an issue, at least when dealing with acute conditions, it wouldn’t leave you helpless.

The art of acupuncture is a supplement to TCM internal medicine, compensating for TCM’s weaknesses in acute conditions and buying us valuable time for diagnosis and prescription.

Regarding acupuncture for emergency, the Ming Dynasty acupuncture master Yang Jizu in his book ’Great Achievement in Acupuncture’ clearly wrote: ’Initial stroke emergency acupuncture method: In case of sudden stroke, collapsed, sudden coma, phlegm congestion, unconsciousness, teeth clenched, medicine water cannot be swallowed, immediately use a three-edged needle to prick the ten fingers and twelve well points to remove bad blood. Also treats all sudden death ominous signs, unconsciousness, and intestinal spasms, which is a wonderful secret to bring the dead back to life.’

The twelve well points are located at the ends of the fingernails of the ten fingers. Missing the exact points is not a problem; when encountering such acute patients, we can completely use the fingertips instead, and the effect is just as good."

"Moreover, TCM acupuncture is not only effective for strokes, but also for acute asthma attacks, acute angina, coma from injuries, sharply rising blood pressure leading to potential strokes, syncope-related comas, and other severe acute symptoms." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Lu Xuan continued, "Saying that TCM is not good at emergency rescue stems from not understanding TCM, or merely having learned a little. A true TCM doctor not only excels at regulating chronic diseases but can also manage acute conditions adeptly."

"I understand the theory, but during actual practice, lacking confidence makes it truly difficult to start the needle," Zhang Guangli expressed his helplessness.

"Moreover, Dr. Lu, you know, if a person dies in the hands of a Western doctor, it is not much, but if someone dies in the hands of TCM, it becomes a big issue. I want to save people, but I don’t want to bring trouble to myself either.

Meeting reasonable and understanding patients’ families is fine, but once you encounter those who are unreasonable, it becomes indefensible, and haven’t there been enough TCM doctors who ended up sacrificing themselves in the process of saving lives?"

Lu Xuan frowned slightly; there was some truth in Zhang Guangli’s words.

It’s not like the old times; back then, TCM doctors were daring and willing to fight, and patients’ families wouldn’t say much if something happened. But now, if a little thing happens, very few doctors dare to take responsibility.

Especially when you aren’t very sure, you would definitely send the patient to Western doctors instead of keeping them with yourself.

Although this results in the inability to accumulate TCM emergency experience, it is an unavoidable situation.

Even Lu Xuan would feel headache when encountering such situations.

He would hesitate to move forward.

He himself harbors such thoughts sometimes, let alone others.

However, even so, Lu Xuan still said, "If Dean Zhang has nothing much to do usually, it would be good to learn more about TCM emergency aspects, like acupuncture or the Fire God School, which is a trump card in TCM emergency. It’s better to be prepared than having regrets later."

Zhang Guangli pondered and nodded, "I will try."

Lu Xuan didn’t dwell further on this and continued, "The third kind is ’doing Western medicine under the guise of TCM.’ The diagnosis, treatment, and prescription are all Western medicine, or using Western pharmacology to guide herbal treatment.

Such TCM, even if they ’propagate the concept of TCM and herbal medicine to the skies,’ in the long term, not only does it offer no contribution to the healthy development of TCM, but it also turns TCM into the scapegoat of pseudo-TCM."

Similar TCM practitioners make patients’ trust in TCM decrease, and many TCM professionals begin to doubt their career, ultimately leading to them not believing in TCM themselves."

Zhang Guangli nodded. There are quite a few such TCM practitioners.

It appears to be TCM, but all the prescribed medicines are Western. He himself has encountered this and holds some disdain for such TCM.

He was thinking, and Lu Xuan added, "In my opinion, a good TCM doctor first crucially must have demonstrable efficacy or authentic skills in TCM clinical practice.

Whether in personal conduct or as a TCM practitioner, one must be practical, avoiding hasty success, and truly exert TCM’s unique advantage in treating latent and chronic diseases. There’s a saying, ’Western medicine treats the disease of life, while TCM treats the sick person,’ such a person must be a good TCM doctor."

Moreover, TCM represents a unique and profound realm, and this realm can be sublimated in the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Furthermore, by harboring genuine sincerity towards patients, responding to their needs without considering the size of the reward.

When it comes to poor families, not charging a consultation fee and often offering medicine prescriptions as gifts. Regardless of day or night, cold or heat, hunger or fatigue, during emergencies, racing against time with a heart full of urgency to save.

Not distinguishing between the rich and the poor, not considering close or distant relationships, showing benevolence and empathy.

Receiving patients, not avoiding filth, not disliking complexities, treating with full commitment.

Every encounter with destitute patients often leads to financial assistance.

Not considering future gains or losses, not worrying about good or bad outcomes, not fearing difficulties. Every time encountering difficult cases, they can always confront challenges, ensuring no guilt towards conscience, the ground, or the heavens.

That said, this becomes more than just a good TCM doctor; if one truly achieves all I mentioned, that fully meets the standards of a well-renowned or great physician."