As a retired school principal, Mr Wan takes pride in his close rapport with his students while on the job, so much so that his students would still call to ask after him after he has retired. With his own son's graduation soon approaching, Mr Wan seems a perfectly contented man. And yet he said he has trouble sleeping, that his mind refuses to sleep.
"You're in a stable stage of life with a bright future waiting for your son, what's there to worry about?" I asked. "I've been having frequent arguments with my son on the phone lately – he says he's stressed out. And then there's my medical student who calls me every night about his wife wanting a divorce. The young man is shattered and has considered taking his own life," said Mr Wan with a sigh.
Mr Wan is worried sick. It's as if the peaceful surface of the waters has been corrupted by a sudden appearance of whitehead breakers. He can't sleep, he can't eat, and he's exhausted beyond comprehension, with twitches on both sides of the rib. He's also suffering from headaches, dizziness, wobbliness and dryness in the mouth. I told him that I had the medicine for happiness for him. He could hardly suppress his surprise: "For real? Is there such thing in traditional Chinese medicine?" I assured him there is, and that it isn't toxic or intoxicating.
The Mediative Formulae is known as a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that can harmonise the human emotions by reconciling the imbalance of the liver and spleen. In the case of Mr Wan, his emotional fluctuations have caused congested qi in the liver, which has then weakened the liver and led to fatigue and loss of appetite. Essentially, the yin of the liver follows the route from the rib to the throat, palate, eyes and then the forehead, which is why congested qi in the liver could lead to disrupted flow of the qi in blood, causing pain in both sides of the rib, headache, dizziness, and dryness in the mouth.
Meanwhile, the Xiaoyaosan (or Rambling Powder), known to prevent the spreading of problems in the liver to the digestive functions, consists of dang gui, bupleurum, atractylodes, liquorice root, roasted ginger, white peony root, wild Tuckahoe, and mint. Cork tree bark and Gardenia fruit may be added to the prescription to further eradicate the heat if the patient shows symptoms of irritation, sweating while sleeping and awake, or redness in the cheeks.
True to my prediction, Mr Wan's emotional state changed for the better after the medication – his sleep quality improved and he is sable to consider ways to handle the nagging issues with his son and his medical student.
The above medication is for reference only. It's always wise to refrain from self-diagnosis and consult your registered doctor for suitable prescriptions and medical treatments when you are physically ill or when you suffer from emotional problems.
Yim Yiu-kin
Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner
National TCM Practitioner, China
National Senior Beautician, China
National Chiropractor, China
Bachelor in TCM, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Master of Acupuncture, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Doctorate Student of Acupuncture, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
(This article is the personal opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association or Hong Kong Housing Society.)