Practicing Medical Skills in a Small Clinic-Chapter 98 - 97: Gastroenteritis

"Bone Touching Skill is the most fundamental among the eight techniques of Bone-setting, and only by mastering it can one learn the other seven techniques and truly unleash their power. You could say the height your Bone-setting Skill can reach in the future depends entirely on how well you learn Bone Touching Skill."

Li Jingsheng’s understanding of these words is that Bone Touching Skill is akin to the ’Inner Strength’ of Bone Setting techniques; only with well-practiced Inner Strength can the punching and kicking techniques be powerful.

Otherwise, it would just be flashy but hollow moves, and no matter how good the Bone-setting Skill is, the level would be poor.

"When touching bones, you should not only feel the skeleton with your heart but also understand the surrounding muscles, blood vessels, ligaments, soft tissues, and skin. Although they are not bones, they have various influences on the Bone Setting repositioning operation. For example, some people have relaxed, small muscles, so their bones are bound to be weak and frail, requiring extra caution during operation, as excessive force may easily cause secondary fractures."

"For instance, when performing Bone Setting on children under six years old or even infants, their bones are very flexible yet extremely fragile, so adjustments on Bone Setting can be made dynamically according to the bone features. Improper operation can easily lead to lifelong disabilities for the injured..."

Different patients have different physiques, and situations can vary endlessly.

Only by mastering Bone Touching Skill can one remain adaptable amidst changing conditions and clearly understand the specific situation of each patient.

Knock, knock, knock!

There was a knock on the door outside.

"Boss, there’s a patient with diarrhea who wants you to take a look. They’ve been waiting for a while now."

Tang Ping reminded from outside.

"Okay, I’ll be right out."

Li Jingsheng had no choice but to stop studying and go handle the patient.

"The knowledge and key points of Bone Touching taught today, you can memorize them first and then combine them with practice, slowly accumulate insights and experience. If I’m free tomorrow afternoon, I’ll come again. You go see the patient!"

Doctor Xu got up and bid farewell.

The Bone Touching knowledge imparted to Li Jingsheng today was extremely profound, and it would take a long time just to understand and digest.

"It’s almost dinner time, you’re rare to come by, why not stay a while longer, I’ll attend to the outside patient and then treat you and your little grandson to a meal!" Li Jingsheng persuaded.

On one hand, out of gratitude, he had long planned to invite Doctor Xu for a meal.

On the other hand, he wanted to close the clinic after eating, and follow Doctor Xu to learn more Bone Touching knowledge.

Only by learning does one realize.

It’s only after learning Bone Touching Skill that one knows there are so many orthopedics knowledge never learned before.

Understanding human bones feels like entering a knowledge wasteland never ventured into before.

A simple Bone Setting repositioning actually involves so much meticulous and in-depth technique, with many profound bone science knowledge and Bone Touching techniques, blending the strengths of both Chinese and Western bone science.

These are all secrets not casually shared.

He felt shocked while more was yearning, a thirst for new knowledge.

Wishing he could keep Doctor Xu for a long overnight talk.

"My spouse already prepared dinner, next time! You have a great talent in Bone Setting, and with a healer’s heart of compassion, I hope you can diligently practice Bone Touching Skill, lay a strong foundation, and surely achieve great accomplishments in time."

With that, Doctor Xu opened the door and headed out first.

"Grandpa, why did you come out just now! That aunt is so fierce, she said if I dare to step out of the clinic, she’d break my legs."

The little boy ran fearfully toward Doctor Xu, pouting.

After holding Doctor Xu’s hand, he pointed at Tang Ping in fear.

His little eyes were full of dread.

"There’s nothing wrong. Didn’t you see that beggar got his hand broken by a car? There are so many cars outside, what if you got hit? What if a trafficker took you?"

After admonishing his grandson, Doctor Xu flashed a small smile at Tang Ping.

"This kid is too mischievous, fearless of anything, you have to be a bit tough with him to keep him in check."

"Hehe, in your grandson’s eyes, I’m scarier than a monster! Just worried something might happen to the child outside, take care!"

Tang Ping laughed as she said goodbye to Doctor Xu.

"Little boy, come play again next time!"

"I’m not a little boy!"

The little boy said weakly.

Judging by the situation, he was probably well-disciplined by Tang Ping.

Li Jingsheng couldn’t help but chuckle secretly, truly one thing conquers another. Tang Ping, such a gentle and beautiful woman, can easily tame this troublesome kid.

After seeing Doctor Xu off, Li Jingsheng turned to the patient.

Aged around forty-five or forty-six, male, slightly dark complexion, with noticeably sunken eye sockets.

Appears physically thin.

Men over thirty tend to gain weight easily, and by forty-five or forty-six, the metabolic rate slows further, and weight reaches a new peak.

Prime age actually refers to between thirty to fifty years old.

This man’s body being so thin suggests either poor family finances, eating very frugally, or digestive system problems affecting nutrient absorption efficiency.

Looking at his clothes, he doesn’t seem particularly wealthy but at least not in financial hardship.

It’s more likely that there are digestive tract problems.

"I apologize for the wait. Are you here for diarrhea medicine?"

Li Jingsheng invited the patient to sit beside the examination desk.

Unlike the checkout counter of a pharmacy, the clinic’s examination desk is designed to allow convenient doctor-patient interactions, so patients usually sit beside rather than in front of the desk.

Measuring blood pressure, physical examination, and conversation are all more convenient.

"Maybe caught a chill the night before last, I’ve had diarrhea for two days and heard your place is reputable and you have good medical ethics, so I came here for medicine."

The patient’s description made Li Jingsheng particularly content.

It seems the recent publicity wave, with Urban Daily’s positive reports, directly gave his small clinic a good image.

With such a foundation, as long as he doesn’t mess up massively, the clinic’s business should remain stable.

Breaking through the fiercely competitive Old Street of South City and establishing a foothold, it’s indeed not easy.

"How frequent is the diarrhea? How many times yesterday, and how many times today?"

Li Jingsheng asked thoroughly to ensure effective and accurate medication.

"The diarrhea started around four a.m. yesterday, went five or six times. Today, I’ve run to the toilet six times already."

Normally, adults have bowel movements no more than once or twice a day.

More than twice is a sign to watch for illness.

"What about stool color? No black stool or bloody stool, right?"

"That’s not the case. Whatever I eat, I basically expel it, it’s unbearable."

"Let me first take your temperature and blood pressure, don’t worry, these are free, just to ensure precise and safe medication."

Li Jingsheng explained to the patient.

"I don’t mind paying, still way cheaper than the hospital. Entering the hospital means registration, queuing for various tests, it’s unbearable. Last time with diarrhea, they did blood tests, both stool samples, and an abdominal ultrasound. After finding nothing, the doctor gave me a seven-hundred-plus yuan CT. My condition wasn’t even treated yet, and they’ve spent over a thousand, from morning to seven at night before medication."

Speaking of hospital treatment experiences, the patient was immensely dissatisfied.

Nowadays, many hospitals turn tests into profit-making tools, patients aren’t ignorant, clearly just a foot injury, yet they test the whole body, how can it not be criticized?

Patients, enduring illness pains, queueing for tests, doubling the suffering.

The disease remains untreated, but they’ve spent hundreds or thousands just on tests, anyone would feel aggrieved.

Li Jingsheng merely smiled without commenting.

As a doctor, he wouldn’t talk negatively about hospitals.

After taking the patient’s temperature, normal.

Blood pressure and heart rate were quite well.

It seems it’s just a case of simple diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome can be mostly ruled out as this condition typically elevates blood pressure, many symptoms don’t match, hence it can be excluded.

Considering the diarrhea occurred after chilling late at night, physical intestinal inflammation might be possible.

Usually, warmth applied to the patient’s abdomen quickly alleviates it.

But after two days, this patient still hasn’t improved, and symptoms persist.

Therefore, stomach flu seems more likely.

However, stomach flu generally accompanies headache, fever, nausea, vomiting symptoms. The patient hasn’t shown these signs.

This contradiction put the diagnosis in a dilemma.