Chapter 1158 - 1158: 754 Too much negative energy can cause headaches

"Excuse me, everyone, please make way for me."

When Du Heng arrived at the outpatient service, the narrow hallway was already packed with people, making it difficult for him to move. One reason for this situation was indeed the large number of people. However, another significant reason was the awkward location of Du Heng's consultation room.

His consultation room was unlike those of other outpatient services, which typically had a guidance desk out front where patients waited for their numbers to be called. Instead, his room was situated outside the main guidance desk area, tucked around a small corner.

In a standard outpatient room, nurses at the guidance desk could manage the flow somewhat, and everyone generally followed the rules. But for this area outside the guidance desk's purview, who was there to manage the crowd? And how? Even the three people assigned to help at the door had been squeezed right into the consultation room.

Moreover, the crowd at the doorway grew, as everyone feared someone might cut the line. Such delays could mean waiting until very late or even being rescheduled for the next day. For those who came to Hao Pengyou Hospital for treatment from out of town, an extra day meant additional expenses, and the cost of accommodation alone was a painful burden. Those who had lived in the Capital for a long time, or who were locals, also valued their time. Taking a day off wasn't easy, often meaning forfeiting full attendance bonuses and wages. They certainly didn't want to waste another day. So, everyone pressed tightly together, anxious that some shameless person might try to cut in.

Du Heng was also troubled; he wanted a better consultation room too. However, as a newcomer, the good consultation rooms had already been taken by people from other departments. The only good consultation room belonged to Director Wu. However, another Attending Physician used it in the afternoon. He couldn't just compete with him, could he? Even if he wanted to compete, wouldn't he have to wait a while? Besides, trying to grab an office immediately upon arrival would reflect poorly on him. But the consequence of such magnanimity was having to swallow this bitter pill himself.

But now, with his shout, Du Heng himself seemed like one of those shameless people trying to cut the line. No one paid him any mind. Fortunately, he had come in his work clothes. The white gown still carried considerable authority in the hospital. Although the people directly in front ignored him, those standing near him saw his clothes and voluntarily made way.

Shouting and squeezing his way through, Du Heng finally reached the consultation room door. The short, five-meter passage had left him drenched in sweat.

This won't do, Du Heng realized. The doorway to the consultation room was completely blocked. Even if new patients could get in, those who were finished might not be able to get out.

"Everyone, I am Du Heng, the doctor you're here to see this afternoon. Now, listen to me. Those with appointment numbers, please stand to the left and leave the right side clear. We see patients by appointment number; crowding like this is pointless."

Du Heng shouted loudly and then physically pushed back the people at the entrance. "By blocking the entrance like this, people can't get in, and those inside can't get out. You're only delaying your own appointments."

After saying this, Du Heng instructed the few people helping him to be more assertive and ensure the entrance was cleared.

Truth be told, these patients also knew how to size people up. Previously, the three staff members—an intern and nurses—had shouted for a long time to no avail. In fact, the crowd had only become more densely packed. But now, after just a few words from Du Heng standing at the door, these same people consciously began to move back, gradually clearing the entrance.

"Deputy Director Du, let's ask Director Wu to see if the Outpatient Department can do something about this," the resident doctor said, wiping cold sweat from his forehead as he sat beside Du Heng, preparing the system. "The number of patients in the outpatient service keeps increasing, and the situation at the door is becoming more chaotic. If this continues, it's such a waste of time."

Du Heng organized the items he needed, placing his equipment for pulse diagnosis in a convenient spot. "Alright, I'll talk to Director Wu about this after we're done today."

He then paused for a moment before saying, "Call the first number."

After saying this, Du Heng took a deep breath, ready to begin.

To be honest, his current success wasn't just due to his own skill; he also had Kang Zhirong to thank. Ever since he'd brought Kang Zhirong on board, his short video account had finally started gaining serious traction, beginning to resemble that of a major influencer with tens of millions of followers. And with Kang Zhirong's help, he was now free from worrying about most things, aside from his busy hours at the outpatient service. This, in turn, allowed him to focus more energy on his chosen path. So, he'd definitely have to give him a raise.

Du Heng's mind raced for a moment before he turned his attention to the first patient of the day.

This first patient, however, made Du Heng's heart constrict slightly.

Entering the room were a father and daughter. The man wore a typical construction worker's outfit and carried a safety helmet. His young face was etched with exhaustion. Behind him, a timid little girl with messy, uneven pigtails peeked out. Curiosity flickered in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by timidity. She instinctively tried to hide behind the man.

The man approached and placed his medical card and registration slip on Du Heng's desk.

Du Heng glanced at the registration slip: Lv **, male, 28 years old.

He knew then that the patient was the man before him. Looking at the little girl again, Du Heng pointed to a stool. "Sit here."

Once the man was seated, Du Heng began, "What's bothering you?"

The man placed his safety helmet on his lap. With a thick regional accent, he said haltingly, "Doctor, I have a headache. It's been bothering me for over half a year."

While the man spoke, Du Heng quickly observed his facial complexion and features. After the man finished, Du Heng had him extend his hand. He then took his pulse and also examined his tongue coating.

"Have you not seen a doctor before?"

"I have. I've taken a lot of medicine—headache pills, anti-cold medicine—but nothing has worked."

"Do your headaches occur frequently?"

The man nodded eagerly. "That's right. It's not so bad when I'm working during the day, but when I get back to my room at night, the pain is unbearable. And when it hits, the pain lasts for tens of minutes, sometimes an hour. There are even times it hurts all night long."

Du Heng nodded. "Give me your other hand."

After checking the other wrist, Du Heng asked, "When the headache occurs, do you also feel nauseous, and does your phlegm increase?"

The man looked as if he'd found his savior, nodding eagerly and repeatedly affirming. He had been to clinics and other hospitals, but no doctor had ever asked if his phlegm increased when he had a headache. Only he knew that whenever his head throbbed, a seemingly endless amount of phlegm would collect in his throat. The most frustrating part was that he could never quite cough it up, which was incredibly uncomfortable.

Because of the phlegm, he initially thought it was a cold and took anti-cold medicine. But he later realized it wasn't a cold, as he had no other cold symptoms. He simply felt he had a headache and had forgotten about the phlegm. Now that Du Heng brought it up, he remembered this detail and quickly elaborated on his specific situation.

Pulse string, slip, and rapid; tongue red with a greasy coating, Du Heng noted, already forming a diagnosis in his mind.

He then withdrew his hands and looked at the man. "Is that your daughter behind you?"

"Yes, my daughter. She's 8 years old." The man looked back at the little girl, his eyes filled with guilt.

Eight years old? Du Heng looked at the little girl again. She seemed a bit small for her age. "Eight years old... It's April, so she should be in the second grade by now, right? Why isn't she in school?"

The man gave a bitter smile. "We've been in the Capital for half a year, and we still haven't found a school willing to accept her."

The hardships of migrant workers extend far beyond just their labor, Du Heng mused. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Then why not let her return to your hometown to study? You're delaying her education significantly this way."

The man gave another bitter smile and slowly lowered his head. "There's no one left in my hometown. My parents passed away a long time ago, and her mother... she just disappeared half a year ago. I can't leave her alone back home."

Du Heng sighed inwardly, then addressed the man's condition directly. "This headache of yours, it started after you brought your daughter here, didn't it?"

"More or less. Anyway, it wasn't long after that the headaches began."

"And it happens every evening when you go back home and see your daughter, right?"

The man thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Du Heng let out a breath. "This is due to an accumulation of too many negative emotions. Seeing your daughter adds another layer of guilt, and these feelings compound each other. When you're busy at work, you don't think about it, and that's fine. But as soon as you have free time, or when you see your daughter, all those feelings of distress, guilt, and other negative emotions surge up. In Chinese medicine, depression injures the liver. When liver qi stagnates, it can transform into wind. Once internal wind is present, this wind carries Phlegm Turbidity upward, obstructing the clear orifices of the head. This is what causes problems like headaches and dizziness."

The man asked cautiously, "Doctor, is my illness serious?"

"For me, it's not complicated. I just need to prescribe medicine to soothe the liver, expel wind, regulate qi, and transform phlegm," Du Heng said slowly. "But for you, this is a significant issue. You need to find ways to lift your spirits. If you continue in this depressed state, allowing negativity to overwhelm you, you might suffer a stroke and paralysis one day without warning."

The man's eyes widened abruptly.

Du Heng continued, "One must look forward; there are always better prospects ahead. Even if only for your daughter's sake, don't you think you need to change your outlook?" He then shook his head. "However, these words might sound hollow coming from me. You have to come to terms with it yourself. If you can't, and you insist on dwelling on it obsessively, then even Immortal Pills wouldn't help you."

The man remained silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with desolation, "Actually, I think I've mostly come to terms with it. But every time I see my child, I just feel so terribly sorry for her. I really can't understand how a mother could just up and leave like that. If the folks in the village hadn't called me, I wouldn't have even known my girl had been left alone for three days. Now, I just feel I've wronged my girl terribly."