A friend of mine, Mr. Liang, had long suffered from hemorrhoids and was addicted to opium. Whenever his hemorrhoids flared up, the pain left him bedridden. He also had some private health issues he’d never shared with anyone. One day, his hemorrhoids became unbearably painful, so he consulted a doctor from southern China. Noticing Liang’s thin frame, pale complexion, and poor appetite, the doctor mistakenly diagnosed him with general weakness and prescribed rougui (cinnamon) and fuzi (aconite) – strong heating herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Within two days, Liang’s belly swelled like an overinflated balloon, he grew restless, and his hemorrhoid pain intensified.
He urgently called me for help. Upon checking his pulse – thin, rapid, yet forceful – I explained: “Your condition stems from Yin deficiency (body’s cooling fluids depletion) and blood-heat causing inflammation. Opium severely dries the lungs – in TCM theory, lungs govern qi (vital energy) circulation. Dry lungs lead to poor blood nourishment. Adding fiery herbs like cinnamon and aconite is like pouring gasoline on flames!”
“While ancient texts categorize hemorrhoids as ‘deficiency’ or ‘excess’ types, the root always lies in damp-heat accumulation. We must clear heat-toxins first to relieve pain.” I prescribed Huaihua San (Sophora Flower Powder – a classic formula for cooling blood) enhanced with danggui (angelica root) and baishao (peony root). By midnight, his pain subsided. The next day, I switched him to Guishao Dihuang Tang (Rehmannia Six Formula with added angelica and peony) to nourish blood and Yin. Ten days later, he fully recovered.
Later, Liang exclaimed: “Not only am I better – my hemorrhoids are gone!” I clarified: “Hemorrhoids don’t truly disappear. When blood flows smoothly, pain stops. You must avoid spicy foods, curb cravings (like opium or excessive desires), balance work-rest cycles, and maintain this long-term. Otherwise, relapses are inevitable. In my practice, while hemorrhoids rarely kill, true cures are equally rare.” Liang nodded in agreement.
Three years later, after I’d returned home due to my mother’s passing, Liang wrote: “This year brought terrible hemorrhoid flare-ups. Only your old prescription brings slight relief – they’ve become my lifelong companion now.”
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