Chapter 5 - It's a Physical Problem!
Chapter 5: This Isn’t a Medical Problem, It’s a Physical Problem!
“Have you recently tried any unusual or exotic foods?” Lu Ming interrupted the arguing couple, shifting their focus to the matter.
“Unusual foods? Like what?” Ye Mengqi inquired with a puzzled expression.
“For example, something like Sichuan peppercorns. They can cause a tingling sensation in your mouth,” Lu Ming suggested.
He suspected that Ye Mengqi might have consumed something like Sichuan peppercorns or spicy snacks that could lead to this sensation.
Ye Mengqi shook her head and said, “No, I haven’t.”
“Do you have any allergies?” Lu Ming asked. Food or medication allergies could also result in numbness in the lips or mouth.
“I don’t have any allergies, and I haven’t taken any medication recently,” Ye Mengqi replied, shaking her head again.
“I understand,” Lu Ming said, contemplating the situation. “Well, this is peculiar. Could it be an early sign of a stroke?”
Lu Ming’s words startled Ye Mengqi, and she responded with concern, “It can’t be, right? I’m only 25. How could I possibly have a stroke?”
Lu Ming clarified, “A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident, can happen at any age. Age is just one of the factors that can contribute to a stroke.”
“Stroke risk is also influenced by dietary habits, lifestyle, and other medical conditions,” Lu Ming continued.
“For instance, if you often stay up late, have insufficient sleep, smoke, or regularly consume alcohol, these factors can increase the risk of a stroke.”
“The trend of strokes occurring at a younger age is becoming more common.”
“Nowadays, how many young people don’t stay up late? After work, who doesn’t engage in late-night phone use instead of sleeping?”
Lu Ming’s words intensified Ye Mengqi’s anxiety. He had hit the nail on the head. She woke up at 7:00 AM every day for work and didn’t return home until 8:00 PM. Her entire day was consumed by work, and the only time she had for herself was at night. So, who would want to sleep? She often stayed up late, playing with her phone until one or two in the morning, sometimes even three or four. She had no idea this was referred to as “revenge” for staying late.
“Doctor, does this mean I might have a stroke?” Ye Mengqi was genuinely frightened.
“Do you experience numbness in your face at other times?”
“How is your mobility when walking or performing various movements?”
“Do you have trouble speaking clearly?”
“Do you occasionally experience uncontrollable drooling or a crooked mouth?”
Lu Ming continued to ask questions to assess her neurological condition. He inquired about some of the early signs of stroke.
After careful consideration, Ye Mengqi shook her head and said, “I don’t have any of those symptoms. However, sometimes when I sleep at night, I drool and wet my pillow.”
Lu Ming waved his hand, indicating that nighttime drooling didn’t necessarily have a strong connection to stroke. It was indeed puzzling. What could be the cause?
“I’ll conduct an oral examination for you,” Lu Ming suggested. “Let’s check if there are any irregularities in your mouth.”
With that, Chen Zhanbo, who had been assisting, politely stood up to make way for Lu Ming. Lu Ming took a seat, and Chen Zhanbo began to assist him.
“Hand me the tongue depressor,” Lu Ming requested.
“Tongue depressor? Is that a new way of cooking? Maybe duck tongue?” Bao Hongwei blinked his eyes, his intelligent look filled with curiosity.
Lu Ming was momentarily speechless. He showed the tongue depressor that Chen Zhanbo had handed to him.
“This is a tongue depressor, not duck tongue.”
A tongue depressor is a flat wooden tool to hold down a patient’s tongue for examining the mouth.
“Oh, I see. I was wondering why we were suddenly talking about duck tongues,” Bao Hongwei said with a look of realization.
“Get out of here, move aside. Don’t delay the doctor from examining me,” Ye Mengqi impatiently pushed her husband aside. At this point, she just wanted to determine the cause of her condition quickly.
Lu Ming’s mention of the possibility of an early stroke had genuinely frightened her.
“Open your mouth,” said Lu Ming.
Following Lu Ming’s gesture, Ye Mengqi obediently opened her mouth.
“Hmm?”
When Ye Mengqi opened her mouth, Lu Ming noticed something unusual.
“Your teeth aren’t in good condition, are they? You’ve had several dental procedures.”
“Three porcelain crowns, two dental implants, and five fillings,” Ye Mengqi responded with two “ah” sounds, confirming what Lu Ming had said.
“Alright, there’s no need to continue.”
Lu Ming didn’t intend to proceed with the examination further. He disposed of the used tongue depressor into the designated medical waste bin.
“Huh?”
“What do you mean?”
Ye Mengqi suddenly became anxious. What did he mean by “there’s no need to continue”? Did that mean she had been diagnosed with an early stroke?
“Your condition is no longer within the range of medical issues,” Lu Ming explained, leaving Ye Mengqi even more puzzled.
“I don’t have a medical condition? Then what is it?” Ye Mengqi pleaded. “Doctor, please explain the situation to me. I’m getting anxious.”
She was on the verge of tears. This situation was becoming more and more perplexing.
“In addition to the numbness and electric shock-like sensation in your mouth, do you also experience headaches when your mouth goes numb?” Lu Ming asked.
As he finished speaking, Ye Mengqi nodded vigorously, pecking at her head like a chicken. “Yes, yes, yes! I also get headaches. I forgot to mention that!”
“Do you know about galvanic cells?” Lu Ming continued.
“Galvanic cells? What does that have to do with galvanic cells?” Ye Mengqi wondered why the conversation had veered into cells and electricity.
“It’s like this,” Lu Ming explained. “The culprit behind your symptoms is your dental work. You have two teeth that contain different metallic materials – one with aluminum and one with copper.
Now, let me delve into the principles of galvanic cells. Aluminum is more reactive than copper. When food residues and saliva mix in your mouth, they form an electrolyte, allowing metal ions to flow and transfer between them. Eventually, this creates a perfect galvanic cell, leading to electrical discharge. Your condition is a matter of physics and chemistry.
Lu Ming secretly congratulated himself on having a solid foundation in physics and chemistry knowledge.
“Unbelievable!” Bao Hongwei exclaimed.
“Is my wife carrying batteries in her mouth?” He asked.
He had a look of disbelief on his face and burst into laughter as if he had just witnessed the most amusing thing in the world.
“Laugh all you want!” Ye Mengqi was utterly frustrated.
After all, the reason behind her condition was something so absurd that it was almost unbelievable. Sharing this story with others would surely subject her to endless teasing.
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