AKOM News
Contributed by Dr. Jewon Lee, Director of BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic
: Peering into Internal Medicine, 24th
2025. 9. 17.
"I feel tightness in the front and top of my belly, with redness and bloating."
A 30-year-old male foreign patient walked into our clinic without an appointment.
His symptoms were long-standing, and dietary attempts like "Liver detox" hadn't fully resolved them.
The Root Cause: Lifestyle Habits
The Dongeuibogam states, "excessive craving for taste causes diseases". Korean Medicine (KM) is built on this holistic philosophy that values lifestyle habits.
The patient preferred a vegetarian diet for religious reasons, which resulted in a very high-sugar diet (grains, fruits).
His breakfast often consisted of coffee, shakes, bread, or granola.
He was overweight (BMI 25.3) with a body fat percentage above the standard.
Abdominal ultrasound examination of a foreign patient visiting the Korean Medicine physician's internal medicine clinic
Treatment 1: Chronic Bloating (Lifestyle Disease)
While an abdominal ultrasound showed no specific issues , we diagnosed his condition as 'Dampness Syndrome' (濕證) from a KM perspective.
We began treatment with acupuncture, a Hanyak (herbal medicine) based on Ojeok-san, and crucial dietary corrections. We advised him to reduce grains and fruits, and prescribed a sustainable diet that included cheese, butter, and quail eggs to fit his situation.
After 64 days, his symptoms greatly improved, he had lost 5.6kg, and his body fat percentage returned to the normal range.
Body composition test using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for a foreign patient complaining of indigestion, abdominal bloating, and abdominal redness
(A) Sagittal Proton Density-weighted Fat-Suppressed and (B) Sagittal T1 MRI images of a patient diagnosed with a right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear; (C) Antero-Posterior and (D) Lateral X-ray images after ACL reconstruction surgery
Treatment 2: Acute ACL Tear (Post-Op Rehab)
On day 71, the patient suffered a complete (Grade 3) tear of his right ACL during judo practice. He asked, "I think there is no holistic way to rejuvenate a big ligament that is completely torn. Do you agree?"
We explained that while surgery is standard for a complete tear, "KM treatment is highly effective for post-surgical recovery and rehabilitation."
He returned to our clinic after his surgery. We used acupuncture and Hanyak to accelerate his recovery, which allowed him to minimize the use of opioid painkillers (like Tramadol). He was able to ride a bike again in just 4 months.
This patient continues to visit regularly for check-ups. He chose KM because it addresses the whole person—including diet and lifestyle—not just the symptoms.
This holistic philosophy is a major advantage in treating "lifestyle diseases" (diabetes, obesity, stroke). Internal medicine by Korean Medicine physicians is global medicine, contributing to the health of all humanity.
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Peering into Internal Medicine 24 - AKOM News
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