Traditional Korean Medicine for Crohn's Disease? | Incheon Crohn's Disease

Incheon Crohn's Disease

​​An Unending War Within My Body

My body's army begins to attack me. Unexplained inflammation leaves unpredictable lesions throughout the entire digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.

“Just when I think things are getting better, everything falls apart again. The hardest and scariest part is knowing this is a lifelong illness.”

A long, unending tunnel where improvement and relapse repeat. Crohn's disease is not just a simple bowel disorder; it is a solitary and arduous battle that requires you to constantly manage your daily life and condition throughout your entire life.

Causes and Symptoms

Our Body's Army Attacking Its Own Allies

Our body's immune system is a sophisticated and powerful 'army' that fights external enemies. However, with Crohn's disease, this army makes a critical 'mistake,' attacking 'the walls of the digestive tract, its own allies,' instead of external foes, making it an autoimmune disease.

When attacked by our own army, the digestive organs crumble like collapsing fortress walls, and 'an unquenchable flame of inflammation' continues to burn in their place. This inflammatory response leads to persistent abdominal pain and diarrhea, weight loss due to poor nutrient absorption, and severe fatigue and fever that become a daily occurrence.

Traditional Korean Medicine Perspective

Rebuilding the 'Defense Force' and Suppressing the 'Rebels'

In Traditional Korean Medicine, chronic inflammatory diseases like Crohn's are viewed as a state where the body's 'order' has completely collapsed. It's a comprehensive crisis where the 'defense force' (正氣, vital energy) protecting the body is weakened, while the 'rebels' (濕熱, damp-heat) causing internal inflammation have grown strong.

There is no single correct answer to end this war. The strategy must change according to the nature of the battle. During periods when the 'rebels' are rampant (active phase), the focus is on quelling the flames of inflammation. During periods when the war is at a lull (remission phase), the focus is on training and rebuilding the weakened 'defense force' to prepare for the next battle.

Therefore, Traditional Korean Medicine treatment takes a long-term approach, aiming to control inflammation during active phases and restore immune system balance during remission phases, thereby extending the 'period of peace (remission)' as long as possible.

Lifestyle Management

Three Principles for Managing the Flames of Inflammation

Your daily life can be the most powerful weapon to end this war.

Principle 1: Anti-inflammatory Diet

During active phases, soft and easily digestible foods that do not burden the intestines are crucial. Since triggers vary by individual, it is necessary to identify foods that are unsuitable for you through a 'diet diary'.

Principle 2: Stress Modulation

Stress is the most dangerous factor, as it disrupts the immune system and empowers the 'rebels.' You must wisely manage the waves of stress using your own methods, such as meditation, deep breathing, or light walks.

Principle 3: Energy Conservation

Chronic inflammation consumes an enormous amount of our body's energy. 'Resting well' is an integral part of treatment. Avoid strenuous activities and wisely allocate your daily energy to allow time for your 'defense force' to rebuild.

Prognosis and Golden Time

How Long Can 'Remission' Be Maintained?

The battle with Crohn's disease is not about victory or defeat. It's about how much you can shorten the 'period of war (active phase)' and how long you can maintain the 'period of peace (remission phase)'.

Abandoning management leads to repeated frequent and severe active phases, increasing the risk of complications such as intestinal strictures and fistulas, and raising the likelihood of surgery. Quality of life gradually deteriorates, and daily life becomes dominated by pain and diarrhea.

However, actively managing the disease is the path to enjoying a stable daily life, extending the 'remission phase' as much as possible, to the point where you might forget you have Crohn's disease. It means taking control of the illness and planning your life.

Will you be the master of your disease, or its slave? That choice will determine the rest of your days.