Aches All Over? Is Your Pain Moving From Place to Place? | Incheon Fibromyalgia

Hello. This is Choi Yeon-seung, an herbal medicine doctor at Baeknokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.

My Body's Strange Symphony of Pain

In the clinic, we often encounter 'unexplained generalized pain'. Its onset is complex.

A dull, heavy, low-frequency pain, like cotton soaked in water. A sharp, high-frequency pain that stabs here and there without warning. And above all these sounds, a fog-like noise, 'brain fog', settles. It is sometimes diagnosed as fibromyalgia. But after countless tests, the message is always the same.

"There are no significant abnormal findings."

A deep sense of isolation sets in. A cacophony of dissonance resounding in the concert hall of one's own body. The feeling of being the only audience member listening to it. Today's story begins with that very solitary sensation.

Obstruction Causes Pain (不通則痛)

In Korean Medicine, there is a fundamental principle for understanding pain. It is 'Bul-Tong-Jeuk-Tong' (不通則痛), meaning "if there is no free flow, there is pain." However, every instance of 'lack of free flow' has a different nature.

A bruise from a fall, post-surgical pain – their cause is 'Eohyeol' (瘀血, stagnant blood). Like a broken violin string, the cause and location are clear. But the pain we are currently facing is different. It's not that individual instruments are broken. It's highly likely that there's a problem with the entire orchestra's 'performance'.

The instruments are fine, yet only terrible noise resounds. That's precisely the situation.

The Source of All Noise

What is the true source of this cacophony, driven by an oversensitive conductor's baton? Numerous studies and clinical experiences point to one place. It's not the individual musicians. It's the 'conductor' who leads the entire orchestra: our 'brain and nervous system'.

Modern medicine calls this 'central sensitization'. It's because the conductor has become overly exhausted and sensitive. Startled by even tiny sounds not on the score, they frantically wave the baton. This is why extreme pain arises from stimuli that others don't even perceive.

'Brain fog' is sometimes added to this. The conductor's mind is filled with fog (Korean Medicine's 'Dahm-eum' (痰飮), phlegm-fluid), a state where they cannot even read the score. This is why pain and cognitive impairment appear together.

Our Exploration Deepens

The fog clouding the conductor's mind: Korean Medicine's 'Dahm-eum' (痰飮). How does this connect with 'neuroinflammation' in neuroscience? I propose a hypothesis: This waste product called 'Dahm-eum' – perhaps it could be the 'missing link' where chronic inflammation starting in the gut oversensitizes the brain's pain system.

Korean Medicine Diagnosis: Why the Orchestra Collapsed

Supporting this hypothesis, Korean Medicine views the root causes in three dimensions.

1. First, the musicians' hunger (Gi-Hyeol Heo-Son, 氣血虛損, deficiency of Qi and Blood). This is a state where they've starved for days and lack even the strength to hold their instruments. The body's energy and nutrients are depleted.
2. Second, mud on the stage (Seup-Dahm Yu-Ju, 濕痰流注, accumulation of dampness-phlegm). This is a state where movement is difficult due to sticky mud. A waste product called 'Seup-Dahm' (濕痰, dampness-phlegm) has accumulated in the body.
3. Third, the conductor's frenzy (Gan-Pung Nae-Dong, 肝風內動, internal stirring of Liver Wind). This is a conductor who has lost balance due to stress and energy depletion. It's a state where they react hysterically to small stimuli, over-exciting the nervous system.

This is the essence of a complex state combining 'Ju-Bi' (周痺, migratory pain and numbness) and 'Dahm-eum' (痰飮, phlegm-fluid) as described in the 《Dongui Bogam》. It's pain that migrates throughout the body and makes the body feel heavy.

A Single Customized Score for the Orchestra

So, how do we resolve this overall predicament? The goal of treatment is clear. It is not about silencing the musicians because they are loud (painkillers).

When facing such complex conditions, treatment is not a process of finding a predetermined answer. It's closer to a journey of seeking the path together, following the small clues provided by the patient's body.

The Korean Medicine approach addresses these three issues simultaneously. It aims to create a single, integrated prescription—a 'customized score'.

For example, with On-Dam-Tang (溫膽湯, Wen-Dan-Tang Decoction), we clear the mud from the stage and stabilize the conductor. To this, we add a melody to replenish Gi (Qi) and Hyeol (Blood) for the hungry musicians (Bo-Gi-Hyeol, 補氣血). We also add a chord to calm the conductor's frenzy (Sik-Pung, 熄風, extinguishing wind).

In this way, a 'customized score' is completed for each individual patient. This holistic approach – helping the orchestra of one's body to play harmonious music again – that is the goal of this long journey.

Clinic Information

- Clinic Hours -

Mon-Fri 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Lunch Break 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

※ We do not provide individual consultations through the blog. For appointments and clinic-related inquiries, please check Naver Place or our official website.

Baeknokdam Korean Medicine Clinic
3rd Floor, Songdo Dream City, 81 Convensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon