Blog & Columns
Useful information about health and Korean medicine.
Total 679 posts
Ultra-processed foods: Is there a bigger problem than just calories?
Ultra-processed foods: is there a problem beyond just calories? In previous posts, we've repeatedly discussed that obesity isn't merely a matter of calorie counting, but rather a problem concerning the body's metabolic flow and storage environment. This time, as an extension of that discussion, we'll delve a bit deeper into the impact of ultra-processed foods on our bodies...
Fat-Dissolving Injections: That Immediate Slimming Feeling... So Why Do Many People End Up Back Where They Started?
Fat-dissolving injections: Why do so many people regain the weight after that immediate feeling of reduction? In previous posts, we have repeatedly discussed that obesity is not merely a problem of calorie counting, but rather an issue concerning the body's metabolic flow and storage environment. This time, as an extension of that, we will explore the limitations and possibilities of localized procedures…
Why Am I Still Struggling to Lose Weight Even With a Normal BMI? What to Consider Beyond the Numbers
Even with a normal BMI, why is it so hard to lose weight? Answer Definition: What to check first, beyond the numbers. The reason why it's so hard to lose weight even with a normal BMI isn't simply a problem of just one habit; rather, it becomes easier to assess when you consider your current lifestyle patterns and your body's reactions together...
Why You're Not Losing Weight Despite Eating Less: 5 Things to Check First When You Hit a Diet Plateau
5 Things to Consider First When You Hit a Diet Plateau: Why You're Not Losing Weight Despite Eating Less There comes a point when your weight stops dropping, even if you've reduced your food intake. At this juncture, many people start wondering, "Is my body just naturally resistant to weight loss?" or "Do I need to starve myself even more?"...
Rough Skin Around Your Fingernail: How to Tell if It's a Periungual Wart or Eczema Before Cryotherapy
When the skin around your fingernails becomes rough and cracked, it's common to see perionychial warts, eczema, and barrier damage appear intertwined. We've compiled the key differentiating points to identify before cryotherapy.
I Get Bloated Just From Dieting | A 30-Something Office Worker's Traditional Korean Medicine Constitutional Improvement
Through the case of a 30-something office worker experiencing indigestion while on a diet, we introduce constitutional causes and recovery methods. Regular meals and stress management are key.
Why Do We Always Fail Our Diets? | Constitutional Causes According to Korean Medicine
The reason diets fail despite diet and exercise is due to constitutional differences. We introduce obesity types and tailored strategies for each Sasang constitutional type: Tae-yang, So-eum, and Tae-eum.
"Always Bloated and Uncomfortable" | Chronic Indigestion in a 40-Something Woman
Always feeling bloated and uncomfortable...
“My Stomach Feels Bloated Whenever I Diet” | Indigestion in a 20-Year-Old Female Dieter
Every time I start dieting, I get bloated...
"Bloated with Neck Pain" | Cervical Disc-Related Indigestion in a 30-Something Office Worker
Bloated with neck pain at the same time...
“My Stomach is Twisting and Diarrhea Won’t Stop” | 30s Office Worker Indigestion & Diarrhea
null
My Stomach Feels Like a Ball of Fire! | A 30-Something Office Worker's Chronic Indigestion and Heartburn
<p>Let me explain by sharing a case I encountered.</p> <p>In August 2017, a woman in her early 70s came to me. She reported having received <b>treatment, including surgery, for several years at another clinic, but with little effect.</b></p> <p>Initially, she presented with merely <b>leg numbness caused by chronic lower back pain.</b> However, as time went on, she experienced weakening in her legs and ankles, which progressed to <b>'foot drop,'</b> where her foot would drop involuntarily. Unable to lift her foot properly, walking became challenging, and she required assistance to navigate stairs.</p> <p>At that time, this patient's mobility was severely impaired due to lower back pain, leg numbness, weakness, and foot drop, leading to a significant decrease in her quality of life.</p> <p>Detailed examination results led to a diagnosis of <b>'peripheral neuropathy'</b> caused by <b>'spinal stenosis.'</b> The patient's foot drop was a symptom resulting from nerve compression due to spinal stenosis.</p> <p>Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal, the passageway for nerves within the spine, narrows. When the spinal canal narrows, it leads to nerve compression and inflammation, resulting in lower back pain, leg numbness, and leg weakness. In severe cases, it can even be accompanied by leg paralysis symptoms such as <b>'foot drop.'</b></p> <p>As this patient had already undergone multiple surgeries, she desired <b>'non-surgical treatment'</b> that could address her condition without further surgical intervention. Therefore, I recommended <b>'epidural neuroplasty'</b> to her.</p> <p>Epidural neuroplasty is one of the non-surgical treatments for spinal stenosis, a procedure that directly injects medication into the spinal canal to alleviate inflammation and swelling. It involves administering local anesthesia and then inserting a thin, specialized catheter towards the tailbone to deliver the medication.</p> <p>The patient underwent epidural neuroplasty a total of 5 times, with 2-week intervals. <b>Starting from the third week of treatment, the patient's pain improved, and by the fifth week, she felt strength returning to her legs.</b></p> <p>The patient, who had been unable to lift her foot well due to foot drop, found that <b>after the completion of treatment, her ankle strength improved, enabling her to lift her foot and walk more comfortably than before.</b></p> <p>The effectiveness of epidural neuroplasty in patients with spinal stenosis accompanied by foot drop can also be confirmed in the following paper:</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6902251/">Efficacy of Percutaneous Epidural Neuroplasty in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Foot Drop: A Retrospective Study of 17 Cases</a></p> <p>As such, foot drop caused by spinal stenosis can be effectively improved with non-surgical treatments, including medication, physical therapy, injection therapy, and neuroplasty.</p> <p>Therefore, even if foot drop symptoms arise due to spinal stenosis, rather than worrying prematurely and opting for surgery, it is advisable to <b>first consider non-surgical treatment.</b></p>