2024 Korean Medicine Clinic Highlights

Hello, I am Dr. Hyocheong Chae, director of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic in Dongcheon-dong, a place where kind hearts reside.

In 2024, thanks to the many people who trusted and visited Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, our Sunyujae family was able to put even more effort into our treatments. We sincerely thank everyone who cherished and loved Sunyujae. This year, Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic has once again done its best for the health and happiness of our patients!

Today, we will share various stories about Sunyujae in 2024 that you have been curious about. Q. What was the most notable topic among the research or lectures conducted this year?

The mild cognitive impairment research project, which began in October, is scheduled to continue for the next two years. This research aims to propose better alternative treatments for dementia patients, in addition to pharmacotherapy. Recently, there has been growing interest in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is a precursor to dementia, and if left untreated early, it can progress to dementia, making early intervention crucial.

The treatment method highlighted in this research is a Korean medicine approach, specifically acupotomy. Recent research has shown that Korean medicine is effective in improving cognitive function, and it is attracting attention as a natural method with few side effects. While Western medicine has not made much progress in dementia-related research, Korean medicine is gaining recognition as an alternative treatment.

This research is expected to play a significant role in establishing scientific evidence for how acupotomy can improve cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Acupotomy balances the nervous system and promotes blood circulation to the brain, making it a promising alternative for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases like mild cognitive impairment.

This research is expected to make an important contribution to establishing evidence that acupotomy is effective in treating mild cognitive impairment. Q. You are actively involved in the Korean Acupotomy Medical Society. What exactly do you do?

I serve as the Planning Director and Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal for the Korean Acupotomy Medical Society. You might be curious about what an editor-in-chief of our academic journal does, right? I perform a surprisingly diverse range of roles. The academic journal is published twice a year, in June and December.

To prepare for this, I plan ahead and meticulously manage all processes from manuscript submission to review, editing, and final publication. The role of the editor-in-chief, who oversees the publication of the academic journal, carries great responsibility. First, after receiving manuscripts submitted by researchers, I request reviews from expert peer reviewers in the relevant field.

Through various review processes, we check for parts that need revision and work to enhance the completeness of the papers. Finally, all papers are edited and compiled into a single academic journal. Meeting publication deadlines is also a very important task.

The academic journal of the Korean Acupotomy Medical Society has been selected as a candidate journal for registration with the National Research Foundation of Korea. Thanks to our efforts in establishing the society’s journal website and a continuous submission system, and publishing an academic journal with about 30 papers twice a year, we are achieving results step by step. We will continue to collaborate and move forward to grow into a journal that leads the development of Korean medicine.

Q. What was the inspiration behind the name of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic? 善 (seon) means good, 留 (yu) means to stay, 齋 (jae) means house. ‘Daeui Jeongseong’ is a text written by Sun Simiao, a Chinese physician and scholar from the Tang Dynasty, about the demeanor and mindset of a physician. Sun Simiao emphasized that physicians should calm their minds and focus their intentions when treating patients, and should not pursue their own desires and profits.

He also stated that physicians should possess a deep love for humanity and a firm desire to help those who suffer. Based on these sentiments, the name ‘Sunyujae’ was created. The most important aspect I learned while studying medicine was ‘how to treat patients,’ and the name embodies the desire to sincerely understand, share, and help alleviate patients’ suffering. In ‘Sunyujae,’ ‘seon’ signifies a good heart and sincerity, and ‘yu’ means ‘to stay.’

Therefore, ‘Sunyujae’ embodies the attitude and mindset of a physician who is sincere to patients, and it signifies a space where patients’ lives are hoped to improve, even if just a little. I believe that medicine is not merely about treating diseases, but that authenticity in the relationship with patients is paramount. The reason I chose the name ‘Sunyujae’ was precisely to convey a sincere heart towards patients and a sense of professional calling. It is a name that expresses the hope that when patients are with us, they will truly heal and their lives will improve a little more.

Q. Among your treatments this year, are there any memorable patient cases or special experiences? Many people give me a lot of encouragement. For example, they bring homemade kimchi after making it, or pack carefully prepared side dishes. Some have also written congratulatory cards when the clinic moved or given me handmade drawings as gifts.

There are also patients who say that when I go on an overseas business trip, the neighborhood feels empty, and they feel at ease when the director is present. These small things bring great joy and a sense of reward. I am always grateful, and it motivates me to provide even more sincere treatment. I am always thankful for each and every one of their hearts.

Q. Among various treatments such as pharmacopuncture, filiform needle acupuncture, and acupotomy, which method received particularly good responses from patients? Those who come knowing about acupotomy naturally prefer it. In fact, many patients have never experienced acupotomy, so they naturally become curious.

Acupotomy is not easy to use, so it’s a treatment method that many Korean medicine doctors don’t frequently employ. That’s why some patients specifically seek out acupotomy treatment. However, the important thing is that a specific treatment method like acupotomy, filiform needle acupuncture, or pharmacopuncture isn’t suitable for all patients. An expert must accurately determine which treatment method is most appropriate for each patient’s condition and situation.

In other words, we cannot definitively say that one procedure is better than another. For all treatments, it is most important to make an accurate diagnosis and then select and perform the most suitable method for the patient. The role of a physician is to accurately diagnose the patient’s condition and provide the best possible treatment for them.

Q. Besides pain conditions, when do you use the ultrasound equipment at the Korean medicine clinic? Over the past 10 years, I have observed a sharp increase in patients undergoing infertility and IVF treatments in clinical practice. The causes of infertility vary for each individual, making accurate diagnosis essential.

Utilizing ultrasound diagnosis allows for a detailed examination of uterine changes, enabling us to understand various conditions within the uterus. Based on this, we can establish customized treatment plans tailored to individual patients. For these reasons, I obtained an ultrasound diagnostic certification, establishing a foundation to provide appropriate treatment based on more accurate diagnoses.

Before considering IVF, preparing each patient’s condition through a Korean medicine approach can be more effective. By accurately understanding the uterine condition and combining it with appropriate treatment, we can achieve a better approach to infertility treatment.

Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic in Dongcheon-dong pursues evidence-based integrative medicine.

This post was written directly by the medical staff of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic to provide medical information, in compliance with Article 56(2) and Article 57(3) of the Medical Service Act. The duration and outcome of treatment may vary from person to person, so please consult a qualified practitioner before beginning treatment.