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| Acupuncture in Korea |
As soon as I moved to Korea I wanted to try out traditional Oriental medicine. I had heard how inexpensive it is over here and that it is used regularly to help all sorts of aches, pains, and medical problems. I had researched and have found that modern Western medical studies have found that there are benefits to traditional Oriental medicine. Notably in the area of back pain, migraines, and sinus issues. There is a whole host of treatments that the doctors perform from acupuncture to herbs. As I hold my stress and tension in my shoulders and upper back and I teach high schoolers English I understandably quickly had big knots in my shoulders. I asked around if anyone had ever been to a traditional doctor and no one(foreigners) that I spoke with had been but everyone seemed interested. I looked up reviews, how to find a place, and the procedure and there is not a lot of information out there. A couple blog posts but that's it. So here is mine.
A friend had noticed a shop that does traditional medicine in Munson and I finally just wandered in one afternoon. So just look for a sign that says Traditional Oriental Medicine or Traditional Korean Medicine. Usually there is a round sign in green that says that. Every city, town, and village has at least a couple if you look around. My Korean is non-existent, please keep that in mind. I just kinda walked into this office above a Baskin Robbins and took off my shoes and shuffled to the reception desk. The lady asked something in Korean. Most likely 'Do you speak Korean?' I shook my head and she sighed..... I motioned to my shoulders and she asked 'pain?' yes, I replied. The Doctor came into the lobby and asked what my problem (in slow English) was and I again pointed to my shoulder and said 'pain.' They asked for my ID card and I handed over my ARC(Alien Registration Card) or my Insurance card. They took my information and ushered me into another room.
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| Acupuncture in Korea |
An alarm went off in the distance after maybe 5-15 minutes and a nurse came over and quickly pulled the needles out and into a metal basin. Again I did not feel any pain.
She then proceeded to drag over a machine and hook it up to me. The machine can only be described in the following manner: Imagine an electric eel and an octopus have a baby. But that baby is a machine.... Thats what this thing is. Eight or more slightly damp electric suction thingies are put on my back with a light suction that grips onto my back. Okay. Then the nurse starts to play with the switches and the suctions thingies come Alive!!! She adjusts some stuff and asks 'Okay?' I respond 'ok?' and she leaves and the machine goes through this series of electric pulsing zapping cycles for another 10 maybe minutes. It is by far the weirdest sensation I have ever had. Not painful, though I found out later that some nurses really crank up the voltage and I have had to call to get it turned down a bit.  |
| acupuncture in Korea |
Another alarm went off in the distance and the nurse returned. She pulled the suctions off me and then wheeled over another cart. I'm face down so I am just taking whatever the series is.
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| Korean acupuncture and cupping |
I have a lot of hair that I really like so when I heard a lighter snap on around my hair I was obviously a bit twitchy. Well the lighter is for the inside of the cups to create a vacuum when applied to the skin. I quickly got about 8(?) placed on my shoulder and upper back and was left again curtain closed. This does not really allow you to move as you have parts of your skin being sucked into the cups to draw out impurities I think. Really not sure here but without a strong grasp of the Korean language I just had to go with it.
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| Korean Acupuncture and Cupping |
A third alarm went off in the distance. Time is now something I have no grasp of but the nurse came by and pried off the cups and slapped a herbal pack/bandage on my shoulders and I think said to keep it there for a period of time. The purple circles from the cupping lasts 2-3 days and does not hurt but is a bit weird and people will ask when they see it. This Cupping Set is the closest thing I have found for at home use.
She took away my pillow and had me lay out flat and she then came over with what seems like an industrial car buffer and proceed to bear down with all her weight at she rubbed it all over my back, arms, and legs. It hurt and tickled. A Lot!
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| Acupuncture in Korea Buffer/Massager weapon |
The doctor poked my shoulders the second time checking my stress knots. They seemed the same. Had the same full procedure and returned 2 days later. He poked my knots again and Oh My Gosh! They were like half the size. After 3-4 more sessions The big goose egg knots had become tiny robins egg knots. Then after a few more sessions they were gone!!! He told me that I was finished so now I return every couple of months for twice a week sessions. I am not sure which part does the trick but I really enjoy it.
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| Wet cupping. Just say no! |
Well I hope that people who were like me and wanting to get more information on traditional oriental medicine in Korea have been helped by this walk through. I say just wander in and see how they an help you feel better. I highly recommend trying it out a couple times.
Well thanks for reading and have a great day.
