autoimmune disease

In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, Sjögren's disease, lupus, and psoriatic arthritis, the affected tissues and disease course differ for each condition. Even within the same diagnosis, the discomfort experienced by patients can vary significantly.

• Do your fingers and wrists swell and remain stiff for a long time in the morning?
• Is the lower back, pelvis, or back stiffer after rest?
• Is there severe dryness in the mouth, eyes, or skin?
• Have sleep and movement decreased due to joint pain and muscle pain?
• Do you get tired easily, and does recovery take longer after a cold or stress?

Soian Korean Medicine Clinic does not wait only for test results; it identifies the target symptom that is currently causing the patient the most difficulty. Changes that can be observed in daily life, such as morning joint stiffness duration, hand grip and release movements, sitting down and standing up, walking, and sleep, are used as the standard for treatment.

During periods when heat, swelling, and distinct tenderness arise in the joints, treatment is needed to first reduce the hyperactive inflammatory response and pain. Conversely, when the disease has been present for a long time and the body feels cold, fatigues easily, and digestion and sleep are compromised, treatment should focus on replenishing depleted qi and blood and restoring vitality, rather than simply reducing heat.

Even when the joint pain is similar, the prescription should differ for someone whose main issue is red, hot joints; someone with severe morning stiffness but greatly reduced stamina and digestion; and someone whose whole body has stiffened from pain, with tension extending to the jaw, neck, and rib cage.

We assess body shape, complexion, cold/heat patterns, sweating, digestion and bowel movements, sleep, fatigue, and medication status to predict the constitution, then confirm the treatment direction based on the actual response to acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Constitution-based herbal medicine is not a prescription tailored to a single disease name for an autoimmune disease. We distinguish whether joint heat and swelling, muscle and ligament tension, dryness, or fatigue and digestion/sleep are the central issues, and prescribe accordingly.

Acupuncture treatment regulates not only the joints but also compensatory tension in the abdomen, neck, back, pelvis, and limbs. Acupoint injection is selected for areas with distinct tenderness and restricted movement, or when tension in the abdomen and torso is linked to systemic symptoms.

When movement of the spine, rib cage, and pelvis becomes restricted, limiting daily activities, we apply Chuna therapy by considering the current inflammation status and joint range of motion. If pain recurs in multiple areas, improves immediately after treatment but stiffens again, and there is a clear systemic response to changes in temporomandibular joint balance, we also consider temporomandibular joint balance therapy.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, immunomodulators, and biologic agents used in rheumatology are essential treatments for managing disease activity and the risk of joint and organ damage. Do not discontinue them or change dosages arbitrarily, and continue necessary blood tests, imaging, and disease activity assessments. (EULAR)

However, you do not need to wait for remaining pain, stiffness, dryness, or fatigue to resolve simply because you are taking medication. Korean medicine treatment is not an auxiliary management that begins after hospital treatment ends; it is a process that simultaneously treats the symptoms disrupting your current life and your constitution.

Do not assume the underlying disease is stable solely because symptoms have improved. Regardless of test results, we actively treat and verify whether the patient's actual ability to move, sleep, and eat is improving.

For rheumatoid arthritis, we assess the duration of morning joint stiffness, swelling and joint pain in the fingers and wrists, and movements involving hand use. For axial spondyloarthritis, we evaluate stiffness in the lower back and pelvis, trunk rotation and rib cage movement, and discomfort when standing up after sitting for a long time.

For Sjögren's disease and other autoimmune diseases, we jointly assess dryness of the mouth, eyes, and skin, muscle pain and fatigue, sleep and digestion, and the speed of recovery after activity.

The treatment goal is not to promise the elimination of the disease name. It is to increase the time with less pain and stiffness, restore daily movements and sleep and digestion, and reduce the daily energy consumed by the disease.