The season of the sky getting higher and horses gaining weight, known as the season of "heavenly high and horse fattening," has returned. As the weather cools, appetites return, and with the national holiday of Chuseok approaching, there are countless cases of indigestion in autumn. When I was young, if I had indigestion, adults would pull out a needle. Does this folk remedy of pricking the hand with a needle to draw blood, called "hand pricking," really work?

 

◆ 'Hand tapping' effect... Need to find the correct acupoint

 

Hwang Man-ki, the director of Hwang Man-ki Keybon Oriental Medicine Clinic, said, "Hand acupuncture" has a clear effect when you have indigestion. "Hand acupuncture" is one of the emergency treatment methods in traditional Korean medicine called Jarak (刺絡), which involves stimulating specific peripheral nerves so that the sensation is transmitted to the brain, activating the autonomic nervous system. As a result, the movement of the stomach and intestines is promoted, alleviating indigestion. Director Hwang also added, "However, since immediate effects can be seen only if 'hand acupuncture' is applied precisely to the acupoint, caution is necessary."

It is safest to receive 'hand removal' treatment from a professional whenever possible.

 

Shao Shang (少商) point is an important acupoint located just beside the outer root corner of the thumbnail. Director Hwang stated, "Poking the hand with improperly sterilized pens, needles, toothpicks, etc., can cause side effects such as bacterial infections or skin tissue damage," and also mentioned, "For those who are very timid, diabetic patients, heart disease patients, children, or the elderly with weak physical strength, side effects such as nausea or dizziness may occur when performing 'hand piercing,' so caution is necessary." Therefore, it is important to receive 'hand piercing' treatment from a traditional Korean medicine doctor whenever possible. Additionally, indigestion can sometimes be an early symptom of a myocardial infarction, so if symptoms of indigestion do not improve and instead worsen, it is urgent to go to the emergency room.

 

◆ It is good to drink traditional herbal tea that aids digestion beforehand to prevent indigestion.

 

If you have indigestion, it is most important to accurately identify the root cause with the help of an expert. However, if an expert is not available and it is difficult to perform the Soshanghyeol method, there is an alternative method you can try. You can press firmly on the Hegu point (合谷穴), Neiguan point (內關穴), or Zhongwan point (中脘穴) with your fingers until you feel a slight pain. Additionally, Director Hwang advised, "For people who tend to get indigestion easily, drinking traditional herbal teas such as ginger tea, tangerine peel tea, or plum tea before Chuseok as a preventive measure can be very helpful."

 

◆ If you frequently experience indigestion, it could be due to reflux esophagitis, gastritis, or other conditions.

 

If symptoms of indigestion frequently recur, it is highly likely to be reflux esophagitis, gastritis, or functional dyspepsia. Director Hwang emphasized, "It is important to visit specialized medical institutions, including traditional Korean medicine clinics, to receive an accurate diagnosis of your constitution and condition, and then start active treatment."

And Director Hwang said, "Indigestion should be managed through regular eating habits," adding, "Avoid foods that are greasy or heavy on digestion as much as possible, and also refrain from drinking alcohol frequently." He also warned that spicy foods with strong flavors, such as those containing many spices, can cause indigestion and should be approached with caution.

 

Furthermore, it is most important to regularly regulate and manage psychological stress and mental fatigue. Director Hwang explained, "Chronic stress environments can cause mental fatigue, which often leads to disharmony in bodily functions and is a common cause of various digestive disorders." Therefore, he recommended that consistently consuming herbal teas with anti-stress effects, such as 'quince tea' and 'lotus seed tea,' can be very helpful in improving digestive function and preventing symptoms.

 

 

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In case of a high-end Chinese meal last time

I think I kept pressing the acupressure point on my finger.

 

Festive foods are greasy.

There are many cases of indigestion.