Acupuncture By The Water

04/28/2026

A patient diagnosed with Glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive brain tumors with an average survival of about 15 months, discontinued conventional treatment due to severe side effects and chose an integrative approach. Despite multiple MRI findings suggesting recurrence, repeated biopsies confirmed only inflammation—not tumor regrowth—and the patient has now remained stable and recurrence-free for over 5 years while continuing herbal treatment and maintaining daily life. This case highlights the complexity of interpreting imaging after treatment and suggests a potential role for integrative care in selected cases. For full details and clinical course of the author of this article and Korean Medicine Doctor, Dr. Tae Young Han, please see the link below.
https://mu-is-a-sang.com/2026/04/29/lecture-119-gbm_glioblastoma-multiforme-5-years/

04/28/2026

Conventional medications for dementia, such as Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Galantamine, work by increasing levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for memory and learning, by inhibiting its breakdown. Another medication, Memantine, helps protect brain cells by reducing excessive stimulation from glutamate, which can otherwise lead to neuronal damage. In essence, modern medical treatments focus on improving the efficiency of neural communication and protecting brain cells from overstimulation.

Similarly, traditional herbal medicine can be understood in modern terms as supporting brain function by improving cerebral blood flow (microcirculation), reducing inflammation, and stabilizing the neuronal environment. While it does not target specific receptors or enzymes as directly as pharmaceutical drugs, it helps create conditions that allow neural signaling to function more effectively and may reduce ongoing cellular stress. In this way, both approaches share a common goal—preserving brain function and protecting neurons—while differing in their mechanisms: pharmaceuticals act directly on defined molecular targets, whereas herbal medicine works more systemically to optimize the brain’s overall environment.

04/27/2026

This is an article on insomnia by Korean doctor of Traditional Medicine, Dr. Taeyoung Han. For more details, please refer to the link below.

Sleep is not merely rest but a dynamic process in which excitation and inhibition within the central nervous system are balanced, reflecting the cyclical interplay of Yin and Yang as the body’s energy turns inward. In modern life, excessive mental stimulation combined with insufficient physical activity often contributes to insomnia.

To counter this, simple practices such as organizing one’s environment, closing the eyes, releasing tension in the jaw and mouth, and engaging in slow, deep breathing can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Gentle tongue movements and mindful breathing further relax the body and promote melatonin release, naturally guiding the body toward sleep.

In addition, warm bathing plays a critical role by inducing peripheral vasodilation, regulating body temperature, and shifting autonomic balance, ultimately supporting the brain’s circadian rhythm and enhancing melatonin secretion for deeper, more restorative sleep.

https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224267032084

04/22/2026

This is a summary of a clinical case report by Korean Medicine doctor Tae-Young Han. You can find the full details through the blog link below.

A case is presented of an elderly Stage IV hepatocellular carcinoma patient who discontinued Sorafenib due to severe side effects and was subsequently treated with herbal medicine and TDP-based thermal therapy alone; despite an initially poor prognosis with extensive tumor burden, ascites, and pleural effusion, the patient experienced gradual resolution of fluid accumulation, significant tumor regression (to about 4% of its original size within 18 months), and survival exceeding three years with maintained daily function, although later imaging showed partial recurrence—highlighting a potential role of integrative, non-conventional approaches in select advanced cancer cases while acknowledging ongoing skepticism

https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224261293670

Is Herbal Medicine Hepatotoxic or Hepatoprotective? A Case of Stage IV Liver Cancer Tre...

04/21/2026

Dr. Han's this article presents a comprehensive, integrative perspective on cancer as a breakdown of immune surveillance, where decreased lymphocyte activity and increased neutrophils contribute to tumor progression and the formation of a protective tumor microenvironment.

It emphasizes that effective treatment requires a multi-directional strategy: externally reducing tumor burden (e.g., chemotherapy), internally restoring immune function (reactivating lymphocytes), and optimizing the body’s internal environment through approaches such as herbal medicine and improved circulation.

His particular focus is placed on lymphatic flow and body temperature, highlighting how impaired circulation weakens immune response and how thermal therapy can help restore it.

Ultimately, cancer is framed not as a single target but as a dynamic interaction between immune cells, tumor cells, and the physiological environment, requiring coordinated treatment that dismantles the tumor “fortress,” rebuilds immune capacity, and stabilizes systemic conditions for sustained recovery.

You can view the full article by Dr. Taeyoung Han through the link below.
https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224260765905

04/21/2026

From an integrative medicine perspective, tinnitus in a patient with a kidney-yin deficiency pattern with rising liver yang can be interpreted as a combination of inner-ear vulnerability, neuroinflammation, autonomic dysregulation, and reduced microvascular stability. Acupuncture may help modulate the auditory pathway, improve circulation, and reduce sympathetic overactivation, lowering the “gain” of overactive sound signaling. Herbal treatment aimed at nourishing yin and calming upward excitation may further reduce inflammatory stress and stabilize the cochlear environment. Rather than simply suppressing sound, this approach supports a healthier inner-ear and neural environment so ringing becomes less persistent.

Low back pain in this pattern is often linked to deep paraspinal fatigue, poor stability, and myofascial tension around the lumbar spine. Acupuncture can reduce muscle overactivity, improve circulation, and decrease pain signaling, allowing better recruitment of core stabilizers such as the multifidus and transverse abdominis. Herbal support may enhance tissue recovery and reduce chronic inflammatory burden. Together, acupuncture and herbs help calm the auditory system while restoring efficient support and function in the lower back.

04/20/2026

In Arizona, the seasonal period corresponding to Gogu (Grain Rain) does not bring increased moisture as it does in East Asia. Instead, late April marks a transition into a hotter, significantly drier climate with low humidity, rising daytime temperatures, and increased wind and pollen exposure. From a biomedical perspective, this leads to chronic mild dehydration, drying of the respiratory and ocular mucosa, and a higher incidence of allergic reactions driven by histamine release. Patients commonly experience dry throat, irritated eyes, sinus pressure, fatigue, and musculoskeletal stiffness due to reduced tissue hydration and autonomic nervous system stress from temperature fluctuations.

From Oriental Medicine perspective, this environment is characterized by “dryness (燥)” rather than the typical dampness associated with this seasonal term. Dryness is understood to impair Lung function (燥傷肺), leading to respiratory and skin symptoms, while the natural spring rise of Liver energy becomes constrained due to insufficient body fluids, resulting in irritability, tension, and muscle tightness. The combination of wind and dryness (風燥) further explains allergy-like symptoms and itching conditions. Clinically, this period often presents as a pattern of fluid depletion (津液不足) with concurrent autonomic imbalance, requiring approaches that support hydration, regulate Lung and Liver function, and reduce inflammatory reactivity.

04/17/2026

Some patients undergoing chemotherapy presented with severe lymph node pain. After acupuncture treatment, the intense pain stopped.

From a biomedical perspective, this response can be explained by neuromodulation. Acupuncture stimulates peripheral nerves, which helps block pain signals at the spinal level (gate control mechanism) and promotes the release of endogenous opioids such as endorphins and enkephalins. These substances reduce pain perception and help calm hypersensitized nerves, which are common during chemotherapy.

In addition, acupuncture has anti-inflammatory and circulatory effects. It can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and improve microcirculation and lymphatic flow. By decreasing local inflammation and relieving tissue pressure around the lymph nodes, pain can be significantly reduced.

Overall, acupuncture works through a combination of neural regulation, endogenous pain control, and anti-inflammatory effects—helping relieve even severe pain in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

04/16/2026

https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224255256568

This Link is to the blog article by Dr. Han is about Yin Yang theory of Sa Sang Medicine.

Sasang medicine begins with the idea that all forms and matter arise from the interaction of two fundamental forces—Yin and Yang—where Yin creates structure and Yang drives movement and transformation. What we perceive as “form” is not merely an external shape, but the visible result of internal forces and energetic balance. Matter itself continuously shifts between solid, liquid, and gas depending on the dominance of inward (Yin) and outward (Yang) forces, reflecting a dynamic rather than fixed existence.

Based on this framework, Sasang medicine classifies individuals into four constitutional types, each with distinct physiological, psychological, and energetic characteristics, meaning that even the same disease requires different treatments depending on the individual. Unlike modern medicine, which relies on statistical averages, Sasang medicine emphasizes personalized care by focusing on the unique balance within each person, and when integrated with modern fields such as genetics and pharmacology, it has the potential to evolve into a more comprehensive and precise system of individualized medicine.

The full article by Dr. Han is through the link below; https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224255256568

04/16/2026

This article by Dr. Han emphasizes that cancer recovery, from Oriental Medicine perspective, centers on actively warming and circulating the body through consistent movement, mental discipline, and appropriate diet. It argues that exercise—such as walking, light running, and even daily physical tasks—improves circulation, oxygenation, and internal organ function, thereby reducing the conditions in which cancer develops. In parallel, warming foods and constitution-specific dietary choices (such as garlic, ginger, and fermented preparations) support internal balance and immune function. Ultimately, the core message is that recovery depends not only on external treatments but on the patient’s own sustained effort to move the body, regulate the mind, and restore physiological balance through integrated lifestyle changes.


https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224187298524

04/16/2026

Allergies common in Arizona—driven by desert pollens, dust, and dry air—are typically understood as Allergic Rhinitis, an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction. Allergens trigger mast cells to release histamine and leukotrienes, causing nasal inflammation, congestion, and sneezing. Acupuncture may help regulate the autonomic nervous system and improve nasal blood flow, while promoting anti-inflammatory neurochemicals and activating the vagal anti-inflammatory reflex to reduce overall inflammation.

Herbal medicine works systemically by modulating immune function. It can help rebalance the Th1/Th2 response, reducing excessive Th2 activity, IgE production, and eosinophil activation. Additionally, by supporting the gut-immune axis and microbiome, herbal therapy enhances mucosal immunity and reduces sensitivity to environmental allergens, helping manage persistent symptoms in Arizona’s climate.

04/15/2026

This article presents a case of a patient diagnosed with the most aggressive form of glioblastoma (GBM, WHO Grade 4) who discontinued standard chemotherapy (temozolomide) due to severe side effects and instead underwent herbal medicine–based treatment; despite multiple imaging findings suggestive of recurrence, repeated biopsies confirmed only inflammatory changes rather than tumor regrowth, and the patient has maintained a stable, recurrence-free condition for over five years, which the author interprets as evidence supporting constitution-based herbal therapy while also offering a critical perspective on conventional treatments and explaining the disease mechanism and treatment approach through the lens of traditional Korean medicine.
https://blog.naver.com/ham1sh/224252763752

Today’s case is about a patient with glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive WHO Grade 4 br...