Blog & Columns
Useful information about health and Korean medicine.
Total 207 posts
When only one foot hurts, but it started on the other side
Patients tell us their foot hurts as if it's tearing when they take their first step getting out of bed in the morning. It eases a little after walking, but gets worse as the day goes on. Often the sole and the area just above the heel hurt together. What's distinctive here is that it's only on one side. In many cases, the person has been favoring the other side for a long time.
When your feet tire quickly and changing shoes doesn't help
Patients tell us their soles feel heavy after walking just a little. Thinking the shoes were the problem, they've tried several pairs, but nothing changed. They also say their lower back feels heavy the day after a light walk, and they assumed it was just low stamina. Pain patches and massage help for a while, but within a few days it comes back, again and again.
When your lower back hurts more standing than sitting
Patients tell us they thought their back hurt from sitting too long, but it's actually worse when they walk or stand. That detail is the clue. They also mention the soles of their feet burn and they get tired after walking just a little. They talk about the feet and the back separately, but when we ask, the two come up together. They've tried pain patches and stretching, but nothing changed.
Why we look at the feet first when your child's body seems to lean to one side
Parents tell us that in a photo, one of their child's shoulders looks higher and the back looks rounded. They come in about posture, but when we ask, the feet come up. They also mention the child doesn't like walking for long, often asks to be carried, and wears down the soles of the shoes on one side only. When the base is unsteady, the parts above take over the load.
When your child's walk catches your eye
Parents tell us their child's toes point outward or turn inward when walking. Many come in after watching their child walk from behind and feeling uneasy about it. Other things often come up along with it: the child doesn't like walking for long, slouches, and doesn't eat well. Often these aren't separate issues but part of one thread.
When your child eats well but it doesn't seem to go into height
Parents say their child doesn't eat little, but only their weight goes up while their height stays the same. They come with the question, "They eat well, so why isn't it going into height?" When we ask, they say the child often gets indigestion while eating, gets gassy easily, and takes a long time on the toilet. They also mention the child can't walk for long and often asks to be carried.
When you feel you've done everything and nothing has changed
Parents come in after getting tests and paying attention to what their child eats, but things haven't gone as hoped. Having already tried many things, they are often exhausted. When we ask, they say the child often has a stiff neck and shoulders, gets headaches, and tosses and turns at night. These things come up even though they came in to talk about height.
When you ask, "Can't we wait and see a little longer?"
Sometimes it's fine to wait and see, and sometimes it isn't. What decides it is not age but how far the bones have matured. A child's calendar age and bone age are different. If the bones are already ahead, the time left for growing may be shorter than you think. An X-ray of the hand shows this. Along with bone age, we look at both parents' heights.
When your child eats little and tosses and turns at night
Parents tell us their child is a picky, small eater who can't finish a meal and puts the spoon down after a few bites, saying they're full. They also mention the child has trouble falling asleep and tosses and turns for a long time. Many mornings, the child doesn't wake up refreshed. Parents are often worn out from trying to get their child to eat, so in the exam room we listen to that story first.
When you can't avoid drinking occasions
With drinking occasions and late nights again and again, they don't wake up refreshed and can't get a grip on their work during the day. They mention their body feeling heavy before they mention weight. Many also say something was flagged at their health checkup.
When you came looking for an easy fix, but something else has to come first
They come in thinking of something easy to take. The first thing they say is that they're too busy to set aside time. Many have long lived with late meals because of work and frequent work dinners.
When you move less, gain weight, and swelling piles on top
As they went out less and spent more time at home, they gained weight. It overlaps with a period when both their sleep times and mealtimes got thrown off. On top of that, their legs swell. By evening their shoes feel tight and their calves feel heavy. Some find this harder than the weight itself.