Stroke, or jungpung (中風), is a frightening disease that can appear suddenly without warning signs. The mortality rate among people in their 40s and 50s in Korea is among the highest in the world. One of the causes is jungpung (中風). People commonly say, “the wind has come,” and mortality from cerebrovascular disease is higher than from myocardial infarction or liver disease. Jungpung refers to a cerebrovascular disease that causes neurological deficits when circulation in the brain’s blood vessels is disrupted, causing a vessel to become blocked or rupture. A person may suddenly collapse while walking, have slurred speech or be unable to speak, have the eyes and mouth become crooked, and develop paralysis in the hands, feet, or other areas. The reason jungpung is truly frightening is because of its “aftereffects.”
After collapsing and then regaining consciousness, a person may develop facial paralysis, speech impairment, or mental confusion, and in severe cases, may develop hemiplegia, with one side of the body paralyzed. When warning signs first appear, treatment should aim to prevent stroke. If stroke has already occurred, it should be actively managed so that the feeling of paralysis does not worsen and contracture or spasticity does not develop, with attention to recovery. Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic provides appropriate Korean medicine treatment according to the patient’s stage of progression to help prevent recurrence and minimize related symptoms and aftereffects.
Stroke, or wind stroke (中風), a frightening disease that can appear suddenly without warning signs The death rate among people in their 40s and 50s in Korea is among the highest in the world. One of the causes is wind stroke (中風). People often say, “a wind has come,” and the death rate from this cerebrovascular disease is higher than that from myocardial infarction or liver disease. Wind stroke (中風) refers to a cerebrovascular disease that causes neurological deficits when blood flow in the brain is impaired because a cerebral blood vessel becomes blocked or ruptures. A person may suddenly collapse while walking, have slurred speech or be unable to speak, develop drooping or deviation of the eyes and mouth, and experience paralysis in the hands, feet, or other areas. The truly frightening part of wind stroke is its “aftereffects.” After collapsing and regaining consciousness, a person may develop Facial Palsy, speech impairment, or mental confusion; in severe cases, one side of the body may become paralyzed. When warning signs first appear, treatment should aim to prevent stroke. If wind stroke has already occurred, active management is needed to keep the sense of paralysis from worsening and to help prevent contracture and stiffness, with attention to recovery. At Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic, we provide appropriate Korean medicine treatment according to each patient’s stage of progression to help prevent recurrence and minimize related symptoms and aftereffects.
– Cerebral Infarction
This is a condition in which blood vessels narrow, or a cerebral blood vessel is blocked by a thrombus or embolus, preventing smooth blood and oxygen supply. As a result, brain tissue is damaged and neurological impairment occurs.
– Cerebral Hemorrhage
This is a condition caused by rupture of a cerebral blood vessel, resulting in bleeding and damage to brain tissue. It is classified in various ways depending on the site and cause of bleeding. Compared with Cerebral Infarction, the mortality rate is generally higher.
– Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
This is a condition in which wind stroke symptoms occur temporarily and recover within several hours, with recovery within 24 hours of onset and no aftereffects. Although it occurs when a cerebral blood vessel is temporarily blocked and then recovers, about ⅓ of patients who experience these symptoms go on to develop wind stroke. It can therefore be considered a type of warning sign of wind stroke, and ongoing efforts to prevent stroke are needed.
– Aftereffects of wind stroke, the second golden time
About 70~80% of patients experience various aftereffects of wind stroke, such as motor paralysis, speech impairment, swallowing difficulty, urinary problems, constipation, muscle stiffness, pain, depressed mood, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. The aftereffects of wind stroke and the degree of improvement can vary depending on many factors, including which part of the brain was damaged and how severely, the patient’s age, and how appropriate the treatment was after onset. Neurological damage from wind stroke progresses most rapidly during the first 1-3 months. From then until 3-6 months, the pace of improvement gradually slows, but this is the most important second golden time for rehabilitation and preventing recurrence. It is also when brain plasticity is most active: once-damaged brain tissue does not come back to life, but surrounding brain cells can form new networks and help recover original function.
From After 6 Months to 1 year, gradual improvement is generally seen. Therefore, it is necessary to actively combine Korean medicine treatment during the 3~6 months after the onset of wind stroke to seek the most effective recovery. Even after that, recovery may be slower, but steady care is needed to manage various aftereffects and help prevent recurrence.
Parkinson's Disease syndrome Parkinson's Disease is a chronic condition characterized by symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, slowed movement, and unstable posture. It occurs when the brain lacks the neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is produced by nerve cells in the substantia nigra, and the condition develops as these cells are destroyed. The earliest symptoms of Parkinson's Disease may include fatigue and a sense of malaise. Hand tremor at rest is the most common symptom, and changes in pronunciation or intonation may occur. Patients may also find it difficult to change direction while lying down or walking, or notice reduced arm swing while walking.
In addition to movement disorders, various symptoms such as multiple areas of pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and constipation are also common. Because degenerative changes in the brain may arise not only from simple aging of brain cells but also from imbalance of the body and mind, Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic provides Korean medicine treatment tailored to each patient’s symptoms and condition.