100 Things I Love About Korea # 52: Replay - Acupuncture

This is a repost from March 7, 2008.

So if you've been reading along, you know I've been having some troubles with my back. I feel like at old man at the ripe age of 30. I guess 2 decades of hard sports (football and futbol) have taken their toll on me. My friend Anne Cave keeps telling me I need to take up swimming. She's probably right, but there's just something so stress relieving about the competition and physical contact of soccer. I'm not ready to give it up yet.
To deal with the pain and muscle tension in my upper back, I've been trying out Eastern medicine. It's really more than acupuncture. The whole process takes more than an hour.
When I get to the doctor's office the first thing I notice is the mild aroma of some herbs or roots brewing somewhere in the background - maybe ginseng, I don't know. If there is a line, I get a cup of some herbal tea, which is very brightly colored - red, orange, or purple - kind of like hot koolaid. Then one of the nurses leads me to a heated table. I spend the first 20 minutes laying on my back on a heat pad (in addition to the table which is already heated) and with a hot rock on my stomach. Sometimes this heated table is so hot that by the end of the hour, my legs are drenched with sweat. Koreans believe that very warm environments are health inducing. (When we visit moms in the hospital after giving birth, they are dressed in sweat suits, and the room temperature is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit!)

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Korea Tip 132: English Speaking Psychiatrist

You don't have to go to Seoul to get your psych meds.  There are several English speaking psychiatrists in Cheonan.  Ask your regular doctor for a recommendation, or try out Dr. Yu at the Y & K Well-Being Clinic (행복 주는 의원) near the Cheonan Bus Terminal.  It's between Starbucks and Krispe Kreme, on the third floor of the building next to Starbucks.
They are confidential, and they give you the medicine right there in the office, so everything is very discrete.  (For anyone who knows Dr. Ko at SsangYong Medical, Dr. Yu is her husband.)  As usual for Korean clinics, there is no appointment necessary.  Just walk in.  However, be warned that the nurses don't speak much English.
Depression and anxiety are common among foreigners living in Korea.  Don't be ashamed or afraid.  Get help if you need it.  No one will know, but you will feel much better.  (And you can always get a original glazed donut while you're at it.)

Korea Tip 131: English Speaking Chiropractor

If you have back pain in Korea, it can be hard to know where to go for help.  Finding a doctor who speaks English or works in familiar ways is almost impossible.
Dr. SiHo Ahn, of Cheonan, may be exactly what you need.  He is a USA licensed chiropractic doctor (from Pennsylvania), and his office is near Dujeong Station on the north side of Cheonan (1469 Dujeong-Dong). 
Check out his English website at: www.ahnchiro.com.  For directions or to make an appointment call, 1661-1230. 

Korea Tip 110: Doctors in Cheonan

Finding a good doctor can be intimidating.  Add to that the stress of trying to communicate in English while living in a foreign country, and some people just choose to tough it out at home.
Also, some hakwon bosses have shady deals with doctors.  Amazingly the doctors always prescribe a coctail of medicine and say that you're still OK to work.  Never mind that you've got it coming out both ends.  But finding an independent point of view can be difficult if you don't know where to start.
Here are some tips for the Cheonanites out there.

No need to be a cowboy (or cowgirl as the case may be).  Make your way to SsangYong Medical to speak to Dr. Ko.  She is kind and speaks English very well.  A word to the wise.  Unless you request something different, in typical Korean fashion, she will prescribe you three days of a rainbowed cocktail of pills in little packets.  However, if you ask, she will: (a) give you a prescription for a week or two (or longer for standard medications, like my allergy stuff), and (b) explain each pill she is prescribing - even to the point of showing you a picture of it on her computer.  SsangYong Medical is near the SsangYong McDonalds (between Korea Nazarene University and Lotte Mart).  From the McDonalds, walk toward Lotte Mart.  Take the stairs after Paris Baguette to the second floor.

Also, if you have a more intense issue and need a specialist, SsangYong Medical is still the place to start.  Just go in and explain your issues to Dr. Ko.  She will write up a referral and help you make your appointment with the specialist.  This is hugely helpful in getting past the secretary's desk - especially because many of the specialists tend to be in large amoeba-like university hospitals.

Put those pliers away, and go see a dentist.  Nero Dentistry (just above SsangYong Medical) is a fully bilingual dentist office.  The head dentist studied in the USA.  The place is kind, clean, and totally legit.  When I took my daughter in for a check up, he looked us both over, and since we didn't need any work, he sent us home for free.  They'll also send you a reminder text for your follow-up appointment.

For women's needs, the easiest place to find is Ehwa Hospital - also in SsangYong Dong.  It's between SsangYong Subway Station and E-Mart.  They have a few OBGYN's who speak English well.  Doing a cold-call might be intimidating, so you might want to have a Korean call first and help you figure out exactly when and where to go.

One more tip, most Korean doctors offices (with the exception of very busy specialists) don't work on an appointment basis.  Everything is just walk in.  Just bring a book, show up, and be prepared to wait anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

Happy Healing.