Interviews with the Masters; Eminent Korean Medicine Doctors
Interviews with the Masters; Eminent Korean Medicine Doctors
Dr. Joon-Shik Shin, Honorary Chairman of Jaseng Medical Foundation
1. Please give us an introduction on what Chuna manual therapy is.
(What is Chuna manual therapy?)
-Chuna manual therapy is a Korean Medicine manual technique that treats structural and functional problems, and is performed by Korean Medicine doctors using their hands or other body parts, in addition to devices such as Chuna tables, to push and pull misaligned and torsional bones and joints and stiff muscles and ligaments into place. Chuna manual therapy is based on the practice of Chuna manual medicine. Chuna manual medicine refers to the academic study of the full process of diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment evaluation required for patients with functional imbalance and misalignment (torsion) of the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems. Korean Medicine focuses on balancing the systematic relationship between the two factors of function -which is Yang- and structure -which is Yin, and Chuna manual medicine is a branch of Korean Medicine that studies the body’s biomechanical functions in physiology, its pathological changes, and related diagnostic methods and treatment principles and techniques, to maintain optimal balance in structure and function.
Chuna manual therapy is performed in divisions of ‘simple’, ‘complex’, and ‘special’ according to the severity of the disorder. Simple Chuna covers Chuna manual therapy techniques that maneuver joints or relax muscles within the physiological range of motion. Complex Chuna covers high velocity techniques that treat by correcting slightly beyond the physiological range of the joint. An easy way to think of it is as techniques that correct the joints using high velocity, low amplitude thrusts that may accompany cracking sounds. Special Chuna covers techniques that restore the dislocated joint back into place. There are also Craniosacral Chuna techniques that treat cranial dysfunctions, and visceral Chuna techniques that treat the viscera.
2. Please explain the mechanism of Chuna manual therapy.
-First, from the perspective of Korean Medicine, its principle is in regulation of Yin and Yang, generation of Qi and Blood, and circulation of the meridians. Through regulation of Yin and Yang, malpositioning and malalignment of the skeletal structure is corrected and enabled to maintain structural balance. From the perspective of Qi and Blood theory, where Qi and Blood share a common source, through administration of Chuna manual therapy, Qi promotes circulation and increases nutritional uptake, thereby stimulating Blood generation. Moreover, it improves the systematic function of Qi and Blood circulation along local and superficial meridians. Chuna therapy not only promotes smooth circulation of Qi and Blood, but as the meridians influence the viscera and other organ systems internally, it can effectively treat dysfunctions located superficially and deep within the body.
In summary, the ‘Chu’ technique of Chuna manual therapy refers to techniques that maneuver bones or joint structures using pushing forces. The Korean Medicine doctor places force on the pathological area or relevant acupoint and pushes in a specific direction to place bone and joint structures in the right position. Through this technique, misaligned or torsional skeletal and joint structures return to normal functional positions, thus treating malposition and compensatory changes. The ‘Na’ technique of Chuna manual therapy refers to techniques that pull structures to open fixed joints. It entails joint mobilization which consists of repeated opening and closing of joints and increasing range of motion, to the aim of treating muscle atrophy and relaxing stiffness of fixed muscles.
3. What are the treatment effects of Chuna manual therapy?
- The effects and safety of Chuna manual therapy have been verified through numerous studies. In research papers published in various domestic and international journals, Chuna manual therapy has been proven to improve not only pain but also function, such as increasing range of motion, in various disorders of the lumbar and cervical spine, and joints including the shoulder, ankle, and jaw. In general, the effects were greater for pain relief, and the effects of Chuna as a concurrent therapy with other treatments were more pronounced. In addition, the effects of Chuna manual therapy were superior to those of such conventional treatments as traction, injections, various medications, and physical therapy.
Furthermore, various studies and research papers have demonstrated how Chuna therapy enables non-surgical resorption and resolution of herniated and ruptured discs, which have mostly been considered to be indications for surgery. A five-year follow-up observation of lumbar disc herniation patients treated with Chuna manual therapy and Shinbaro pharmacopuncture showed low recurrence rates and the improved state was well maintained in the long-term. A different study on disc resorption reported that 96% of lumbar disc herniation patients who showed improvement with Korean Medicine treatment exhibited resorption of disc herniation within a year, and the long-term results were also positive. It can be deduced from these studies that Chuna manual therapy corrects twisted or torsional muscles and joints, and stimulates nerves and fascia enhancing physiological functioning of the spine and joints, relieving pain in the lumbar and cervical spine area and other regions. Correcting the misaligned spine and joints decreases pressure loads on the disc, leading to improved function.
4. What are the strengths of Korean Medicine as seen through Chuna manual therapy?
-Chuna manual therapy relieves pain swiftly and helps resolve the fundamental cause to enable self-recovery of the spine. Korean Medicine views the body from a ‘holistic perspective.’ A holistic perspective means viewing the human body as a holistic and whole unit, as opposed to separate tissues and organs. The skeletal, neurological, and circulatory systems are closely inter-related in their functions. Chuna manual therapy and Korean Medicine treatment enhance self-healing power, and it thus prevents recurrence as well as treats the disorder.
The effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy has been recognized by the government, and it is currently covered under National Health Insurance (NHI). Additional NHI coverage for other Korean Medicine treatment modalities is not impossible if we were to strengthen the standing of Korean Medicine by building the body of evidence through continuous research on the standardization and scientification of Korean Medicine.
5. What reactions do foreign physicians and professionals show when introduced to Chuna manual therapy? What plans are there to promote and disseminate Chuna manual therapy globally in the future?
- Chuna manual therapy was first introduced overseas at the 2008 WHO Congress on Traditional Medicine, and I have since been traveling around the world to achieve greater recognition of Korean Medicine treatments. As a result, international interest in Chuna manual therapy and other non-surgical Korean Medicine treatments has been steadily increasing. I always demonstrate how I treat patients on the spot in my overseas lectures for easier understanding of members of the audience who are unfamiliar with Korean Medicine. It also has the merit of showing the immediate effects of treatment. Many foreign professionals who attend my lecture on Chuna manual therapy and see the results first-hand are amazed, and many express their interest in learning more about Chuna manual therapy. You cannot know for certain if you do not see it for yourself. But those who see and experience the treatment first-hand know how effective Chuna manual therapy is. Foreign professionals are very open and accepting of treatments even if they are unfamiliar if they feel that they will help them in treating patients. I am always impressed by their philosophy and interest at these lectures.
Our efforts towards promoting Korean Medicine including Chuna manual therapy have borne fruit recently. ‘2019 Jaseng International Conference,’ held this year, was co-hosted with the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) as a continuing medical education (CME) accredited by the AMA (American Medical Association).
In addition, Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine was accredited as a CME provider by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) last July. The ACCME is a non-profit organization that establishes and maintains CME standards, and certifies and manages CME providers to enhance physician education such as knowledge acquisition and medical technology of the physicians in the US. Through this achievement, we have shown that the CME education system operated at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine is of top caliber and its standing is at an international level.
Further, foreign medical school students from overseas are coming to Korea to receive education on Korean Medicine. Recently, medical students from Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) participated in the global internship program held at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine. They learned in depth about Korean Medicine during the internship period and various ways to apply it in patient treatment. While once we reached out to the world to promote Korean Medicine, now the world is coming to us to learn more about Korean Medicine. I think this is K-medi; the Korean wave of the medical field.
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