Have you ever believed that your back pain can be treated by acupuncture not the knife? Not many of you will say yes. However, here is a Korean oriental medicine doctor who cured more than 150,000 number of patients with the spinal diseases by Korean oriental medicine for the last 25 years. Among Korean people, Dr. Joon-shik Shin, of Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine has been well known for “the best doctor for back problems”. Back in the days, he used to be blamed of his acupuncture and herbal remedy. No matter who looked down on him, there has been a clear reason to cure the spinal diseases only by Korean oriental medicine.
▶ It‘s been said that you’re one of the respectable doctor family over generations.
Over the 7 generations, my family worked as a doctor for a living. Throughout the Japanese colonial era and the Korean War, my deceased father was a proficient doctor who had qualifications to perform both the Korean oriental medicine and surgery. In my childhood, my father and I had to move 17 times as he visited every town to see the large number of sick patients suffering from the Korean War. Naturally, I used to watching my father going on his rounds of visits and treating the sick patients. Also, it was one of my pastime to play with matchsticks to mimic my father’s acupuncture.
▶ What made you to become a Korean oriental medicine doctor curing the back pain?
35 years ago, my father had an injury on his back while he was stepping down the stairs. After the years, his spine was infected by tuberculosis and could never get recovered from it because the infection made his spinal columns melt down. However, he did not stop making house calls and performing the acupuncture for 6 years. This experience made me to pledge myself to find the treatment to cure the spinal diseases no matter what happened.
▶ What inspired you to use the Korean herbal medicine for treatments?
It was the secret recipe handed down in my family, which I have studied since I made up my mind to become a Korean oriental medicine doctor specializing in the spinal diseases. My deceased father made up the herbal juice to cure the patients suffering from the back pain. Surprisingly, they came back to him a few months later and thanked him giving the presents like whole grains or dried persimmons. His herbal drink was named after my father’s pen name, ‘Cheong Pah Jeon’ which was effective in treating the muscular skeletal diseases like herniated cervical or lumbar disks.
▶ A strong opposition was raised to the oriental medicine in the past, wasn’t it?
These days, it is widely known that spinal diseases should be dealt without surgical procedures, if possible. However, back in 80’s, operation was considered the only method to cure the back problems. The mainstream looked down on the acupuncture and herbal juice. To make matters worse, people pointed the finger of blame to oriental medicine doctors. It was not easy to endure the criticism but, that never discouraged my plan. I could not give up the opportunities for the treatment.
As the clinic grew bigger and became the Korean oriental medicine hospital, the first building was Jaseng Spine Research (JSR). The JSR researched and developed the Jaseng’s own treatment plans to find the scientific evidences and results. They are Chuna manipulation, Cheong Pah Jeon herbal juice, Bee Venom acupuncture, and Motion Style Treatment Acupuncture (MSTA).
There were some projects that Jaseng could not executive. Then, Jaseng worked together with nationally or internationally leading universities and research institutes in the world like Seoul National University Natural Products Research, SNU College of Pharmacy, Iwha Women’s University College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan State, University of North Carolina, Harvard University Osher Institute. In the results, they found that the Cheon Pah Jeon reduces the inflammation, strengthens muscles, and regenerates bones and nerves. This article was published in the SCI grade of international academic journal like Journal of Ethnopharmacology and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine and gained academic recognition.
▶ This year, the biggest public oriental medicine foundation was built as you’ve donated your belongings to the nation. What is your plan for the future?
For the last 25 years, around 150,000 number of patients have visited Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine, where was accredited with Spine special oriental medicine hospital by Ministry of Health and Welfare. Recently, we have built the public oriental medicine foundation that was my long-cherished ambition. Now, Jaseng Hospital is not my own but citizens’. Even though I donated a lot portion of my belongings to the nation, I never feel sorry about it. I followed the teachings left by my ancestors, and I still greatly proud of it. He said, “Keep your humanitarian calling every moment.”
From now on, I will do my best to teach students and spread the oriental medicine to the world more and more. Some people keep telling me to enjoy the rest of your life as I have been a hard worker. However, I still have crowds of things to do for spreading oriental medicine across the world. My final goal is to advancing the oriental medicine and making it known as the K-MEDI. Think about it, the combination with oriental medicine and science will surely improve K-MEDI and make the public to love it.
▶ To doctors, remember your parents when you see the patients
It has been 35 years my father passed away. These days, my patients remind me of my father. Degenerative spinal diseases are common among the aged and cause chronic pain for a long time. They discourage the seniors to perform daily activities, which are very inconvenient. Even if they suffer from it, they barely complain about the pain and symptoms because they get worried of their children’s worry. Then, their family members feel very sad of the parents’ pain. I am the one who genuinely understand their concern as my father was also suffering from the spinal pain. Till now, I frequently ask my medical staffs to recall your father or mother when seeing them.
