If you eat your stomach feels completely blocked? Chronic Damjeok disease, it is time to escape now.

Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. # If you eat, does your stomach feel completely blocked? Chronic Damjeok disease, it is time to escape now. "If I eat, my stomach feels completely blocked." "My epigastrium feels stuffy and indigestion makes me feel like I am constantly choking." Are you experiencing great discomfort in your daily life due to these symptoms? Many people cannot enjoy delicious food comfortably and always suffer from bloating and abdominal distension after meals. Even after receiving an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the hospital, they only receive a diagnosis of "nothing abnormal," which causes even more frustration. Such chronic discomfort cannot be solved simply with a few digestive pills, and it can be an important signal sent from deep within the body. 💡 **Key Answer** 3 most common causes of the symptom 'My stomach feels completely blocked': ① Waste accumulated on the outer wall of the stomach (Damjeok) / ② Decreased stomach peristalsis / ③ Digestive dysfunction caused by gut-brain axis imbalance. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic helps you escape from stubborn indigestion by restoring fundamental stomach function and the balance of gut-brain interaction through **gut detoxification** treatment. ## Are you feeling bloated and stuffy due to 'Damjeok'? When frequent indigestion, bloating, and dyspepsia repeat, endoscopy often shows no special problem. In traditional Korean medicine, these symptoms are explained in relation to 'Damjeok' (phlegm accumulation). Damjeok refers to the phenomenon where abnormal waste and toxins accumulate and harden on the outer wall of the gastrointestinal tract, which is closely related to decreased stomach motility rather than a simple problem of the stomach inner wall. If the stomach's peristalsis is not smooth, food cannot be digested properly and stays in the stomach for a long time, causing stuffiness, distension, and nausea. In particular, stress and irregular lifestyle habits further weaken these stomach functions, promoting the formation of Damjeok, which can lead to systemic symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and chronic fatigue. ## How do the gut and brain regulate digestive function? Recent studies reveal that digestive symptoms such as indigestion are closely related to the imbalance of the interaction between the gut and brain, called the 'Gut-Brain Axis'. The gut-brain axis is a system where the digestive system and central nervous system closely exchange signals with each other. Psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression directly affect gut motility and function, and conversely, the deterioration of gut health can affect brain function and emotional state. In patients with functional dyspepsia, hypersensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract, delayed gastric emptying, and abnormal gastrointestinal peristalsis commonly appear due to this gut-brain axis imbalance. This is a 'functional' problem not found by endoscopy, and Korean medicine helps improve symptoms fundamentally by managing such complex causes. ## How does Korean medicine treatment help with Damjeok and functional dyspepsia? In Korean medicine, various treatments are utilized to improve Damjeok disease and functional dyspepsia. In particular, herbal medicine prescriptions tailored to individual constitutions and symptoms are effective in recovering stomach function and balancing the gut-brain axis. In a systematic review and meta-analysis study published in the international journal <Frontiers in Neuroscience\> in 2022, the effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on 951 patients with functional dyspepsia and psychological disorders were analyzed. The results showed that the herbal medicine treatment group had a significantly higher total effective rate compared to the placebo group (84.5% vs 49.4%, relative risk 1.76; 95% confidence interval 1.13, 2.75; p=0.01), and significantly decreased total symptom scores and depression scores (p\<0.0001 and p=0.03). This suggests that herbal medicine contributes to improving not only functional dyspepsia symptoms but also accompanying psychological factors. In addition, in a multicenter study published in <Frontiers in Pharmacology\> in 2023, the efficacy and safety of a herbal medicine prescription called 'Naesohwajeong-tang' for 4 weeks were evaluated in patients with functional dyspepsia. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, the Naesohwajeong-tang intake group significantly reduced the Total Dyspepsia Symptom (TDS) score compared to the placebo group (p\<0.05), showing significant improvements especially in major symptoms and quality of life indicators such as epigastric heartburn, postprandial fullness, and early satiety (p\<0.05). The researchers concluded that Naesohwajeong-tang is effective in alleviating functional dyspepsia symptoms by regulating gastrointestinal motility. These research data are in line with the treatment philosophy of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, which restores the self-healing power of the stomach and restores healthy communication of the gut-brain axis through **gut detoxification**. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch provides customized Korean medicine treatment optimized for each patient based on these scientific grounds. ## What is the principle of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic's gut detoxification treatment? Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic's gut detoxification treatment focuses on healthily recovering stomach function itself, beyond temporarily alleviating indigestion symptoms. Our body's gut is closely connected to the brain, often called the second brain, and toxins accumulated in the gut wall can travel through the blood to spread throughout the body, causing chronic inflammation and negatively affecting brain function. Gut detoxification is the process of excreting these gut toxins and waste, recovering damaged gut walls, and helping the proliferation of beneficial bacteria to make the gut environment healthy. At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch, we prescribe fermented herbal medicine with excellent medicinal efficacy according to the nature of Damjeok and the patient's constitution (cold type, excess heat type, Yin deficiency type, etc.), and perform various complex Korean medicine treatments such as pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, and thermotherapy to loosen hardened tissues on the outer wall of the stomach. Through this, we promote blood circulation in the gastrointestinal tract, help regenerate damaged mucosa, and strengthen weakened stomach peristalsis functions to help you escape from stuffy symptoms like 'my stomach feels completely blocked' and regain a vibrant daily life. Especially for those looking for a Songdo indigestion Korean medicine clinic, we provide customized treatment aimed at recovering overall physical balance as well as improving stomach function. ## If you have these symptoms, suspect Damjeok disease and functional dyspepsia! If 3 or more of the items below apply to you, you can suspect functional dyspepsia and Damjeok disease, and if 5 or more apply, immediate visit is recommended. **✅ Damjeok & Functional Dyspepsia Self-Checklist** 1. A feeling of stuffiness and indigestion in the epigastrium after meals persists for a long time. 2. Your stomach fills up quickly even when eating a little, and bloating is severe (early satiety). 3. You frequently feel nauseous and sick to your stomach. 4. Burping or reflux symptoms are frequent, and your stomach burns or feels hot. 5. Your abdomen is always distended and gas frequently accumulates. 6. Bowel habits are irregular, such as alternating constipation or diarrhea. 7. You frequently have headaches or dizziness and feel heavy in your body. 8. You are chronically fatigued and do not feel refreshed even after sleeping. 9. Indigestion worsens when you are stressed. 10. You received a diagnosis of no special abnormality in an upper endoscopy examination. * **If 3 or more apply**: Suspected impaired stomach function -> Consider precise diagnosis and complex Korean medicine treatment at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. * **If 5 or more apply**: High possibility of Damjeok disease and gut-brain axis imbalance -> Immediate visit and consultation with an expert recommended. ### **Q. How long do I need to be treated for Damjeok disease to see results?** A. The treatment period for Damjeok disease varies depending on the degree of symptoms, the period of chronicization, constitution, and lifestyle habits of the patient. Usually, symptom improvement can be expected through intensive treatment for about 1 to 3 months, after which a management period is needed to prevent recurrence. ### **Q. Can functional dyspepsia also be fundamentally treated with Korean medicine?** A. Yes, it is possible. Functional dyspepsia often has difficulties in treatment because special organic causes are not found in modern medical examinations. In Korean medicine, complex approaches such as improving gastrointestinal motility, restoring gut-brain axis balance, and removing Damjeok are used to treat the root cause of symptoms and enhance treatment effectiveness. ### **Q. Gastritis or reflux esophagitis is present together, can they be treated together?** A. Yes, they can be treated together. Damjeok or functional dyspepsia often accompanies or interacts with other gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis and reflux esophagitis. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic comprehensively diagnoses these complex symptoms and aims for simultaneous improvement of multiple diseases through personalized Korean medicine treatment. ### **Q. I am looking for a Korean medicine clinic good at treating Damjeok in the Songdo area, what are the advantages of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic?** A. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch provides Korean medicine treatment optimized for each patient's unique constitution and symptoms, based on deep understanding and rich clinical experience in Damjeok and functional dyspepsia. We help fundamental stomach function recovery through customized herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, and thermotherapy based on precise diagnosis and scientific evidence. The symptom 'my stomach feels completely blocked' is not a problem that can be solved by enduring it. You no longer need to turn away from the body's signals you have sent for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, your body reacts faster than you think. Bring the symptoms you are experiencing as they are. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together. Where life blooms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check symptoms similar to yours first through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic website! This article is health information organized together by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions actually received often in the consultation room. Medical Supervision | Department of Digestive Medicine Standards, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch, Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyun-min (Digestive Column)