Why Do I Keep Hurting Even When Tests Show Nothing? Could It Be the 'Autonomic Nervous System'?

Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. # Why Do I Keep Hurting Even When Tests Show Nothing? Could It Be the 'Autonomic Nervous System'? Often, people try to ignore the signals their bodies send, or visit hospitals for various tests only to turn away hearing "there is no abnormality." We frequently meet patients at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic in Songdo who are confused, given a diagnosis of "neurosis" and unable to find answers any further. The pain and discomfort you clearly feel are real, but they do not appear in objective figures or test results. Are you also in this situation? 💡 **[Key Answer]** Top 3 most common causes of "Why do I keep hurting even when tests show nothing?": ① **Autonomic imbalance** / ② **Brain fatigue and functional decline** / ③ **Chronic stress and inflammatory overload** Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic helps the brain recover on its own and restore bodily balance through **autonomic stabilization**. ## Unexplained Pain and Discomfort: Is It Really Just 'Neurosis'? When modern medical tests reveal no special organic problems, many tend to dismiss their condition as a disease of the mind, considering themselves 'too sensitive' or 'due to stress.' However, bodies do not lie. In reality, various symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, indigestion, chronic fatigue, chest tightness, insomnia, and anxiety that you feel may be **emergency signals from the autonomic nervous system**, which cannot be explained simply by the abstract term 'neurosis.' When the balance of the autonomic nervous system, which automatically regulates all functions of our body, collapses, various physical symptoms appear like warning lights on a broken car. ## What Happens When Our Body's 'Automatic Regulation System', the Autonomic Nervous System, Has Problems? The autonomic nervous system is a core system that operates automatically without our conscious awareness, including heart rate, respiration, digestion, thermoregulation, immune response, and sleep. Two axes—the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves—maintain our body's homeostasis like a seesaw. When this balance is broken due to stress, overwork, or irregular lifestyle habits, the regulatory power of the brain fails to function properly, and our body gets exhausted like an 'overheated engine.' When the sympathetic nerve is excessively hyperactive, 'excited' states such as tension, anxiety, indigestion, elevated blood pressure, and increased heart rate persist. When parasympathetic nerve function declines, 'sluggish' states such as fatigue, lethargy, concentration decline, and weakened digestive function easily occur. ## How Does Korean Medicine View 'No Abnormality on Tests' Symptoms? In Korean medicine, autonomic dysfunction is interpreted not merely as a functional problem, but as a problem of our body's 'qi circulation', 'yin-yang balance', and 'visceral organs function'. In particular, stress and emotional problems are considered major causes of autonomic imbalance, which is explained in Korean medicine as 'liver qi stagnation' (간기울결). The core of Korean medicine treatment is to help our body develop the power to recover on its own by releasing blocked qi and restoring harmonious yin-yang balance. According to a 2023 survey report on clinical practices of autonomic dysfunction by Dr. Hee-young Park et al. published in the 『Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry』, surveying 959 Korean medicine doctors, 'mental problems (54%)' were cited as the most common cause of autonomic dysfunction. Additionally, 'liver qi stagnation (55%)' was most frequently mentioned as a Korean medicine pattern identification type, and 'herbal medicine (70%)' was most frequently used as a treatment method, with 'So-yosan series (36.3%~40.8%)' prescriptions being frequently utilized. The average treatment period was most commonly 2-3 months. These results show that Korean medicine approaches autonomic dysfunction deeply from psychological and functional perspectives. ## Does Herbal Treatment Really Help Improve Autonomic Imbalance? Korean medicine treatment is effective in restoring autonomic balance and enhancing our body's natural healing power. Acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine treatments each positively influence the autonomic nervous system in their own ways. According to a narrative review of herbal medicine (Banhahubak-tang) for autonomic dysfunction by SJ Han et al., published in the 2023 journal 『Autonomic Neuroscience』, synthesizing 16 clinical studies, it was confirmed that the specific herbal prescription **Banhahubak-tang** showed multifaceted improvement effects across various symptoms including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and psychiatric symptoms, alongside **improvement in heart rate variability (HRV)** in patients with autonomic function abnormalities. This suggests that herbal medicine can improve the regulatory capacity of the autonomic nervous system and contribute to systemic symptom relief. As such, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic provides the most effective autonomic stabilization treatment tailored to individual symptoms and constitutions based on scientific research results, harmoniously managing bodily signals that are uncomfortable despite normal test results. We help those visiting Songdo Korean medicine clinics recover healthy daily lives through such deep Korean medicine treatment. ## The Principle of 'Autonomic Stabilization' at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic resolves the root cause of chronic pain and discomfort through **'autonomic stabilization'**. When autonomic balance collapses, the brain cannot rest. In a state of constant tension and overload, fatigue is not relieved no matter how much you rest, and you easily become sensitive even to minor stimuli. In Korean medicine terms, this can be expressed as **'water-fire ascending-descending imbalance'** (수승화강 불균형), where heat in the nervous system excessively rises upward while the lower body becomes cold. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on lowering the heat of the overheated nervous system and creating an environment where the brain can comfortably rest. By smoothing qi and blood circulation throughout the body, we restore the regulatory capacity of the autonomic nervous system, relax the excited sympathetic nerve, and activate the lowered parasympathetic nerve to help regain balance. Through personalized herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture treatments, we help restore the harmony of body and mind while improving accompanying symptoms such as chronic fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and insomnia together. If you are considering Songdo autonomic dysfunction treatment, you can experience integrated treatment at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. ## Could I Also Have Autonomic Imbalance? Self-Diagnosis Checklist If 3 or more of the following items apply to you, you can suspect autonomic imbalance: * Frequently feeling headaches or dizziness. * Heart frequently pounding, feeling stuffy, and having difficulty breathing. * Feeling anxious, restless, and having severe mood swings without special reason. * Sleep quality is poor, such as having difficulty falling asleep at night or waking up frequently. * Indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation repeating. * Sweating without special reason, or hands and feet feeling cold or numb. * Whole body aching and hurting, and told by the hospital that there is no abnormality. * Suffering from chronic fatigue, not feeling refreshed even after resting. * Dryness symptoms such as dry eyes or dry mouth. * Neck and shoulders always stiff and not easily relaxing. **[Criteria]** * **3~4 items apply:** Early suspicion stage of autonomic imbalance. Consider herbal combination treatment along with lifestyle improvement. * **5 or more items apply:** Severe discomfort due to autonomic imbalance. We recommend visiting Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch promptly for accurate diagnosis and treatment. **Q. How is autonomic dysfunction diagnosed?** A. At Korean medicine clinics, diagnosis is made by objectively evaluating autonomic balance state, stress resistance, and physical fatigue through heart rate variability (HRV) tests along with traditional diagnostic methods such as pulse diagnosis, abdominal diagnosis, and tongue diagnosis. Through this, each patient's autonomic state is grasped and a customized treatment plan is established. **Q. How is Korean medicine treatment different from Western medicine treatment?** A. Western medicine mainly uses drugs for symptom relief (sedatives, antidepressants, etc.), whereas Korean medicine treatment focuses on correcting the root cause of symptoms—autonomic imbalance—and nurturing the body's own recovery power. It approaches the human body from an organic perspective, aiming for overall health recovery. **Q. How long does autonomic dysfunction treatment take?** A. Treatment duration may vary depending on symptom severity, duration of illness, lifestyle habits, and constitution of the individual. Generally, meaningful symptom improvement can be expected through a treatment period of about 2-3 months. Consistent treatment and lifestyle management are important. **Q. Does stress really have a big impact on the autonomic nervous system?** A. Yes, stress has a very large impact on the autonomic nervous system. Excessive or chronic stress excessively hyperactivates the sympathetic nerve, breaking autonomic balance and inducing various physical and mental symptoms. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic guides stress management as an important treatment process. Unexplained pain despite normal tests is not a problem solved by enduring it. You no longer need to ignore the body signals sent for a long time. Approaching in the right direction makes the body react 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! Medical Supervision | Department of Brain & Autonomic Nervous System Treatment Standards, Songdo Branch of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyunmin (Autonomic Dysfunction Column)