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Trouble falling asleep, waking often
Day after day, you wake up without feeling refreshed.
We look at the conditions behind symptoms that persist even when tests come back normal
Autonomic Nervous System Clinic
Insomnia, palpitations, dizziness, cold hands and feet — the symptoms may differ, but they can share the same underlying conditions. We start by looking at the regulatory function itself.
Do these symptoms keep coming back?
The tests show nothing wrong, yet your body keeps struggling
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Heart palpitations for no clear reason
The pounding and tightness in your chest continue even in a cool room.
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Vision dims when you stand up
Standing up from sitting brings dizziness, sometimes with cold sweats.
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Cold hands and feet, even in summer
Indigestion and bloating often come along with it.
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I understand, because I have been through it myself
Dr. Heo Ji-young has personally experienced the symptoms that come with autonomic imbalance. Because Dr. Heo knows the frustration of that time — when test results showed nothing wrong, yet the body kept struggling — your symptoms are never brushed aside, and the first step is understanding, together, exactly what is troubling you.
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Different symptoms, same conditions
The autonomic nervous system regulates body temperature, heart rate, digestion, sleep, and blood pressure around the clock. When this regulation falters, the weakest link gives way first — which is why it shows up as different symptoms in different people. The symptoms on the surface may differ, but they can share the same underlying conditions. That is why we look at the regulatory function first, not just the symptoms.
An approach for each symptom type
The focus of treatment depends on your main symptoms
1
Sleep-related type
Main Symptoms
- • Trouble falling asleep
- • Waking frequently during the night
- • Sleep that doesn't refresh
Diagnosis Pattern
The parasympathetic nervous system is not activating enough for the body to shift into sleep mode
Recommended Treatment
Relaxation-focused treatment
Acupuncture aimed at calming an overactive sympathetic nervous system, combined with care to help restore your sleep rhythm.
2
Cardiovascular response type
Main Symptoms
- • Palpitations and chest tightness
- • Dizziness on standing
- • Cold sweats under stress
Diagnosis Pattern
Blood pressure and heart rate regulation is not keeping up with changes in posture or emotion
Recommended Treatment
Regulation-restoring treatment
Treatment aims to stabilize blood pressure and heart rate responses; when needed, we first recommend tests to rule out other causes.
3
Digestion and body temperature type
Main Symptoms
- • Bloating after meals
- • Cold hands and feet
- • Reduced appetite
Diagnosis Pattern
The regulatory reserve that supports peripheral circulation and digestion has been depleted
Recommended Treatment
Function-restoring treatment
We consider acupuncture and moxibustion to support peripheral circulation, together with personalized herbal medicine to replenish depleted regulatory reserve.
Core Solution
How treatment proceeds
1
Differential assessment
We first check for other possible causes such as thyroid conditions or anemia, and recommend tests when needed.
2
Lowering the strain
Acupuncture is used to calm an overactive sympathetic nervous system, working toward parasympathetic recovery.
3
Replenishing reserve
Herbal medicine tailored to your constitution and the season helps restore depleted regulatory reserve.
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Daily rhythm
We work with you on the specific lifestyle factors that affect the autonomic nervous system — sleep, air conditioning, caffeine, and more.
Explained by the doctor
Watch the video to learn more about the autonomic nervous system.
doctor Dr. Heo Ji-young
A graduate of the College of Korean Medicine at Kyung Hee University, with master's and doctoral degrees in pathology — the mechanisms of disease — from its graduate school. Later served as a research professor in the university's Herbology department, studying medicinal substances. Studying both disease and medicine from both sides is the foundation of this practice: explaining "why a given medicine works for a given illness" in the language of both pathology and pharmacology.
Explains autonomic, chronic, and intractable conditions — and structural problems of the body — in the language of modern science, and proposes treatment matched to the cause. Has taught prescribing and clinical practice to Korean medicine doctors for over ten years, and is a co-author of "Korean Medicine, Explained by Korean Medicine Doctors," selected for the 2018 Sejong Books list (general category).
Frequently asked questions
Q. My test results are normal — can I still be treated?
A. Yes. Issues such as dizziness on standing, insomnia, and palpitations can stem from autonomic regulation problems that don't show up clearly in test results. That said, if another cause such as a thyroid condition or anemia is suspected, we recommend testing first to rule it out.
Q. How long does treatment take?
A. For first-time patients, we often start with about one month. The prescription is reviewed again every two weeks, because the prescription needs to change as your condition changes. If the autonomic issue has been long-standing, treatment can sometimes need three to six months or more — if that looks likely, we let you know upfront. Because of individual variation and the many variables in each person's physiology and condition, we cannot state this in absolute terms.
Q. Can this be combined with conventional treatment or medications I'm taking?
A. Yes. If you are taking any medications, please let us know at your first visit. In particular, if you are taking medication prescribed by a neurology department, we take that into account and plan for a longer treatment period. Please do not adjust your medication on your own — for any adjustments needed, we advise you to consult the doctor who prescribed it.
Q. Do I have to take herbal medicine?
A. No. Depending on your condition, treatment may proceed with acupuncture alone. Herbal medicine is recommended when your regulatory reserve is significantly depleted, and the decision is made together after a full explanation.
Contact Us
Have questions?
We're here to help.
02-446-1075
Weekdays 09:30 - 20:00 / Saturday 09:30 - 13:00
Lunch Break 12:30 - 14:00 / Closed Sunday · Public Holidays
Articles on the autonomic nervous system
Latest blog posts from our director
Blog
When the Back of the Neck Stiffens, the Head and Breath Follow
A patient comes in for a headache, and pressing on the neck changes the pain. Another comes in short of breath, yet the chest X-ray is clear. Why? Tension in the neck spreads along two branches — head pain and breathing burden. I separate the spark (sleep, meals, heat), the tight spot, and the loop itself. A sudden, severe headache, weakness, or fever calls for testing first.
Blog
My Breathing Feels Tight, but They Tell Me My Lungs Are Normal
The chest X-ray is normal, the lung capacity is normal — so why does breathing still feel tight? The lungs have no muscle of their own to expand themselves, so when the rib cage does not open well, breathing feels tight regardless. I sort out which of three sites is involved: the accessory breathing muscles of the neck, pressure pushing up from the abdomen, or how well the chest wall stretches. Shortness of breath even at rest, or bluish lips, calls for testing first.
Blog
When the Epigastrium Is Pressed, the Breath Grows Shallow
Why does the epigastrium feel so full it pushes upward, and the breath grow tight along with it, even without eating very much? When food enters, the stomach normally relaxes its wall to make room — when that ability declines, whatever comes in turns directly into pressure. I look at three layers together: the stomach wall, the abdominal wall, and the chest wall. Weight loss, black stools, or difficulty swallowing call for a stomach examination first.
Treatment Process
Here is what to expect at your first visit
1
Checking your vitals
We start by measuring blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature for everyone who visits.
2
Assessing your condition
If you are also considering an herbal medicine prescription, we review a questionnaire along with urine and blood sugar tests, oxygen saturation and perfusion index measured with a fingertip device, the mouth, the eyes' pupillary light response, breathing, and sympathetic nervous system response — together with a hands-on physical examination where we look, touch, and check your movement directly.
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Explaining what we found
Based on what we find, we explain which part of your body is currently off balance. These checks are meant to reduce diagnostic error, rule out other underlying conditions, and prepare for any possible side effects. See the full list of what we check
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Setting a timeline together
For first-time patients, we often start with about one month, and review the prescription again every two weeks, because the prescription needs to change as your condition changes. If the autonomic issue has been long-standing, treatment can sometimes need three to six months or more — if that looks likely, we let you know upfront. Because of individual variation and the many variables in each person's physiology and condition, we cannot state this in absolute terms.
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A normal test result and ongoing discomfort are not a contradiction
The book Dr. Heo Ji-young wrote opens with something a patient once said in the exam room: "They told me everything was normal. But I'm still in pain."
Tests look for damaged or injured tissue, while symptoms speak to the environment that tissue is sitting in. Even without any damage, the body can struggle when that environment is off balance. So a normal test result and the discomfort you are feeling right now are not at odds with each other — that is the standpoint this program starts from.
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This program is organized around the suffering you are experiencing, not a disease name
Sometimes an autonomic nervous system problem is the issue in itself, but more often it shows up when an error in the body's own process of keeping homeostasis or protecting itself ends up strongly stimulating nerve signals. That is why it does not fit neatly into a single box called "autonomic dysfunction" — it can surface as a problem in almost any area of the body.
That is why this program is organized around the suffering you are experiencing, rather than around a disease name. It is also one of the areas Dr. Heo Ji-young focuses on as a primary field of practice.
Kyunghee Meerae Korean Medicine Clinic, Gwangjin is located at Room 201, 46 Jayang-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is a 7-minute walk from Guui Station Exit 4. · Directions