FAQ

A Korean medicine clinic treats far more than back pain, neck pain and arthritis. When tests come back clear but the discomfort continues, Korean medicine looks for the cause in the balance of the body as a whole.

These are the areas we work in most often at The Green:

• Pain & Special Care — neck and back pain, spine and joint disorders, frozen shoulder, chronic pain, traffic accident sequelae, rhinitis
• Autonomic Dysfunction — insomnia, anxiety, tinnitus and hearing loss, tongue pain: symptoms that persist without a finding on tests
• Signature Herbal Formulas — chronic fatigue and low stamina, indigestion, liver strain, postpartum recovery, urological and women's conditions
• Skin & Beauty — acne, pigmentation and melasma, loss of firmness, hair loss and scalp care

The symptoms you think are "not worth a visit" are usually the ones worth coming in early for. If you are unsure which area yours falls under, call or message us on KakaoTalk first — we will tell you whether a visit is needed.

Far less than most people expect. The hochim (毫鍼) needles used in Korean medicine are close to the thickness of a hair and rounded at the tip, so they part the tissue rather than cut through it the way a hypodermic needle does. Most patients describe a brief prick followed by a dull, heavy sensation.

There is no infection risk to worry about. The Green uses single-use sterile needles approved by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and every needle is discarded into a dedicated container immediately after use. Needles are never reused.

Occasionally a light bruise or soreness remains at the site for a day or two, and it resolves on its own. Please tell us before treatment if any of the following applies to you:

• You take anticoagulants (aspirin, warfarin and similar)
• You have hemophilia or another bleeding disorder
• You are pregnant or may be pregnant
• You have an implanted device such as a pacemaker

Herbal medicine at The Green goes through four stages: sourcing, consultation and formulation, decoction, and packaging.

1 · Herbs

Only standardized herbs meeting the Korean MFDS GMP criteria

2 · Formulation

Designed one-to-one after the doctor's own pulse reading and interview

3 · Decoction

Prepared in a hygienically equipped decoction facility

4 · Packaging

Sealed in single-dose portions

The same formula is composed differently for different people. Age, constitution, digestive capacity and any medication you are currently on all change which herbs are used and in what proportion. That is why we ask for your medication list at the first visit.

Formulas containing mineral or animal-derived ingredients are used only after beopje (法製) processing removes the harmful components. The sangol powder in Sangol Capsule, for example, is used only after heavy metals are removed, and we hold a heavy-metal analysis report from an external laboratory.

It depends heavily on the nature of the condition.

• Acute conditions — a cold or a bout of indigestion that started recently often changes within a few days to two weeks.
• Chronic conditions and constitutional care — where the problem has built up over months or years, one to three months of consistent use is usually needed.
• Long-term management — for slower areas such as joint health or bone density, we review progress every three months and adjust the formula.

Stopping on your own the moment things improve often returns you to where you started. Equally, continuing an unchanged formula when nothing is moving is the wrong answer. So we always review progress during the course and re-adjust the prescription.

Outcomes and duration vary with individual symptoms, constitution and lifestyle. No result within a given period is guaranteed.

Chuna is a non-surgical treatment in which a Korean medicine doctor uses their hands or an assistive device to realign joints and bones and release tightened muscle. Because it works directly on joint position and movement without surgery or injections, it is applied alongside other care for neck and back pain that stems from postural imbalance.

It is covered by national health insurance. Since April 2019 Chuna has been a reimbursed treatment, with coverage for up to 20 sessions per patient per year. The out-of-pocket portion drops considerably, so if you have been putting treatment off, it is worth asking about.

The patient's share varies by the type of Chuna performed (simple, complex and so on) and by the class of the institution. We will tell you the exact amount at your consultation.

Yes. Traffic accident sequelae can be treated under your auto insurance, and we combine acupuncture and pharmacopuncture, Chuna therapy, herbal medicine and physical therapy in one place.

It is common to feel fine right after a collision and then find the neck and back stiffening up the next day, or two to three days later. Even with no visible injury, pain, headache, dizziness, insomnia and anxiety can surface late, which is why early management matters.

What to bring — these two are enough to register:

• Your insurer's accident reference number
• Contact details for the other party's insurance adjuster

You may also come in and be seen first, then complete the paperwork afterwards.

In most cases auto insurance covers the treatment with nothing payable by you, but depending on the assessed fault ratio and how the claim is handled, some out-of-pocket cost can arise. Please call to confirm before registering.

We run evening clinics until 9 PM on weekdays and are open on weekends and public holidays — hours set for people who cannot come during the working day.

Mon – Fri

10:00 – 21:00

Sat – Sun

10:00 – 17:00

Public holidays

10:00 – 17:00

How to book

• Phone — 032-321-1030
• KakaoTalk — message our @thegreen1 channel

Walk-ins are welcome, but contacting us in advance will cut your waiting time. If travelling to us is difficult, we also offer remote consultation and herbal prescription by phone.

We are a one-minute walk (about 135 m) from Exit 3 of Sinjungdong Station on Seoul Subway Line 7. Leave the exit and follow Gilju-ro a short way and you will see the building.

Address

7F #704, Downtown Bldg, 288 Gilju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

Subway

Line 7 Sinjungdong Station, Exit 3 — 1 min on foot

Phone

032-321-1030

Lotte Department Store, Lotte Cinema, Olive Young and Starbucks are all on the same block, so the building is easy to find. Take the lift to the 7th floor and come to room 704.

For parking arrangements and free-parking validation, please call 032-321-1030.