When we explain the wisdom of Donguibogam through the language of modern medicine, symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, headache, and anemia are closely linked. They most often begin from circulatory disorder across the brain, ears, and whole body, as well as an imbalance in the nervous system.
Dizziness can be broadly divided into two forms. Vertigo, where surroundings feel like they are spinning around, mainly stems from issues in the vestibular system inside the ear or abnormalities in the brain's balance centers. Meanwhile, dizziness where the head feels fuzzy and faint often arises from systemic factors such as drops in blood pressure, anemia, dehydration, or cardiac issues. When cerebral blood flow briefly becomes insufficient upon standing from a sitting or lying position, as in orthostatic hypotension, vision darkens and one easily experiences dizziness. This can be a sign that our body's autonomic nervous system is failing to properly regulate blood pressure.
Tinnitus, a ringing in the ears, is usually a phenomenon where sound is heard in the absence of external noise, and its most common cause is hearing loss. When hair cells in the cochlea are damaged with aging or prolonged exposure to noise, the brain may generate unnecessary electrical activity to compensate for this damaged signal, inducing tinnitus. However, it can also occur due to vascular malformation or blood flow abnormalities around the neck, as in vascular tinnitus. Temporomandibular joint issues, abnormalities in the cervical vertebrae, and psychological factors such as stress and anxiety serve as major causes that aggravate tinnitus. Neurological mechanisms where the auditory cortex becomes hyperactivated or sensitive to specific frequencies are also actively being studied.
Headaches are very common, but their causes are diverse. Tension headache occurs due to tension in the neck and shoulder muscles, while migraine occurs from complex interactions between the brain's blood vessels and nervous system. In addition, there are cluster headaches, medication-overuse headaches, and headaches related to cerebrovascular disease, among countless others. Chronic headache is also closely related to issues with blood flow to the brain, inflammatory responses, and autonomic nervous system imbalance caused by stress.
Anemia refers to a state where erythrocytes or hemoglobin, which carry oxygen in the blood, are insufficient. Iron deficiency anemia is particularly common. Oxygen is an essential energy source for maintaining brain function, and when anemia is present, adequate oxygen cannot be supplied to the brain, which can lead to dizziness, fatigue, impaired concentration, and even headaches in severe cases.
All these symptoms share the common denominators of microcirculatory disorder and autonomic nervous system imbalance. When the small capillaries in our body fail to function properly and blood does not flow smoothly, cells cannot receive sufficient nutrients and oxygen, and waste products accumulate. If stress or fatigue is added, leading to hyperactivation or dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, the ability to regulate vasoconstriction and vasodilation declines. This further worsens microvascular circulation in the brain and ears, causing diverse symptoms to appear in combination. We should not take these warning signals lightly, and we need to protect our bodies through balanced lifestyle habits.
