A competent doctor can cure everything

“Coffee is related to a key ingredient in weight-loss herbal medicine.”

Ji Young-sook tilted her head, still puzzled by what I’d said.

“Have you heard of an herb called ‘Mahuang’?”

“Oh, I think I might’ve heard of it. But what does that have to do with coffee?”

“The main component of ‘Mahuang’ is ephedrine. It stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, helping suppress appetite, increase the body’s heat production, and raise metabolic rate.”

Studies also show it helps break down fat tissue, making it a must-have in weight-loss herbal formulas.

At the mention of “ephedrine,” her expression immediately changed.

“Oh, wait, doctor—ephedrine is…!”

“Yes, it’s a banned substance in sports. Since it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, it can also enhance physical performance. We’ll switch you to a different formula without ‘Mahuang’ starting a week before any matches to account for the half-life of the substance.”

“Oh… then it should be okay, right?”

“Of course. I’m a member of the Korean Society of Sports Korean Medicine and certified as a ‘team doctor,’ so you’re in good hands.”

It was worth the effort back then to complete all those certifications during my public service.

Hearing “team doctor” made her visibly relax.

“You see, caffeine in coffee also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Drinking too much coffee makes your heart race, and it keeps you up at night, doesn’t it?”

“Ah…! So that’s why you asked if I drink coffee?”

“Exactly. It helps gauge how your body might respond to ‘Mahuang’.”

“That’s interesting. I was wondering why you asked out of the blue. I’d say I’m okay with about two cups a day.”

“Got it. And while you’re taking this herbal medicine, please cut down on caffeine. If the effects overlap, you could experience heart palpitations or trouble sleeping.”

Nodding, she seemed to have another question.

“Doctor, you also mentioned earlier that you’d prescribe a remedy for postpartum syndrome. Am I going to take two different herbal medicines?”

“No, let me clarify that too. What was the first thing you told me?”

“I… I said my whole body hurts.”

“Exactly. I pay close attention to the first thing patients mention during a consultation. People usually mention their biggest discomfort right away. You said your whole body aches.”

With a heavy sigh, Young-sook gently thumped her back with her fist.

“When older folks say their joints ache and feel cold when the wind blows, I understand that feeling now, after giving birth.”

“In traditional Korean medicine, we call that type of postpartum syndrome ‘Pungsap’—symptoms aggravated by ‘wind and dampness.’ The standard prescription for this is ‘Ojeoksan’. It’s perfect timing.”

“Perfect timing?”

The athlete looked at me with wide eyes, so I smiled and explained.

“It’s a remedy often used for body aches and joint pain. In fact, it’s the most prescribed herbal formula in Korea over the past 30 years, especially for treating back pain and arthritis.”

“Sounds like it’s exactly what I need!”

“Also, ‘Ojeoksan’ already contains ‘Mahuang’. I plan to increase the amount slightly to support weight loss. ‘Mahuang’ may reduce milk production, but since you’ve already weaned, that won’t be a concern.”

I continued asking questions necessary for prescribing the medicine, going over the checklist until I found something concerning.

“Young-sook, are you currently taking any medications, like antidepressants?”

“No, why?”

“Because you checked ‘depressed mood’ on the postpartum checklist.”

Taking high doses of ‘Mahuang’ while on psychiatric medications is risky. It can over-stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, worsening anxiety and reducing the effectiveness of weight loss treatment.

“Oh, it’s nothing serious. Just a bit of anxiety and feeling down… mostly about my situation.”

She scratched behind her ear as she elaborated.

“I don’t know if you know this, but I’m the first female volleyball player in Korea to take parental leave and return to the game. Ha… I never thought I’d end up with a title like that.”

“I see.”

“Doctor, I really want to come back successfully.”

As I watched her clench her fists, I imagined reasons like “for her career” or “for her family.”

But what she said next surprised me.

“For my juniors.”

“Your juniors?”

“Yes. If I fail to return, it’ll set a bad precedent. People will start thinking that for female volleyball players, once you get married and have kids, your career is over. So, I have to make this work.”

“…”

In that moment, her determined gaze and the harsh comments about her online flashed through my mind.

Even though it was my first time meeting her, I already felt a desire to cheer her on.

“Lastly, let me check your pulse.”

Each prescription is associated with a certain pulse type. If the pulse aligns with the chosen remedy, it confirms my decision; if not, I reconsider the choice.

The pulse type that suits ‘Ojeoksan’ is floating and tight (Maekbugin) or fine and relaxed (Sewan). In other words, the pulse either feels like a taut rope, indicating tension, or appears thin and soft.

“Her pulse is floating and tight, which aligns with the symptoms….”

As I checked her pulse, I could picture the coming week. Normally, a traditional doctor would lecture diet patients endlessly. But I didn’t think that would be necessary for Ji Young-sook.

“Wow.”

Her level of self-discipline truly impressed me, as expected from an athlete. I could even imagine her a week from now, stepping on the scale, thrilled by the numbers she saw, and proudly telling her husband.

A thought suddenly came to mind.

Maybe I could use a little “cheat code” to build rapport.

“Your pulse suggests that ‘Ojeoksan’ will work well for you. With the herbal medicine, along with your exercise and diet, by next week, you’ll probably….”

“?”

“…lose about 3 kilograms.”

“Oh, can you really see that?”

At the mention of “3 kilograms in a week,” her eyes sparkled, and a wide smile spread across her face. I smiled back.

“It’s clear to me.”

A small prediction like that could help the patient follow through with the treatment more enthusiastically.

“Usually, I recommend aiming for about half a kilogram per week, but since you have the KOVO Cup tournament coming up next month….”

“Yes, less than a month left now.”

“Since it’s for your knee health and performance rather than just appearance, we’ll take a slightly more intense approach.”

“I’ll give it my best!”

Just as Young-sook was fired up with determination, a voice called to her from a distance.

“Hey, let’s get started again!”

“Okay~.”

She replied with a raised voice toward the court and then urgently asked, “Doctor, how will I receive the herbal medicine?”

“Well… I’ll bring it in two days.”

“Oh no, I feel so bad about that.”

“It’s fine. I’ll also set up acupuncture while I’m at it. After training today, make sure to get the acupuncture done.”

Young-sook blinked in surprise. “I thought you only came once a week?”

“That frequency won’t be effective for treatment. Since we’ve started, we should do it properly. Next time, I’ll bring the electrical acupuncture device and use fat-dissolving needles as well.”

Electrical acupuncture isn’t just for pain relief; it can also help reduce localized fat by using electrical stimulation to break down fat cells. When the current flows, heat is generated, causing the fat to undergo hydrolysis into glycerol and fatty acids.

“Since acupuncture increases serotonin levels and activates the satiety center in the hypothalamus, we can also target appetite suppression.”

“Then that would be great! Actually….”

She glanced back at her teammates and whispered softly.

“Doctor, you can feel this atmosphere too, right? At first, we were really excited to have an acupuncturist come. But with only one visit per week, and sometimes every other week, it ended up feeling like everyone was just left to find their own hospitals and clinics.”

Just as I suspected. The low frequency of treatments seems to have decreased demand as well. If we’re going to do this, it should be done right, or not at all. Why was the on-site treatment set up so ambiguously?

‘I should talk to Professor Yeon Jae-wook about this situation when I go to work tomorrow.’

As I thought this, I watched Young-sook running away.

* * *

“Hey, what were you talking about with the acupuncturist for so long?” Jeong Ho-jung asked curiously as Young-sook returned.

“It took a while because I was consulting about the herbal medicine.”

“Herbal medicine? What’s that about?”

“I was surprised too. He brought it up first. He’s really proactive about treatment.”

Hearing Young-sook’s words, Jeong Ho-jung recalled her past experiences. She had inquired about herbal medicine from acupuncturists who had come for on-site treatment before, but they had all seemed perplexed or annoyed and declined to answer, which had been disappointing.

However, the other athletes seemed indifferent to the conversation.

“But isn’t he still an intern? Isn’t it better just to go to a clinic?”

“Right. It’s obvious that person will probably skip a week here and there, and after a month, we’ll get a new person again.”

But Young-sook shook her head with confidence. “No, he seems a bit different. I’ve never met a doctor who consults this thoroughly. And I hadn’t even mentioned that I had a baby, but he already knew. He must have done her research about us.”

“Oh… other doctors didn’t even know our names when they came. Some couldn’t remember them until the end.”

“Right. I can’t complain since they come for free, but sometimes it felt like they were lacking sincerity.”

Bang-!

Young-sook hit the volleyball over the net and added as if she had just remembered something. “Oh, by the way, that doctor said he’s a team doctor associated with the Sports Acupuncture Association.”

“?!”

“Really?”

At the mention of “team doctor,” the athletes’ heads snapped toward the acupuncturist simultaneously.

A team doctor is a medical professional responsible for the health of athletes on a sports team. They go beyond just treating injuries; they help prevent them and enhance the athlete’s performance.

In other countries, the importance of “sports medicine” is widely recognized, and it’s common for teams to hire dedicated team doctors for their athletes’ conditioning.

However, in South Korea, the concept of “sports medicine” itself is still unfamiliar. It’s tough to find even part-time team doctors, let alone full-time ones, which reflects the current situation in the country.

Given the Blue Whales’ poor performance and the pressure from the club, having a team doctor seemed like a distant dream.

Just a moment ago, that acupuncturist had looked like just an intern, but now he seemed entirely different. His expression, which had appeared cold earlier, now looked sharp and competent, suggesting he would provide thorough medical care.

“Should I get a check-up too? Ugh, there’s not a single spot that doesn’t hurt.”

“It’s the fate of an athlete, after all. And with the competition coming up, we can’t help it even if the training is intense.”

One of the players suddenly lowered her voice, aware of the surroundings.

“But… is it really true? If our performance is poor again this season, the coach might get fired?”

At that, the captain, Jeong Ho-jeong, frowned slightly.

“The coach’s style, how should I put it, is idealistic.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Honestly, if we want immediate results, we could just play a game that focuses on our foreign player. But the coach aims for a speedy, up-tempo game, an all-around style where everyone participates.”

The power and speed of foreign players make it tough for local players to compete.

This high dependency on foreign players has led to criticism that the Korean volleyball league is merely playing foreigner ball.

This criticism applies to both men’s and women’s volleyball.

“The coach dislikes relying on foreign players. If we continue like that, Korean volleyball will be crushed in international competitions. I agree with the coach. In the long term, we need to move away from that style for the development of Korean volleyball.”

“It seems the coach learned a lot from playing in overseas leagues during his active career.”

“Sigh, I feel sorry that we can’t meet the coach’s expectations.”

The seriousness of the captain’s concern made the other players quiet.

“The club won’t support us anymore. We need to prove with our performance that the coach’s direction is correct.”

“But our team has a higher average age, so we hear that endurance is a weakness. Up-tempo all-around volleyball consumes a lot of stamina… can we really do it?”

“Hmm. This time, there seems to be a promising variable.”

As someone voiced a realistic concern, Young-sook glanced at the acupuncturist.

Another player burst out laughing in disbelief.

“Are you talking about that intern? Come on, sis. You’re being overly optimistic.”

“Am I exaggerating? Just look at him.”

“?”

The players looked back at the acupuncturist with curiosity in response to Young-sook’s serious words.

He was just sitting quietly at the treatment desk, watching the players.

“What? He seems like he’s just watching us practice.”

“Don’t you remember how the previous doctors acted when we were practicing?”

“Back then… oh, now that you mention it, they were just on their phones during practice. Then they’d stick a needle in and leave.”

When someone realized that fact and gasped in surprise, Young-sook nodded in agreement.

“Right now, he’s observing all our movements. Meeting that doctor a month before the KOVO Cup might be an incredible stroke of luck.”