Review on Hyungsang Medicine

형상의학(形象醫學)에 대한 논문 고찰

Objectives: Hyungsang medicine (HM) is an inspection which emphasizes the relationships between pathological patterns and one's facial or bodily shape, color and movement. The purpose of this study was to review previously published study results of the HM. Methods: The authors reviewed a total of 51 HM-related studies published from 2000 to 2012 found on PubMed and various domestic Oriental medicine journals. Each study was classified into theoretical, diagnostic, or treatment-related category. Results: Theoretical studies were mostly based on the Nei-Ching and Dong-Eui-Bo-Gam texts, and dealt with differences in form between types such as masculine and feminine, the five organ image types, the four-type categorization of body essence, vital energy (Qi), mentality, and Blood, Gallbladder and Bladder, the four-type categorization of fish, bird, horse, and turtle types, and the six meridian types. Research on diagnosis has been performed on diagnostic characteristics of HM, correlation between HM and general coordinative manipulation (GCM), and Hyungsang medicine and ante-disease pattern (未病類型). Studies on treatments could largely be classified as treatments for specific diseases using certain acupuncture or herbal prescriptions based on HM. Treatments were mostly evaluated solely through subjective symptom improvement of patients. Conclusions: Our review results suggest that HM-related studies were focused on the constitutional characteristics and clinical utility of HM. To strengthen the theoretical basis of HM and its clinical utility, clinical trials including randomized, treatment-placebo and blind methods are needed.