• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.136-140
• /
• 2016

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the common musculoskeletal conditions of the shoulder which may develop sensory-motor and autonomic dysfunctions at the various level of the neuromuscular system. The pain and dysfunction caused by MPS were primarily treated with physical therapy and pharmacological agents in order to achieve painfree movements. However, in recent years intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) with conventional electrode placement was used by researchers to maximise therapeutic values. But, in this study an inverse electrode placement was used to deliver electrical impulses intramuscularly to achieve neuro-modulation at the various level of the nervous system. Nine patients with MPS were treated with intramuscular electrode stimulation using inversely placed electrodes for a period of three weeks. All nine subjects recovered from their shoulder pain and disability within the few weeks of intervention. So, this inverse electrode placement may be more appropriate for chronic pain management.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intramuscular stimulation (IMS) therapy in older persons with musculoskeletal pain. The subjects were 181 older persons (54 males, 127 females) with musculoskeletal pain. Intramuscular stimulation unit with needles (size $.3{\times}30$ mm) was applied for the treatment. The analgesic effects were measured by visual analog scale (VAS). Results showed that the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased after IMS therapy for fifteen minutes compared to pre-treatment score. In addition, the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased in patients with chronic pain (pain duration of one year after onset) compared to the post-treatment VAS score in patients with subacute pain (pain duration less than three months after onset). There was no significant difference in analgesic effects according to gender and age groups. It is determined from this study that IMS therapy can be beneficial for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in clinical setting. Further study is needed to identify whether the IMS therapy can change the pain threshold in patients with neurologic pain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.58-60
• /
• 2013

Intramuscular stimulation (IMS) is widely used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. IMS is a safe procedure but several complications have been described. To our knowledge, spinal subarachnoid hematoma has never been reported as a complication of an IMS. The authors have experienced a case of spinal subarachnoid hematoma occurring after an IMS, which was tentatively diagnosed as intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage because of severe headache. Patient was successfully treated with surgery. Here, we report our case with a review of literature.

• 월간산업보건
• /
• s.177
• /
• pp.76-82
• /
• 2003

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.159-164
• /
• 2003

Results : 1. The most important concept of IMS is chronic pain illness that may develop into hypersensitivity of the nerves, i.e., neuropathy. 2. Muscle shortening may be triggered by stress, including emotional, physical, external, and internal factors. 3. Muscle shortening increases mechanical tension on the muscles as well as inducing abrasion of the tissues by stretching ligament, tendon, cartilage, bone, and etc. 4. Pain from neuropathy is normally manifested on musculoskeletal system and spasm or shortening play as the central axis of this pain. 5. Neuropathy often appears at the nerve root level and the most important decisive factor of radiculopathy is muscle shortening. 6. Spondylosis is the most common cause of radiculopathy. 7. The most significant treatment principle of IMS is to relieve muscle shortening and remove stimulating determinant from the vertebrae. 8. Dry needling is quite effective for treating various pain caused by muscle shortening.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.77-80
• /
• 2006

Background: Painful experiences during procedures such as prolotherapy and intramuscular stimulation are stressful to patients and can affect the treatment outcome. We present a method for relieving pain and increasing the level of patient comfort during the procedure. Methods: Twenty six patients who requested sedation anesthesia during the procedure were examined. All patients were injected with 500 ml of 0.9% normal saline and were monitored by electrocardiography, blood pressure and pulse oximetry. The patients were supplied with oxygen (3 L/min) through a nasal cannula. Midazolam (0.02 mg/kg) and alfentanil ($8{\mu}g/kg$) was injected before the procedure and a bolus injection was administered during the procedure if patients felt any pain. The duration of the procedure, the total amount of drugs, the changes in the systolic blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation, sedation and pain level during procedure, satisfaction scale after the procedure, complications and the incidence of amnesia were evaluated. Results: Twenty one patients had a moderate level of sedation, 15 patients did not feel any pain during the procedure, 17 patients had high level of satisfaction (8-10). No patient experienced complications after the procedure, or unstable vital signs, and 6 patients could not remember the procedure. Conclusions: Sedation anesthesia is a safe method for relieving pain during the procedure, and most patients had a high level of satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.30-36
• /
• 1999

Background and Objectives : Laryngeal Evoked Electromyography(EEMG) is a objective, quantitative technique to determine innervation status of larynx. The possible applications of this technique are to confirm the etiology of impaired vocal fold motion and monitor perioperative vagus nerve trauma. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel method for determining the amount of reinnervation of recurrent laryngeal nerve with accurate, inexpensive, and minimally invasive technique in human. Materials and Methods : Laryngeal EEMG was performed for 16 adults with intact vocal folds motion and 2 patients diagnosed as unilateral vocal fold paralysis. for the purpose of searching what is the optimal and noninvasive technique for laryngeal EEMG, we used 2 types of stimulation configurations(transcutaneous vs percutaneous) and 2 types of recording configurations(intramuscular vs. surface). Results and Conclusions : Percutaneous needle stimulation and surface recording of laryngeal EEMG was reliable and comparable to standard needle stimulation and invasive intramuscular needle recording. But the laryngeal EEMG by the surface recording and transcutaneous surface stimulation was not reliable and repeatable. Therefore we recommended that laryngeal EEMG by surface recording and percutaneous needle stimulation would be minimally invasive, reliable technique to know the status of reinnervation in e patients with vocal fold paralysis.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.182-186
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Intramuscular stimulation (IMS) shows good results in the treatment of chronic pain patients who did not respond to other treatments such as oral analgesics, trigger point injection, nerve block and epidural steroid injection. But, IMS procedure especially, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) has sometimes serious problem. So, we present a very rare case of intramuscular abscess in the sternocleiomastoid muscle after IMS with literature review. Methods: A 66 year old male visited our department 7 days after IMS in the neck. His premorbid conditions and risk factors of deep neck infection was DM and old age. Computed tomographic scans of the head and neck region were performed in this patient: signs of deep neck infection, were seen enhanced abscess in the sternocleidomastoid muscle, cellulitis overlying tissue of the neck, and air bubbles involved muscle. Necrotic wound was excised serially and we treated this with the Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC, Kinetics Concepts International, San Antonio, Texas) system device. After appropriately shaping the sponge in the pockets, continuous negative pressure of 125 mmHg was applied. The VAC therapy was utilized for a period of 12 days. Results: We obtained satisfactory results from wide excision, drainage of the abscess with the VAC system, and then primary closure. The postoperative course was uneventful. Results: We suggest that many of the infectious complications may be preventable by strict adherence to aseptic techniques and that some of the other complications may be minimized by refining the techniques with a clear understanding of the medical disorders of patients. And, the refined technique using the VAC system can provide a means of simple and effective management for the cervical intramuscular abscess, with better cosmetic and functional results.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 1992.10a
• /
• pp.90-94
• /
• 1992

A portable multichannel functional electrical stimulation(FES) system for the fine control of the paralyzed extremities in spinal cord injury patients is described. This system is composed of a stimulation data creating system, a serial communication device, a 16-bit microprocessor, D/A converter of 32 channels and a display device. Stimulation patterns are created from analytical results of integrated EMGs during motion in normal subjects and are stored in the stimulation data creating system as data files. And then the stimulation patterns are sent to the memory in the portable multichannel FES system through serial communication interfacing device. Sophisticated fine control of paralyzed extrimities was realized by transmitting multichannel stimulation patterns to percutaneous intramuscular electrodes, which stimulate the motor function of paralyzed muscle simultaneously. Advantages of this system are as follws: 1) It is possible to modify stimulation patterns in accordance with the patient's situation. 2) This system is small and light.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.127-136
• /
• 2007

Objectives : To review the history, the theoretical basis and the technique of Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), papers and books on IMS were searched. Methods : 15 papers were searched with the keyword 'Gunn CC' at Pubmed(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed). Several full texts of them and other papers were found at the internet homepage of The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain (http://www.istop.org/). 16 Korean papers on IMS were searched at KoreaMed(http://www.koreamed.org/SearchBasic.php) and Koreanstudies Infomation Service System(http://kiss.kstudy.com/KsiKiss.asp). Results : Dr. Gunn has made unique model which can explain the pathology of chronic pain and the mechanism of acupuncture treatment. In this model, he postulated that most of chronic pain is radiculopathy due to spondylosis and acupuncture treatment to the hyperalgesic muscle can restore the normal function of involved muscles and nerves. Conclusions : IMS is an acupuncture technique in which the muscles under the Ah-shi or tender points in periphery and intrasegmental paravertebral muscles are stimulated with needles.