• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.229-240
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this report is to show the effect of complex traditional Korean medical care focused on warm needling(WN) and bee venom(BV) injection for a patient suffering from traumatic brachial plexus injury(BPI). Methods : A 51-year-old female patient with BPI was suffering from paresis and hypoesthesia with upper-extremity impairment. The patient had been treated once a day from 4 Feb to 11 Apr of 2015 mainly with WN and BV injection on the acupoints near the distribution of the brachial plexus. Improvement of the symptoms was measured by range of motion(ROM), manual muscle test(MMT) grip strength, and with the numeric rating scale(NRS) of tactile and pain sensitivity. Results : After 67 days of treatment, all obtained results showed remarkable improvement. The patient's satisfaction declaration was recorded through an interview at the end of the treatment. Conclusions : The results suggest that anatomically concerned WN and BV treatment can be a valuable option in reducing or normalizing pains from traumatic BPI.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.22-26
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to estimate the effectiveness of burning acupuncture therapy (Hwachim) and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture (S-BV pharmacopuncture) in treating lateral epicondylitis of elbow. Methods: We selected 33 patients at first, but 13 patients were excluded due to unclear medical records. Finally, a total of 20 patients who had received treatment from January 2012 to December 2013 were included in this study; all 20 patients had undergone Hwachim for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of elbow, and 19 of the 20 had been treated with S-BV pharmacopuncture (Korea Pharmacopuncture Institute, KPI) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as an ancillary treatment method. The degrees of pain of the 20 patients were evaluated by using the visual analogue scale (VAS) score at their first and final visits. The Wilcoxon signed rank test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the VAS scores statistically. Results: The VAS score had decreased significantly from $10.00{\pm}0.00$ to $4.00{\pm}2.47$ (P = 0.000) by the end of the treatment. No significant changes were observed based on the number of treatments (P = 0.246), the age of the patients (P = 0.810), the duration of the illness (P = 0.705), and the location of the lesion (P = 0.076). Conclusion: This study suggests Hwachim and S-BV pharmacopuncture are very effective for treating lateral epicondylitis of the elbow.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2019

This study is to report the usefulness of ultrasound in diagnosing rib fracture and the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided essential bee venom pharmacopuncture as a treatment of it. A 46-year-old unable to find a fracture by chest radiography was diagnosed it on ultrasound. The patient was applied integrative Korean medical treatments and ultrasound-guided essential bee venom pharmacopuncture at the fracture site for 4 weeks, 18 times total. Numeral rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate the amount of pain. The chest pain when turning over the body was reduced from NRS 8 to 2 for 4 weeks. The remarkable aspect is that the pain was immediately relieved after phamacopuncture and its effect lasted for 3 hours. This report suggests ultrasound can be useful for diagnosing rib fracture and also helpful for safety and accuracy of pharmacopuncture. Additionally, essential bee venom can be considered one of the methods of treating rib fracture.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2001

In Oriental Medicine, mononeuropathy belongs to or . Common peroneal neuropathy(CPN) is the most frequently encountered mononeuropathy in the lower extremity. It is usually caused by direct surgery injury, compression, leg crossing, trauma, traction etc, occasionally by nerve tumor. A 47-year-old healthy man was complained of the sudden development of left foot drop and sensory manifestation owing to suspected compression and habitual leg-crossing. Acupuncture along with bee-venom acupuncture, moxibustion was performed mainly at Stomach and Gallbladder Meridian specially ST36, ST37, ST40, GB34 and GB39. Nerve conduction study and electromyography was also performed three times. Symtoms was relieved fast, and full recovery took about 110 days. Acupuncture and bee-venom acupuncture are considered to be beneficial to CPN. More clinical trials and studies are needed.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2020

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to report the effects of Korean medicine therapy on patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Methods : In this study, we used Korean medicine treatments, including acupuncture, bee venom therapy, chuna manual therapy, and others, to treat hospitalized patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome. Improvements in clinical symptoms were evaluated using a numeric rating scale (NRS), the short form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and changes in the number of tender points. Results : After Korean medicine treatment, the NRS scores reduced from 10 to 7 (Patient 1) and from 10 to 5 (Patient 2). The SF-MPQ scores decreased from 33 to 26 (Patient 1) and from 25 to 18 (Patient 2). The number of tender points reduced from 18 to 15 (Patient 1) and from 12 to 11 (Patient 2). Conclusions : In both patients, the NRS scores, SF-MPQ scores, and number of tender points significantly improved. The results suggest that Korean medicine treatments, including acupuncture, bee venom therapy, chuna manual therapy, and others, may be effective for treating fibromyalgia syndrome.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.108-116
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• 2023

Objectives: This study is to report the usefulness of ultrasound in diagnosing plantar fasciitis and the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided bee venom pharmacopuncture as a treatment of it. Methods: A 61-year-old woman suffered from plantar fasciitis on her right foot for 1 month. The sonographic findings were fascial thickening, blurring of perifascial border and perifascial effusion. The ultrasound-guided bee venom pharmacopuncture for 6 times and conventional Korean medicine therapies like acupuncture and moxibustion for 12 times in 5 weeks. Numeric rating scale (NRS) and foot function index(FFI) was used to evaluate the pain and its progress. and thickness of plantar fascia was measured by sonography every week. Results: After treatments, NRS and FFI were reduced from 10 to 1 and from 190 to 72. The thickness of fascia was reduced from 0.43cm to 0.40. Blurring and effusion of perifascial border were also improved. Conclusion: This report suggests that the Ultrasound-guided Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture is effective for Plantar Fasciitis. Ultrasonography could be one of the most valuable items in the clinical practice of Korean medicine doctors who seek minimally invasive treatment.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to report the effects of electroacupuncture and bee venom (BV) acupuncture for a patient suffering with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. There was a one patient who was diagnosed as idiopathic peroneal neuropathy and tibial neuropathy received electroacupuncture and BV acupuncture at acupoints on peroneal and tibial nerve pathway. The evaluation of clinical outcome was done by range of motion (ROM), manual muscle test (MMT), perimeter of lower leg, neuropathy pain scale (NPS). After treatment, the patient showed improvement in ROM and MMT. The patient's perimeter of lower leg was increased, NPS was decreased. This study suggests that the treatment of acupoints on the damaged nerve pathways could be an effective treatment for peripheral neuropathy, although further studies will be needed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.75-89
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Methods : From February to September 2010, the number of patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who volunteered for this clinical study was 16 and 7 out of 16 patients complained both hands. Total 23 cases of hands were randomly divided by 2 groups. We injected Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture on PC7(Daereung) twice a week for 4weeks for experimental group(n=11), and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture with the same methods for control group(n=12). One case was dropped out due to itchiness of allergic response in the experimental group. Improvement of the symptoms was evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale, Pain Rating Scale, Tinel's sign, Phalen's sign and Nerve Conduction Velocity. Nerve Conduction Velocity was checked at baseline and the end of the trial and others were checked at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks. Results : Both groups showed significant improvement in Visual Analogue Scale, Pain Rating Scale, but no significant difference between two groups. Only the control group showed significant reduction of the 'poitive response' in the Tinel's sign and Phalen's sign. However, no groups improved in Nerve Conduction Velocity. Conclusions : These results showed that Sweet Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture could decrease the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Further studies will be required to examine more cases for the long period and use more various concentration and amount pharmacopuncture for the effect on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 1999

Herniation of intervertevral disc(HIVD) is the most common disease causing low back pain. Acupuncture, electroacupuncture and moxibustion has been used for treatment of HIVD. Bee venom (BV) also has been traditionally applied to relieve pain. Recently, it has been reported that BV is effective in treating HIVD. But more objective methods were required to assess the efficacy of BV on HlVD. So we assessed of BV-acupuncture effect on herniated disc patients by use of rating scale for low back pain. We researched 22 patients who were treated at Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Kyung Hee Medical Center from January 1999 to June 1999. The patients were diagnosed by MRI as having a herniated disc. The results of treatment using rating scale for low back pain in HIVD showed that $43.77{\pm}14.39$ point of pre-treatment score and $84.5{\pm}3.97$ point post-treatment score. The improvement index showed $0.43{\pm}0.15$. Especially, clinical score of neurologic deficits showed most highest improvement index of $0.7{\pm}0.45$. Assessment of BV-acupuncture Effect by MRI finding were showed that protruded disc and extruded disc got more higher improvement index than bulging disc. Among 22 patients, satisfactory assessment of BV-acupuncture effect showed that 15(68.2%) were excellent, and 7(31.8%) were good. The result suggest that BV-acupuncture is good method for treatment of HIVD.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.149-159
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• 2000

Bee-venom Acupucture has good effect on pain control but We may be anxious about the problem of side-effect. Bee-venom components are composed of phospholipase $A_2$, hyaluronidase, melitin, apamin, MCD peptide, citrate and so on. Especially Apamin, MCD peptide and histamine cause severe reacting that is named Anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a clinical syndrome characterized by the acute system reaction of multiple organ systems to an IgE-mediated immunologic mediator release in previously sensitized individuals. Respiratory and dermatologic manifestations are the most commonly expressed clinical features of anaphylaxis, and a majority of anaphylactic reactions initially appear to be localized to these two systems. Anaphylatic reaction of bee-venom are expressed clinically ulticaria, itching sensation, erythema, dizziness, nausea, hypotension and so on. Especially ulticaria and erythema are end points of increased vascular permeability and vasodilatation at the other extreme of the clinical spectrum, Gastrointestinal mucosal edema and smooth muscle contraction can result in cramping abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, we have observed anaphylatic reaction of bee-venom in 11 patients, who visited WonKwang University Kunpo Oriental Medical Center, treated bee venom. The results were summarized as follows : 1. The patient distribution ratio, in regard to sex, was shown to be 1 : 2.67 for male to females. In regard to age, it was shown that people in their 30's was the most predominant case, followed by people in their 20's, 30's, 50's and 60's, respectively. 2. When Anaphylaxis was occured, it was observed to abnormality of CBC, LFT, IgE, IgG. 3. In regard to patient condition, it was observed that fatigue was most frequent. 4. In regard to the number of times and quantity of bee venom inj., it was observed that anaphylaxis is most frequent at 7-10 times(1.6-2.0cc) 5. In regard to duration of reaction, it was observed that people in their l0min' was most frequent. In disappearing duration of anaphylaxic reaction, The results showed under 60min lcases(9%), 60-120min 7cases(64%) and 180-240min 3cases(27%). 6. In symptoms of anaphylaxis, The results showed hypotension 8cases(19%), itching sensation 7cases(16%), nausea 4cases(9%), erythema 4cases(9%) and dizziness 4cases(9%). In mentality, The results showed drowsy 8case(73%) and alert 3cases(27%). 7. Generally, patients were treated with Avil, Dexa IM and PDS, peniramine, cimetidine, Q-zyme per os after H/S, N/S inj. $O_2$ was supplied according to patient's symptom. In 1 severe case, Dopamine was iv injected.