• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.695-706
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• 2021

Objectives: This study reports a case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in which the patient experienced improved limb weakness, facial paralysis, paresthesia, and systemic pain after Korean medicine treatment. Methods: A 25-year-old female patient diagnosed with GBS received the herbal medicine Banhasasim-tang Soft Ext., acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitation treatment. To confirm the change in symptoms, the manual muscle test (MMT), Korean Version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Yanagihara grading system (Y-score) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were performed. Results: After Korean medicine treatment, there was a significant improvement in GBS-related clinical symptoms. Conclusions: Korean medicine treatment could be effective in improving symptoms of limb weakness, facial paralysis, paresthesia, and systemic pain related to GBS. However, this study has limitations as a case report, and more studies are needed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.244-253
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• 2022

Objective: This study reports on the management of a patient with myasthenia gravis (MG) following myasthenic crisis (MC) using Korean medicine. Methods: A 77-year-old Class V MG patient was treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, and Korean herbal medicine. A manual muscle test was used to derive a Medical Research Council (MRC) score and the patient's subjective view of his dyspnea was measured to assess MG symptoms. Results: The MRC grade indicated significant deterioration after 65 days of treatment, although there was no change in the patient's subjective dyspnea assessment. But no other MG or MC complications occurred. Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine could be used for the management of Class V MG patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study is to report the improvement of a basal ganglia infarction patient with left hemiplegia and gait disturbance after treatment with Korean medicine. Methods: The patient was treated using acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine. To evaluate the effect on clinical symptoms, a manual muscle test, the Modified Functional Ambulation Classification, and the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index were used. Results: After 118 days of treatment, scores for all three scales improved. Conclusion: Treatment with Korean medicine appears to be effective for improving the clinical symptoms of basal ganglia infarction with hemiplegia and gait disturbance, but further research is needed to verify this.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2021

Introduction: The aim of this study is to report on the effectiveness of Korean medicine to improve symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Some patients are treated with medication, but medications may have no effect in some patients. Korean medicine treatments have been used in such patients, but few reports exist. Case Presentation: A 58-year-old female patient with CIPN reported symptoms of bilateral limb pain and tingling sensations as well as cold sensations in bilateral lower legs and hands, fatigue, and bilateral limb weakness. To reduce the patient's symptoms, we provided Korean medical treatment, including herbal medicine (Uchashinki-hwan), acupuncture, and moxibation. To evaluate the results of this treatment, we used a numeric rating scale (NRS), the manual muscle test (MMT), the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality-of-life questionnaire about CIPN (EORTC-QLQ-CIPN20). After 49 days of treatment, the NRS scores decreased for bilateral limb pain and tingling, for bilateral lower leg and hand cold sensation, and for fatigue. The MMT results for the upper and lower extremities were improved. CTCAE Grade and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 score were also decreased. Conclusion: According to these results, Korean medicine treatment may be considered an effective treatment for CIPN. Prospective studies are needed in the future to confirm and expand these findings.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.453-462
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this clinical case study was to report the effect of Korean medicine treatment on a stroke patient with cognitive impairment, dysuria, and gait disturbance. Methods: The patient was treated with Korean medicine, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. We administered the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE-K) Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and Manual Muscle Test (MMT) and investigated the frequency of nocturia to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and improvement in symptoms. Results: After Korean medicine treatment, the patient's symptoms were significantly improved. according to the MMSE-K, frequency of nocturia, and MMT results. Conclusions: This clinical case study suggests that Korean medicine treatment, including Wuchasinkihwan-gagam could be an effective treatment for stroke patients with symptoms of cognitive impairment, dysuria, and gait disturbance.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.951-959
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• 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the effects of treatment with traditional Korean medicine on a patient with multiple cerebral infarction caused by posterior cerebral artery occlusion. Methods: The patient was treated with herbal medicine (Yikgeebohyul-tang) and acupuncture. The effects of these treatments were evaluated using the Manual Muscle Test, the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index, the Modified Rankin scale, and a subjective percentage of sensation in the left lower extremity and face. Results: After treatment, the Modified Rankin Scale score, subjective percentage of sensation in the left lower extremity, and gait disturbance improved. Conclusion: The results suggest that traditional Korean medicine may be effective for treating the symptoms of multiple cerebral infarction caused by posterior cerebral artery occlusion.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1274-1288
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• 2022

Objectives: The study investigated the effect of Korean medicine treatment on a hemiplegic patient with conscious and cognitive disorders due to hemorrhagic transformation after interventional reperfusion therapy of anterior circulation infarction. Case presentation: The patient was treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and herbal medicine in combination with Western medicine and physical therapy. The effects on clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Korean Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Korean Nu-DESC), and Modified Bathel Index (MBI). After the treatment, the MMT grade increased from Gr.0-1 to Gr.0-3, the GCS score increased from 10 to 15, the K-MMSE score increased from 8 to 15, the Korean Nu-DESC score decreased from 3 to 1, night delirium disappeared, and the MBI score increased from 13 to 26. Conclusions: Complex Korean medicine treatments were effective for improving the clinical symptoms of hemorrhagic transformation after interventional reperfusion therapy for anterior circulation infarction in a patient with hemiplegia and conscious and cognitive disorders. However, further studies are needed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1033-1040
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• 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the effects of traditional Korean medicine treatment on a patient with vascular dementia caused by an intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods: The patient was treated with herbal medicine (modified Guibi-tang) and acupuncture. The effects of these treatments were evaluated using the Korean Mini Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE-2), Cognitive Dementia Rating (CDR), Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), and Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS). Results: After treatment, the K-MMSE-2 score, CDR score, MMT, K-MBI, and VFSS improved. Conclusion: The results suggest that traditional Korean medicine may be effective for the symptoms of vascular dementia caused by intracerebral hemorrhage.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1050-1061
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• 2023

This study reported the case of a patient with quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) treated with Korean medicine. The patient was treated with acupuncture, herbal medicine (mainly Tonggyuhwalhyeol-tang-gagam), Western medicine, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitative therapy for 75 days, and improved after administration. After treatment, the Manual Muscle Test grade improved from 4/4-/3+/3 to 4+/4+/4+/4+, the Korean version of the modified Barthel Index score improved from 9 to 100, the National Institute of Health's Stroke Scale score improved from 2 to 0, the Global Deterioration Scale score improved from 3 to 2, and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination score improved from 22 to 30. During administration, the patient did not show seizures, shock, or loss of consciousness, and the vital signs were stable in the normal range. We followed up the brain computed tomography findings for 2 times and found that there was no definite evidence of intracranial hemorrhage or IVH or re-rupture or rebleeding after Korean medicine treatment. This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment with blood-invigorating and stasis-removing herbs could be a safe and effective intervention option for improving quadriparesis due to cerebral aneurysm rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.791-802
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• 2023

Objective: This study reports on the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment in a patient with intracerebral hemorrhages with symptoms of hemiplegia, personality change, and aphasia. Case presentation: The patient was treated using Korean medicine, including Jayumkeonbi-tang with deer antler as herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and a limb activation exercise. To evaluate the effect on clinical symptoms, a manual muscle test, the Modified Functional Ambulation Classification, and the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index were used. After 84 days of treatment, the MMT grade of the right upper and lower limbs improved from Gr. 2+/2- to Gr. 4/3~4 on average, and personality change and aphasia were gone. Conclusion: A complex treatment that includes Jaeumkunbi-tang, acupuncture, moxibustion, and limb activation exercises can be effective following an intracerebral hemorrhage resulting in hemiplegia and personality change. However, more research is needed.