• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.124-139
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• 2022

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment for two patients complaining of discomfort after receiving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: The patients were hospitalized for 50 days and 12 days, respectively. They were treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. We used the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) on numbness in extremities and headache, Manual Muscle Testing Grading System (MMT), Criteria for Sweating Categorization, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to evaluate the clinical effects of the treatment. Results: In Case 1, headache improved from peak NRS 9 and average NRS 7 on admission day to both NRS 3 on discharge. The SF-36 score was also increased, suggesting that the quality of life was improved. In Case 2, numbness in the extremities improved from NRS 8 on the day before admission to NRS 2 on discharge, and general condition also improved. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medicine can be an effective treatment for patients who experience long-lasting discomfort after being vaccinated with COVID-19, but with no abnormal findings in the examination.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.91-104
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• 2022

Objectives : The objective of this study is to report a case of a male atopic dermatitis patient accompanying seborrheic capitis and nummular eczema improved by Korean medicine therapy and lifestyle modification. Methods : A male patient was hospitalized for eczematous lesions in the head, face, and both hands which relapsed on March 2021. For 15 days, he took Korean medicine therapy including acupuncture, Bangpungtongseongsan-gagam, pharmacopuncture, and wet dressing with Hwangryunhaedok-tang. Simultaneously, lifestyle correction also conducted during administration. On the other hand, corticosteroid and antihistamine were prescribed from internal medicine of our hospital for the first 10 days because of severe skin lesions. As an outpatient, he was continuously treated by the same Korean medicine therapy except herbal decoction weekly for about 7 months after discharge. To assess symptoms, scoring atopic dermatitis(SCORAD) index, taking photos, and numerical rating scale(NRS) were used. Results : After 15 days of hospitalization, the SCORAD index decreased to 30.0, which was about a half of the initial SCORAD index(61.2). NRS score also dropped from 6 to 3. Despite stopping western medicine administration, skin lesions and subjective symptoms of the patient were steadily improved without aggravation. For 7 months of continued outpatient treatment, atopic dermatitis were steadily ameliorated despite temporary aggravation and improvement of symptoms, and seborrheic capitis was not relapsed. The final SCORAD index and NRS on November 9th, 2021 were 24.7 and 1, respectively. Conclusions : These results suggests that Korean medicine therapy contributes to improving SCORAD index, subjective symptoms, and skin lesions of the patient. Furthermore, lifestyle modification is also important as much as proper treatment for caring atopic dermatitis patients.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.75-85
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of intensively complex physical therapy program on pain, range of motion (ROM) and muscle function in traumatic low back injury by industrial accident. Design: Prospective study Methods: Eight patients with traumatic low back injury by industrial accident participated in this study. They were treated the intensively complex physical therapy program including daily 60 minutes therapist supervised physical therapy at 5 times a week and 30 minutes manual therapy at 5 times a week in 12 weeks. Evaluation was performed before the commencement of the training and again 4, 8 and 12 weeks. There were measured Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for evaluating pain, ROM of trunk, and isometric muscle strength of trunk, core muscle endurance, neuromuscular control ability for evaluating muscle function. Results: NRS was significantly improved according to time (p<0.05). ROM of extension and rotation, isometric muscle strength of trunk and hip, core muscle endurance and neuromuscular control ability were significantly improved according to time (p<0.05). Conclusion: We could confirm the superiority effect of intensively complex physical therapy program on pain, ROM of trunk and muscle function in traumatic low back pain with industrial accident.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.375-386
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• 2022

Work involving standing or walking for a long time can cause swelling, pain, and fatigue in the lower extremities due to the effect of gravity on the circulation of the body. This study aimed to confirm the effects of aromatherapy essential oils, as a complementary and alternative therapy, on lower extremity edema, pain, and fatigue when applied as a foot bath or spray. The study was conducted after daytime work over two consecutive days on nurses who volunteered at the E University Hospital in D Metropolitan city between 15 August 2018 and 11 October 2018. This randomized controlled study. The foot bath group received a foot bath in 9 L of water containing 0.5 ml of essential oil blended with grapefruit and peppermint in a 1:1 ratio. The spray group received the same solution in 3% dilution in the form of a spray. Edema was assessed by measuring calf and ankle circumference, while pain and fatigue were evaluated using a numerical rating scale. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and repeated-measures ANOVA. The calf circumference in the foot bath and spray groups significantly reduced compared to that in the control group (F = 14.053, p <.001) after the interventions. Lower extremity pain (F = 42.497, p < .001) and fatigue (F = 20.641, p < .001) also significantly reduced in the foot bath and spray groups compared to those in the control group after the interventions. Foot bath is recommended to relieve swelling and pain in the lower extremities, and aroma spray is highly recommended considering the ease of application.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.215-223
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to report the effects of Korean medicine treatment on the gait disorder. Patient with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disorder. We treated the patient using Korean medicine treatment including Motion-Style-Acupuncture-Treatment, pharmacopuncture, acupuncture, and herbal medicine during 30 days. Numerical rating scale (NRS), EuroQol five dimension (EQ-5D) index, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the changes of symptoms were measured for assessment. After 30 days inpatient treatment, NRS decreased from 4 to 2, EQ-5D index, ODI, MBI, and the symptoms of the patient also were improved. In conclusion, this case shows Korean medicine treatment might be an effective treatment for gait disorder Patient with MOG-associated disorder.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.150-162
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• 2023

Meniere's disease is characterized by episodic vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and ear fullness. The main pathological finding is endolymphatic hydrops, but the etiology of disease and effective treatment methods are still disputed. Recently, Cervical spine disorders(CSD) and Temporomandibular disorders(TMD) have been attracting attention as one of the causes of Meniere's disease. A 65-year-old female Meniere patient with musculoskeletal problems in the cervical and mandible area was treated by Korean medical therapies including pharmacoacupuncture treatment. After 5 weeks of treatment, there was no meaningful change in hearing level evaluated with pure tone audiometry, but the subjective symptoms of Meniere improved significantly. Numerical rating scale (NRS) decreased from 10 to 0 for hearing loss, 10 to 3 for tinnitus and 8 to 3 for ear fullness. Also NRS of cervicalgia was reduced from 5 to 0 after treatment. The result suggests that the Korean medical therapy including pharmacoapuncture targeting CSD and TMD could be safe and effective method for patients with Meniere's disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.1327-1336
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• 2023

This case report presents the effectiveness of Korean medicine in the treatment of occipital neuralgia. The patient with occipital neuralgia was treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture treatment was administered to the occipital nerve area, which is commonly used in occipital nerve blocks by western medicine doctors. The severity of the symptoms was assessed daily using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score of pain. The patient received outpatient treatment a total of 7 times, and only received acupuncture treatment each time. According to the patient, his symptoms decreased by about 90% two days after acupuncture treatment, and the frequency and duration of the symptoms also decreased. Seven days after all acupuncture treatments, the severity of pain was reduced from NRS 6 to NRS 0. The findings of this case report suggest that treatment with Korean medicine can be an effective option for treating occipital neuralgia. Acupuncture can be a good treatment method for occipital neuralgia, along with western drug treatment and occipital nerve block.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.162-172
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• 2021

Purpose We retrospectively evaluated the technical success rate and long-term efficacy of fluoroscopy-guided synovial cyst rupture followed by an intra-articular steroid injection at the post-laminectomy lumbar facet. Materials and Methods We selected subjects who had undergone a fluoroscopy-guided synovial cyst rupture with simultaneous intra-articular steroid injection within 6 months of MRI and demonstrated a symptomatic facet joint synovial cyst at the level of a previous lumbar laminectomy. Fourteen patients were enrolled, and we determined whether cyst rupture and symptom improvement were achieved after each procedure. The degrees of symptom improvement were categorized into 4: 1) symptoms improved (30% or more reduction, based on pre-procedural and post-procedural Numerical Pain Rating Scale scores), 2) symptoms not improved, 3) patient underwent surgery after injection, and 4) loss of follow-up. Results The success rate of percutaneous synovial cyst rupture decreased with repeated procedures (62.5% for the first procedure and 0% to 33.3% for additional procedures). However, 80% of the patients had symptom improvement with the procedures, overall. The surgery rate was 14.3% in 14 patients. Conclusion For patients with post-laminectomy symptomatic lumbar facet joint synovial cysts, fluoroscopy-guided synovial cyst rupture with intra-articular steroid injection may be an effective and less invasive treatment before considering a surgical approach.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.47-56
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• 2024

Background: Among the various pain-related diseases that can be encountered at the clinic, there is a neuropathic pain that is difficult to treat. Numerous methods have been proposed to treat neuropathic pain, such as taking medication, nerve block with lidocaine, or neurolysis with alcohol or phenol. Recently, a method of perineural injection using dextrose instead of lidocaine was proposed. This study was designed to compare the effects of perineural injection therapy (PIT) with buffered 5% dextrose or 0.5% lidocaine on neuropathic pain. Methods: The data were collected from the database of pain clinic from August 1st, 2019 to December 31st, 2022 without any personal information. The inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), trigeminal neuralgia (TN), complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), or peripheral neuropathy (PN), and patients who had undergone PIT with buffered 5% dextrose (Dextrose group) or 0.5% lidocaine (Lidocaine group) for pain control. The data of patients, namely sex, age, and pain score (numerical rating scale, NRS) were collected before PIT. The data of NRS, side effects, and satisfaction grade (excellent, good, fair, or poor) were collected one week after each of the four PIT, and two weeks after the last PIT. Results: Overall, 112 subjects were enrolled. The Dextrose group included 89 and Lidocaine group included 23 patients. Because the number of patients in the Lidocaine group was too small to allow statistical analysis, the trend in Lidocaine group was just observed in each disease. There were no significant side effects except for a few bruise cases on the site of injection in all groups. The NRS in most Dextrose groups except CRPS were reduced significantly; however, the Lidocaine group showed a trend of pain reduction only in PHN. The Dextrose group except CRPS showed increased satisfaction two weeks after the final PIT. Conclusion: From the results, it is suggested that PIT with buffered 5% dextrose may have a good effect for neuropathic pain without any side effect except for patients with CRPS. This may offer a window into a new tool that practitioners can employ in their quest to help patients with neuropathic pain.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.139-152
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• 2002

Objectives：This study was conducted to compare the clinical and neuropsychological characteristics by DSM-IV subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) patients who did not have comorbid psychiatric disorders. Methods：5-15 year old children with ADHD were recruited at psychiatric outpatient clinic of Yeungnam University hospital and the patients with comorbidity or neurological abnormalities were excluded. Finally, total 404 children with ADHD were selected for this study. There were 234 subjects of ADHD-C(57.9%), 156 subjects of ADHD-I(38.6%) and 14 subjects of ADHD-HI(3.5%), who fulfilled the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The mean age of the total subjects was 9.63±2.49 years old. The psychopathology, IQ, behavioral problems, neuropsychological executive function were evaluated before pharmacological treatment. The measures were Korean Personality Inventory of Child(K-PIC) for psychopathology, 4 behavioral check lists(ADDES-HV, ACTeRS, CAP, SNAP) for behavioral symptoms of ADHD, K-ABC and KEDI-WISC for IQ and Conner's CPT, WCST, SST for neuropsychological executive functions. Results：1) The prevalence of subtypes was ADHD-C, ADHD-I, ADHD-HI in decreasing order. There was no sex difference of prevalence among three subtypes. The mean age of ADHD-I was older than other subtypes. 2) There was significant differences of psychopathology among subtypes, the ADHD-C and ADHD-HI had higher than the ADHD-I in the scores of delinquent, hyperactivity and psychosis；the ADHD-C had higher than the ADHD-I in the scores of family relation and autism, the scores of ego resilience were lower than the ADHD-I. However, there was no difference in anxiety, depression and somatization scores among them. 3) The results of behavioral symptom check lists, the ADHD-C had higher the score of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity than the ADHD-I. Meanwhile the results of ACTeRs, which rated by the teachers, were different. 4) There were significant differences of sequential processing scale and arithmetics among subtypes in IQ using K-ABC, but there was no significant difference between the ADHD-C and the ADHD-I after excluding the ADHD-HI due to small numbers. 5) There was numerical difference among subtypes but did not reach statistical significance in three neuropsychological executive function tests. Conclusion：In conclusion, our results revealed that there was significant difference in clinical features among three subtypes but, no significant difference in executive functions.