• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 2024

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common musculoskeletal disorder characterized by muscle pain, tenderness, and trigger points. Ultrasonography has emerged as a key tool for diagnosing and treating MPS owing to its ability to provide precise, minimally invasive guidance. This review discusses the use of ultrasonography in various approaches to evaluate and manage MPS. Studies have shown that shear-wave sonoelastography can effectively assess muscle elasticity and offer insights into trapezius stiffness in patients with MPS. Ultrasound-guided interfascial hydrodissection, especially with visual feedback, has demonstrated effectiveness in treating trapezius MPS. Similarly, ultrasound-guided rhomboid interfascial plane blocks and perimysium dissection for posterior shoulder MPS have significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life. The combination of extracorporeal shockwave therapy with ultrasound-guided lidocaine injections has been particularly successful in reducing pain and stiffness in trapezius MPS. Research regarding various guided injections, including dry needling, interfascial plane blocks, and fascial hydrodissection, emphasizes the importance of ultrasonography for accuracy and safety. Additionally, ultrasound-guided delivery of local anesthetics and steroids to the quadratus lumborum muscle has shown lasting pain relief over a 6-month period. Overall, these findings highlight the pivotal role of ultrasonography in the assessment and treatment of MPS.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.80-88
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• 2003

Objective : This study was performed in order to evaluate the effect of bee venom therapy on rheumatoid arthritis by randomized controlled double blind method. Methods : RA patients were recruited and divided into an experiment group and a control group by random selection. As a double blind test, the experiment group was treated with bee venom injection on acupoints, and the control group was treated with normal saline injection on acupoints twice a week for 8 weeks. Tender joint count, swollen joint count, morning stiffness, pain, health assessment questionnaire, ESR, and CRP were estimated and analyzed at baseline, and at 1 month and 2 months after bee venom therapy. Results : Compared to the control group, the experiment group showed significant decrease in tender joint count, swollen joint count, morning stiffness, and health assessment questionnaire after 2 months. Pain, ESR and CRP showed significant decrease in the experiment group after 1 & 2 months. Conclusions : These results suggests that bee venom therapy could be an effective method in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.65-72
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• 2016

Objectives : While neck pain is highly prevalent in Korea, studies examining its Korean medical treatment are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to assess current Korean medical treatment practice patterns for neck pain. Methods : A preliminary questionnaire was developed to investigate current practice patterns of neck pain and cervical intervertebral disc displacement (IDD) treatment, and underwent further revision through external review. The final questionnaire was distributed as a web-based survey to 18,289 potential respondents by email. Results : The response rate was 3.34 %. Most participants replied that they received multiple Korean medicine interventions for neck pain treatment consisting of such methods as acupuncture, wet cupping, interferential current therapy and electroacupuncture. A total of 378 respondents acknowledged that diagnostic testing was needed for neck pain treatment. The most commonly used Korean Standard Classification of Diseases (KCD) principal diagnosis code for neck pain was M542, and for cervical IDD was M501. Conclusion : This survey study helps determine current practice patterns of neck pain, and recognizes the need for use of diagnostic devices in neck pain treatment. These results are further anticipated to provide basic data for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and future studies using Korean National Health Insurance and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.415-424
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• 2014

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and San-Yin-Jiao (SP6) acupressure on primary dysmenorrhea. Furthermore, the difference in effectiveness between the two methods were compared. METHODS: Twenty-six students participated in this study, and were randomly assigned to a high-frequency TENS group(experimental 1, n=9), a San-Yin-Jiao (SP6) acupressure group(experimental 2, n=9), and no treatment group(control, n=8). They were assessed and treated on the first day of their menstruation. The TENS protocol included applying 20 minutes of stimulation with a frequency of 100Hz, $100{\mu}sec$ pulse width. Four electrodes were placed on the skin 3 cm from midline at T12-L1 and S2-3 paravertebral muscles. San-Yin-Jiao (SP6) acupressure should be applied with the thumb for 10 minutes(8 seconds pressure and 2 seconds rest) on the SP6 acupoint. This procedure should be repeated for the other foot. Dysmenorrheal pain measured two pain assessment tools (VAS, DPT) pre-treatment; immediate post-treatment; 30minutes, 1, 2hours; and 3, 4, 5, 6, 24 hours after the VAS test were added. RESULTS: The results showed significant differences in pain assessments (VAS, DPT) after treatment for subjects of experimental group1 (p<.05) and experimental group2 (p<.05), whereas the between-group comparison found no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: This result supports the idea that using two methods could be effective in pain reduction among students who suffered from primary dysmenorrhea.

• 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 Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.187-193
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• 2014

Objectives The aim of this study is to analyze the therapeutic effect of external Qigong therapy for treatment of other people's disease on joint pain. Methods We searched articles from Pubmed, Chinese Academic Journals (CAJ) and Oasis online databases. Searching keywords were 'external qigong', 'external qi gong', 'qi therapy', '外气', '关节' and '기공'. After searching the articles, we performed quality assessment using Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool and risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized study (RoBANS). Results Among the 117 articles were searched, 2 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and 2 single-group before and after studies were finally selected. All of 4 studies showed that external Qigong therapy has significant effect on joint pain. Conclusions Although external Qigong therapy has therapeutic effect on joint pain, it is not common therapy yet. However, external Qigong therapy requires more interests and studies in the future, because it is faithful therapy for Korean medicine theory.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1905-1909
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate changes in treatment outcomes in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptom burden at zero, one, three, and six months after an initial diagnosis of colorectal cancer. The demographic and clinical characteristics that account for outcome changes in patients were investigated using a repeated measures framework. Methods and Materials: A cohort study was performed of 134 colorectal cancer patients followed from diagnosis to 6 months post-treatment in Central Taiwan. HRQoL and symptoms were assessed at diagnosis and one, three, and six months thereafter. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colon (FACT-C) questionnaire, VAS pain, and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) were used for data collection. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was applied for statistical analysis. Results: The majority of the patients were male (55%) and married (91.5%). The mean age was 60.4 years (SD = 11.71). Most were diagnosed stage III and IV colorectal cancer (54.5%). All underwent surgery; some also received chemotherapy (CT) or concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). The results of the GEE showed that overall, the HRQoL, pain, and symptoms of the patients significantly improved over the treatment period. Patients with stage IV disease who had received surgery and CCRT showed the worst HRQoL. Females, patients with comorbidity, and stage IV patients had higher pain scores over time. Female and stage IV patients had more severe physical symptoms, whereas stage II and IV patients had worse psychological symptoms over time. Conclusion: The patients' HRQoL, pain, and symptoms significantly improved over the 6-month treatment period. Certain patient and clinical variables accounted for changes in treatment outcomes regarding HRQoL and symptom burden in colorectal cancer patients.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report a clinical progress of treatment of fibromyalgia through Traditional Korean medicine treatment. A patient was diagnosed with fibromyalgia by clinical correlation on 2009 in Jeonnam university hospital, he had multi sited pain and severe muscle spasm. Methods : Between 27th march 2014 and 15th April 2014, he was treated with acupuncture, cupping, electro-acupuncture and chuna therapy every day and observed by visual analogue scale and assessment about number of pain site and square of pain. Results : After treated by using above treatment, VAS and assessment about number of pain site and square of pain were improved. Conclusions : Chuna therapy and other Traditional Korean medicine treatment are estimated to be good for fibromyalgia. But more cases are required to prove the effectiveness of chuna therapy on fibromyalgia.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2004

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to know the effects of the postoperative lumbar extensor strengthening exercise program on back muscles strength and volume, pain, and the time of return to work. METHODS: A prospective controlled trial of lumbar extensor exercise program in patients who underwent microdiscectomy or percutaneous endoscopic discectomy for prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc. Seventy-five patients were randomized into exercise group (20 male, 15 female) and non-exercise group (18 male, 22 female). Six weeks after surgery, patients in exercise group undertook a 12-week lumbar extension exercise (MedX) program. Assessment of spinal function was performed in all patients on postoperative 6 weeks, 18 weeks. The assessment included measures of lumbar extensor power, muscle mass of erector spinalis. All patients completed the visual analog scale (VAS) for evaluation of pain, and return to work. RESULTS: In muscle power, there were statistically significant improvements between pre and post test on muscle power in exercise group. But there were not statistically significant difference on muscle power in non-exercise group. In muscle mass, there were statistically significant difference between pre and post test on muscle mass in exercise group. But there were not statistically significant difference on muscle mass in non-exercise group. In the pain, there were statistically significant decrease between pre and post test on both group. But there were not statistically significant difference on fatty tissue and obesity in non-exercise group. The percentages of return to work in postoperative 4 months were significantly greater in the exercise group than in the non -exercise group. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative lumbar extensor strengthening exercise program appears to be more beneficial to the patients who underwent operation for prolapsed lumbar intervertbral disc.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2021

Background Although loss of sensation in patients with breast cancer after mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction is an important factor affecting patients' quality of life, the mechanism of sensory recovery is still unclear. Our study aimed to identify variables that affect sensory recovery, especially pain, in reconstructed breasts. Methods All patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction, including nipple reconstruction or areolar tattooing, were included in this study. Sensation was evaluated in the nipple as an endpoint of sensation recovery of the whole breast. Patients rated pain severity using a 3-point verbal rating scale (VRS): grade 0, no pain; grade 1, mild to moderate pain; and grade 2, severe pain. The VRS was assessed by a single experienced plastic surgeon. Results In the univariate analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for sensation recovery was 0.951 for age (P=0.014), 0.803 for body mass index (P=0.001), 0.996 for breast volume before surgery (P=0.001), 0.998 for specimen weight after mastectomy (P=0.040), and 1.066 for the period between mastectomy and sensory assessment (P=0.003). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that showed a significant effect were age (OR, 0.953; P=0.034), the period between mastectomy and sensory assessment (OR, 1.071; P=0.006), and reconstruction using abdominal tissue instead of prosthetic reconstruction (OR, 0.270; P=0.004). Conclusions Based on our results, it can be inferred that aging has a negative impact on the recovery of sensation, breast sensation improves with time after surgery, and the recovery of sensation is better in prosthetic reconstruction.