• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2022

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a skin-sensitive condition/disease that causes severe pain in the facial area predominantly innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve. A 51-year-old man diagnosed with glossopharyngeal neuralgia who was hospitalized with severe pain that limited his daily life activities. From November 18, 2021, to March 4, 2022, he received inpatient (10 days) and outpatient treatment (35 times) using acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. His symptoms were assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale, Neuropathic Pain Scale, and the Self-report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptom and Signs. The pain reduced after 4 days of initiating Korean medicine treatment and was completely resolved within 4 months of treatment (Numerical Rating Scale score 4 to 0; Neuropathic Pain Scale score 49 to 8; Self-report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs score 18 to 0). Korean medicine treatment could be an option for treating patients with neuropathy who rely on analgesics.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.197-206
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• 2023

Objesctives: This study reports the effect of Korean medicine treatment on a patient with abdominal and lower back pain after a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Methods: The patient received Korean herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture treatment, and acupuncture treatment for six days. We measured the numeric rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Range of Motion (ROM), and Life-5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D) to assess symptom changes. Results: After treatment, the patient showed decreased numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as augmented Range of Motion (ROM) and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D). Conclusion: The results indicate that Korean medicine treatment is effective management for patients with abdominal and lower back pain after a laparoscopic hysterectomy.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate impact of wearing low-level current wrist guards on pain scale, range of motion (ROM), and muscle strength in elderly women with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Subjects were 12 elderly women aged between 65 and 85 years who were diagnosed with CTS symptoms. Measurements included grip strength and wrist ROM. Wrist ROM was assessed through flexion and dorsiflexion. Wrist guards were worn. After two weeks, pain level was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results showed a significant reduction in VAS score in the MES group after stimulation, whereas there was no difference in the control group. However, there was no significant difference in ROM between the MES group and the control group. Grip strength increased in the MES group after two weeks (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, clinical trials suggest that MES wrist guards might be provided as an adjunctive treatment method for CTS patients. This study provides foundational data for the design and use of auxiliary devices such as gloves in the field of MES research for pain reduction, ROM improvement, and muscle strength enhancement resulting from CTS.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2000

Background: Pain is often measured using psychophysical scaling techniques. However, all of these methods found their limits, since they were based on the subjective sensations reported by the subjects. It is, therefore, desirable to validate psychophysical pain measures by simultaneously measuring some physiological correlate of nociception. We studied an objective method for measuring pain in human volunteer using R(III) nociceptive flexion reflex. Methods: Four different intensity of electrical stimuli between perception and 1.4 times the R(III) nociceptive flexion threshold were delivered to the sole of the feet in 8 normal volunteers. We measured the flexion reflex activity in the skin over the ipsilateral tibialis anterior muscle and subjects rated each stimulus on a visual analog scale (VAS) Results: Both R(III) nociceptive flexion reflex activity and VAS ratings showed a linear relationship with stimulus intensity and with each other in all volunteers. Conclusions: R(III) nociceptive flexion reflex elicited through electrical stimulation may used as an objective pain measurement, previsionary based on our study paradigm.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 2017

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychological distress and pain in cancer patients. Methods : 249 patients with cancer who visited National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital between April 2013 and March 2014 were evaluated with National Cancer Center Psychological Symptom Inventory(NCC-PSI) which consisted of Modified Distress Thermometer(MDT) and Modified Impact Thermometer(MIT). Each scale was divided into 3 subscales targeting separate symptoms: insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Psychological distress was defined as positive for those who scored above the cutoff values in at least one of all six subscales. The Numeric Rating Scale for Pain(NRS-Pain) was used to assess the subjective severity of pain. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the association between psychological distress and pain. Results : Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that pain, gender, compliance, and two subscale scores of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS) were significantly associated with psychological distress. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pain and HADS anxiety subscale score maintained a statistically significant association with psychological distress adjusted for variables including age, gender, years of education, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, cancer stage, Charlson Comorbidity Index, compliance, and HADS depression subscale score. One point increase in pain was 1.31 times more likely to cause psychological distress. In secondary analysis, pain was significantly associated with all subscales of NCC-PSI, except MIT-anxiety subscale. Conclusions : This study suggests that NCC-PSI, a screening tool for psychological distress, reflects pain. We recommend that physicians who treat cancer patients consider the examination of psychological distress which provides comprehensive evaluation of various factors regarding quality of life.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.245-254
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• 2020

Purpose: The study investigated the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy with myofascial release techniques (ESWT+MFR) on pain, movement, and function in patients with myofascial pain syndrome. Methods: Forty participants with upper trapezius trigger points were recruited and randomly allocated to two groups: an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group performed the ESWT+MFR, and the control group performed only myofascial release techniques. Each group was treated for 15 minutes, twice a week for four weeks. Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale and a pressure pain threshold measure. Movement was assessed by cervical range of motion, and cervical and shoulder function were assessed on the Constant-Murley Scale and the Neck Disability Index before and after treatment. Results: The results indicate statistically significant improvements in the two groups on all parameters after intervention as compared to baseline (p < 0.05). As compared to the control group, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements on the visual analogue scale and pressure pain threshold, cervical range of motion (except rotation), and on the Neck Disability Index (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The ESWT+MFR is more effective than myofascial release techniques for pain, movement, and function in patients with myofascial pain syndrome and would be clinically useful for physical therapists treating myofascial pain syndrome.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the pain perception and anesthetic efficacy of 2% lignocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine, buffered lignocaine, and 4% articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine for the inferior alveolar nerve block. Methods: This was a double-blind crossover study involving 48 children aged 5-10 years, who received three inferior alveolar nerve block injections in three appointments scheduled one week apart from the next. Pain on injection was assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces pain scale and the sound eye motor scale (SEM). Efficacy of anesthesia was assessed by subjective (tingling or numbness of the lip, tongue, and corner of mouth) and objective signs (pain on probing). Results: Pain perception on injection assessed with Wong-Baker scale was significantly different between buffered lignocaine and lignocaine (P < 0.001) and between buffered lignocaine and articaine (P = 0.041). The onset of anesthesia was lowest for buffered lignocaine, with a statistically significant difference between buffered lignocaine and lignocaine (P < 0.001). Moreover, the efficacy of local analgesia assessed using objective signs was significantly different between buffered lignocaine and lignocaine (P < 0.001) and between lignocaine and articaine. Conclusion: Buffered lignocaine was the least painful and the most efficacious anesthetic agent during the inferior alveolar nerve block injection in 5-10-year-old patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of barefoot walking on the sandy beach on pain intensity, disability, motor function, sleep satisfaction, and quality of life in the elderly with low back pain (LBP). Methods : A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 32 elderly with LBP who underwent sand walking barefoot (intervention, n=16) or with sneakers (control, n = 16). Both walking methods were carried out for 30 minutes per day, three times a week for four weeks. Pain intensity and disability were assessed using the visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index, respectively. Balance and gait were evaluated using the Berg balance scale and timed up and go test, respectively. Sleep satisfaction was quantified with the Verran and Snyder-Halpern sleep scale. Finally, quality of life was assessed through the WHO quality of life scale's abbreviated Korean version. Results : Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant differences in pain intensity (p=.005), disability due to LBP (p=.002), static balance ability (p=.003), dynamic balance ability (p=.002), and sleep satisfaction (p=.017). There was no significant difference in the quality of life between the two groups. Conclusion : Barefoot walking on a sandy beach is significantly effective in improving pain, disability due to LBP, balance ability, and sleep satisfaction in the elderly with LBP. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer intervention periods must to be conducted to generalize using barefoot walking in LBP management.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.65-68
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• 2007

Objective : A new point of view on the chronic back pain proposed which is, named neuropathic back pain[NBP]. Some proposed a certain pain scale as an useful diagnostic tool. Before scientific verification, some doctors prescribed a new anticonvulsant for the NBP. We investigated diagnostic tools for NBP by a review of the literature. Methods : A comprehensive computer search of the English literature concerning neuropathic low back pain was performed using the key words such as neuropathic back pain and diagnosis in the PubMed. Results : In 1998, the term NBP was first used in a patient with lung cancer. In the English literature, there were two diagnostic methods for the NBP, Neuropathic pain scale[NPS] and a pharmacological test. NPS is a pain questionnaire, which depends on the patients' subjective reports on the given questions, such as 'how hot is your pain feel'. By the pharmacological test, NBP was defined as 50% or more decrease of pain on intravenous lidocaine and on local anesthetic epidurally. It also depends on the patients' subjective response to the therapy. Conclusion : There were still no reliable objective diagnostic criteria for the NBP. It seems to be better to reserve the new anticonvulsants for the NBP till scientific approval.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.197-210
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• 1988

The purposes of this study were : 1) to assess the level of pain and to identity the varieties and the degree of pain-related behavior, 2) to measure the level of correlation between the level of pain and the degree of pain- related behavior, 3) to test the correlation between the Korean Pain Rating Scale (KPRS) and Graphic Rating Scale(GRS), and 4) to gather data relevant to the Socio-demographic status of the subjects. The level of pain was measured by KPRS and GRS developed by the researchers. The KPRS consists of three dimensions ; the sensory, the affective and the miscellaneous and the GRS of two separate scales ; the intensity scale and the unpleasantness scale. Of the 2, 025 who had visited orthopedic and neurosurgical out-patients department of 11 university hospitals in various districts of Korea with the episode of Joint pain, 405 subjects were self-selected by responding to the data gathering tools and questionaires mailed. The results are summaried as follows : 1. Maale(217, 53.6%) exceeded female patients(188, 46.4%) in number and the onset of joint pain was more prevalent in the age groups of the 20s and the 30s. 160(39.5%) had been hospitalized for the treatment of, and 87(21.5%) had retired because of the joint pain. 2. Mean pain score measured by KPRS was 128.31 (range; 0-1.344.8) ; mean sensory score was 43.23(range ; 0-645.88%), mean affective score was 46.09(range ; 0- 356.72), and mean miscellaneous score was 39.99(range ; 0-341.68). Mean pain scores measured by GRS were ; sensory intensity score ; 109.1(range ; 0-200) and distress score ; 99.1 (range ; 0-200). 3. The prevalent sites of joint pain revealed to be the right knee joint(203; 50.1%), left knee joint(181(44.7%), left ilium(147, 36.3%), lumbar region (106; 26.2%), hip joint(92; 22.7%) and the ankle(84; 20.7%). 4. The average sleep hour was 6.8hours per day and the average rest hour during the day hours was 3.3hours (range 0-20). 5. The average duration of suffering from joint pain was 49.1 months. 6. Most of the subjects(298; 73.6%) used some sorts of pain relieving practices ; the most prevalent pain relieving practice was the compliance with the physician prescribed treatments(34.4%). 7. The level of discomfort in carrying out the ADL(activities of daily living was 101.16(38.83) and the level of needs for aid in carrying out the ADL was 76.62(31.79). 8. The interrelation between KPRS total score and GRS sensory intensity score(.4438), as well as that of GRS distress score(r＝.4446) were not highly correlated, however, sensory and affective dimension within KPRS (.7547) and pain intensity and distress score of GRS(.6975) revealed moderate intercorrelation. 9. Pain-related behaviors such as discomfort in carrying out ADL, the need for aids in carrying out ADL, frequency of pain relieving practices, varieties of pain sites and length of rest hours during the day hours revealed to be highly correlated with the level of pain measured by KPRS, GRS sensory intensity scale and GRS distress scale. The following are recommended ; 1. Test for the correlation of KPRS total score and the summated score of GRS ; sensory intensity and distress scores. 2. Possibilities of utilization of the pain-related behaviors which revealed high correlation as indirect assessment tool for measuring the level of pain.