• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2019

Background: In Korean medicine, carpal tunnel syndrome is treated by stimulating the acupoints around the wrist. Although a deep understanding of anatomy and guidance is needed to stimulate these acupoints to avoid undesirable side-effects, currently there are no published guidelines for acupotomy treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy compared with conventional acupotomy treatment. Methods: This is a randomized, patient-assessor, patient blind, parallel clinical trial. A total of 30 patients will be enrolled at Wonkwang University Gwangju Hospital, and will be allocated to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will be treated using fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy and the control group will be treated using the conventional acupotomy method. Results: The primary outcome measure will be identification of a cross-section area of the median nerve measured by ultrasonography, and the secondary outcome measure will be the alleviation of pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, improvement in the Nerve Conduction Study, Tinel test, Phalen's test, EuroQol 5-dimension scale, and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire score. Safety components will be measured by monitoring vital signs, electrocardiographs, blood tests, general chemical tests, urine tests and pregnancy tests. In addition, observations for adverse effects will be performed during the trial. Conclusion: This study will provide a more effective, and less harmful way of treating carpal tunnel syndrome compared with conventional acupotomy. Fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy will help practitioners to be accurate in direction and depth of the needle for treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.264-273
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• 2022

The purpose of this report is to describe the effects of Qingfei Paidu decoction (QPD) and QPD without Ephedra Herba on COVID-19 patients. One COVID-19 patient was treated with QPD and two others who had been sensitive to ephedra were treated with QPD without it. The fever, cough, and sore throat of all three were monitored three times a day through non-face-to-face assessment for a total of five to seven days, and cough and throat pain changes were evaluated with a numeric rating scale (NRS). After treatment, the fever and NRS scores were improved for all three patients. These results indicate that both QPD and QPD without Ephedra Herba is an effective treatment for COVID-19 symptoms.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.274-282
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• 2022

Introduction: This study reports the effect of herbal medicine (Samulanshin-tang-gamibang) and acupuncture on complete atrioventricular (AV) block. Case presentation: A 63-year-old female with complete AV block was experiencing dyspnea, palpitation, dizziness, headache, bradycardia, and insomnia, and she was treated with Samulanshin-tang-gamibang and acupuncture for 12 days. To evaluate the treatment, a numeric rating scale (NRS) and the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification was used. The patient's NRS scores decreased from 6 to 2 for dyspnea and palpitation and from 5 to 1 for dizziness and headache. Her NYHA Class improved from Class II to Class I. No side effects were observed during treatment. Conclusion: This study suggests that herbal medicine and acupuncture may be effective in relieving symptoms caused by complete AV block. However, the long-term effects of the treatment were not observed, and so further studies are still needed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Korean medicine treatment on a pressure sore in a stroke patient. An 86-year-old female patient diagnosed with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in the right basal ganglia had symptoms of left hemiparesis, dysphagia, and a 4.5-cm-by-2.5-cm left trochanteric pressure sore. Clinical outcomes were measured using the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) pressure injury stages, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) pressure ulcer stages, and the Braden scales. Treatment with Korean medicine, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and dressing therapy, significantly improved the trochanteric pressure sore, as reflected by a NPUAP stage change from III to I, an AHCPR stage change from III to I, and a Braden scale change from 13 to 18. These findings suggest that Korean medicine treatment may be effective to treat pressure sores in stroke patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2013

■ Objectives The aim of this study is to analyze the change of gait pattern by the taping therapy in a hemiplegic patient. ■ Methods We conducted the taping therapy for 7 days to affected ankle joint of hemiplegic patient and analyzed the change of gait pattern using Treadmill Gait analysis equipment(Zebris Co.Ltd FDM-T) ■ Results In terms of affected side, cadence, total double support, step length and stance phase decreased, while swing phase and step time increased by taping therapy. In terms of unaffected side, step length increased by taping therapy. Center of pressure intersection point moved to posterior and affected side in cyclogram pattern. ■ Conclusion Taping therapy to affected ankle joint of hemiplegic patient would be advantages to gait improvement in hemiplegic patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2013

■ Objectives The goal of this pilot study is to observe the change of gait pattern according to the clinical status in a patient with ataxic gait by cerebellar infarction. ■ Methods We measured the spatiotemporal gait parameters of a patient with ataxic gait four times, in which, first, the patient was not able to walk independently, second, able to walk independently, third, unable to walk independently by general tremor, and, last, able to walk independently after disappearing of general tremor. ■ Results When a patient with cerebellar ataxic gait was able to walk independently and the cerebellar tremor was disappeared, the change of gait pattern was that step and stride length decreased and total double support and stance phase increased. ■ Conclusion When different clinical characteristics were improved, the change of gait showed same pattern.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2013

■ Objectives The goal of this pilot study is to observe the change of gait pattern in a patient after peroneal nerve electrical stimulation(PNST). ■ Methods We analyzed the gait pattern of stroke patient using treadmill gait analysis system before and after PNST for seven weeks. The PNST was carried out for 20minutes every day except Sunday. In addition, the measurement was carried out every Saturday. At the fifth week, the PNST was not carried out to confirm whether the effect of PNST was disappeared immediately when PNST was not applied. ■ Results After PNST, while heel contact time and heel max force increased and forefoot and midfoot max force decreased, the gait parameters such as cadence, velocity, swing phase, stance phase, total double support, step length, stride length, step time, stride time and forefoot contact time, were not changed. ■ Conclusion Gait of a patient with cerebral stroke was changed positively after PNST.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2013

■ Objectives This study was designed to investigate the effects of an ankle foot orthosis(AFO) on gait of two hemiparetic stroke patients with foot drop. ■ Methods Gait of two hemiparetic stroke patients were analyzed during walking on the treadmill without or with AFO application. The spatiotemporal and center of pressure(CoP) intersection parameters of gait analysis were measured using a treadmill gait analysis system. ■ Results The AFO had positive effects on hemiparetic gait parameters; increasing cadence, increasing step length, decreasing step time, stride time, and lateral symmetry. ■ Conclusion Hemiparetic gait was improved by ankle foot orthosis.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2013

■ Objectives The aim of this study is to look into the correlation between motor performance and displacement of center of pressure(CoP) in hemiplegic patients with cerebral stroke. ■ Methods We measured manual muscle test(MMT) as motor performance value and, anterior/posterior position(Ant./Post. position) and lateral symmetry of CoP as displacement of CoP values from 129 stroke patients. The gait analysis was carried out using treadmill gait analysis equipment. ■ Results In terms of motor performance, MMT of upper extremity negatively correlated with Ant/Post position of CoP, however, one of lower extremity did not. In addition, MMT of both extremities negatively correlated with lateral symmetry of CoP. ■ Conclusion Displacement of CoP was negatively correlated with hemiplegic patient's motor performance.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

The following study reviewed the walking patterns of stroke patients with hemiplegia, which is called hemiplegic gait of stroke patients. Focusing is given to the changes in the distance and temporal factors of walking, which is called spatiotemporal characteristics, throughout the walking cycle. First, we introduced the definitions of essential terms related to gait and its measure. Second, we reviewed the spatiotemporal characteristics of hemiplegic gait. A main issue was that hemiplegic gait showed significant deviations from normal healthy gait. Although hemiplegia is primarily associated with unilateral motor disorder, changes in almost all spatiotemporal parameters used to assess walking were evident on both the involved and uninvolved sides of the body. Last, we reviewed the changes of spatiotemporal parameters of hemiplegic gait according to the prognosis or status of stroke patients, which may help to give a specific intervention for rehabilitation of stroke.