• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.20 no.2 s.33
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• pp.132-141
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to consider the definition, history, classification and clinical effect of balneotherapy. Methods : We researched oriental documents and recent sources of balneotherapy. Results and Conclusions : 1. Balneotherapy is medical cure method which uses physical chemistry effects of water. 2. Records of balneotherapy are seen in oriental documents such as Hwangjenaegyeong(黃帝內經), Sinnongbonchogyeong(神農本草經), Jaebyoungwonhuron(諸病源候論), Youmoonsachin(儒門事親), Bonchogangmok(本草綱目) and Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) etc. 3. Spa can classify eleven types according to ingredient. The types were as following. Simple thermal spirng, Common salt spring, Sodium bicarbonated spring, Sulfate spring, Radioactive spring, Acid spring, Sulfur spring, Carbon dioxide spring, Iron spring, Alum spring & Sulfate-iron spring, Bicarbonatealkaline spring. 4. Physical, chemical and environmental effect of spa therapy have effectiveness on the chronic and we akness disease more than acute disease. And balneotherapy have more effectiveness on digestive disease, pulmonary disease, metabolic disease, circulatory disease, muscle skeletal disease and dermatologic disease than any other diseases.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.141-148
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of repeatedly performed of balneotherapy on cervical pain. Methods We investigate 19 cervical pain subjects in this study. Subjects took 5 session of balneotherapy once a week during 5 weeks. Each session consisted of 15 minutes of high pressure underwater shower ($32{\sim}36^{\circ}C$) and another 15 minutes of whole body bathing ($32{\sim}40^{\circ}C$). To evaluate the efficiency of balneotherapy visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain threshold were applied before treatment and after 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th treatment. Then the results were analysed. Results 1) The average of VAS significantly decressed from $59.11{\pm}14.67$ to $33.95{\pm}20.988$ after 5 weeks of balneothreapy treatment (p<0.001). 2) The average of pain threshold significantly increased from $5.76{\pm}1.294$ lbf to $8.74{\pm}1.126$ lbf after 5 weeks of balneothreapy treatment (p<0.001). Conclusions Balneotherapy has clinical effscts of pain reduction on cervical pain subjects. Balneotherapy can be used in addition to the Oriental physiotherapy for high effective treatment on cervical pain. Further clinical studies are required to verify these findings.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2013

Objectives The aim of this clinical study was to find out the changes of self-reported pain intensity before and after balneothrapy in participants with low back pain. Methods In this study 20 participants with low back pain went through 5 weeks of balneothrapy course, once in a week. Each week visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain threshold were measured before and after balneothrapy, which consisted of 30 minutes of high pressure underwater shower ($32{\sim}36^{\circ}C$) and another 30 minutes of whole body bathing ($32{\sim}40^{\circ}C$). Results 1. The average of VAS significantly decreased from $64.00{\pm}16.35$ to $34.00{\pm}15.69$ after 5 weeks of balneothreapy (p<0.001). 2. The average of pain threshold significantly increased from $8.31{\pm}2.52$ lbf to $9.53{\pm}3.11$ lbf after 5 weeks of balneothreapy (p<0.05). Conclusions The results showed that 5 weeks of balneotherapy had significant effect on alleviating pain in low back pain participants, which means balneothreapy may be used as a complementary treatment on musculoskeletal diseases and other chronic diseases. Further studies are anticipated in the future to find out other various effects of balneothrapy.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2011

Balneotherapy has been widely used for the treatment of skin diseases in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the bath effect of the alkaline reduced spring water with the properties of high pH and low oxidation reduction potential (ORP) on the skin injury induced by ultra violet (UV) irradiation. For this purpose, hairless mice were irradiated with UV-B to cause skin injury, and individually taken a bath in spring water (experimental group) and tap water (control group) once a day for 40 min during 21 days. We observed histological changes of the back skin through macro- and microscopic methods compared to the control group. We found that skin injury of the experimental group was more quickly recovered than that of the control group. Under the light microscope, the experimental group showed that epidermal thickening (p<0.01) and the mast cell activation (p<0.001) were lower compared with the control group, in addition infiltration of inflammatory cells and degranulation of mast cells were less observed. These results suggest that regular bath in the spring water with the properties of high pH and low ORP has a positive effect on the skin injury induced by UV irradiation.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.8
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• 2014

Spa represents a treatment widely used in many rheumatic diseases (RD). The mechanisms by which immersion in mineral or thermal water ameliorates RD are not fully understood. The net benefit is probably the result of a combination of factors, among which the mechanical, thermal and chemical effects are most prominent. Buoyancy, immersion, resistance and temperature play important roles. According to the gate theory, pain relief may be due to the pressure and temperature of the water on skin; heat may reduce muscle spasm and increase the pain threshold. Mud-bath therapy increases plasma ${\beta}$-endorphin levels and secretion of corticotrophin, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin. It has recently been demonstrated that thermal mud-bath therapy induces a reduction in circulating levels of prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and tumour necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, important mediators of inflammation and pain. Furthermore, balneotherapy has been found to cause an increase in insulin-like growth factor-1, which stimulates cartilage metabolism, and transforming growth factor-${\beta}$. Beneficial anti-inflammatory and anti-degenerative effects of mineral water were confirmed in chondrocytes cultures, too. Various studies in vitro and in humans have highlighted the positive action of mud-packs and thermal baths, especially sulphurous ones, on the oxidant/antioxidant system. Overall, thermal stress has an immunosuppressive effect. Many other non-specific factors may also contribute to the beneficial effects observed after spa therapy in some RD, including effects on cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. adipokines) and changes in the environment, pleasant surroundings and the absence of work duties.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.29-40
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of hot spring bath in obese children. Methods The study was conducted with 20 obese children whose BMI were over 20 ($kg/m^2$). The hot spring bath program was performed in the hot-spring facilities with temperature of $32{\sim}36^{\circ}C$. The children bathed four times from June to July, 2012. Prior to their bath, their heights, weights, and body compositions were measured every time. They were also confirmed their obesity index and obesity degree during the program. Results After the bathing program, degree of obesity has changed, three obesity judgment index (BMI, RI and OI) of the children have decreased (BMI, RI, OI on the $1^{st}$ day: $25.99{\pm}3.47$, $177.63{\pm}17.43$, $37.74{\pm}13.42$; on the $4^{th}$ day: $25.06{\pm}3.08$, $168.4{\pm}14.8$, $30.60{\pm}12.12$), so have body fat mass and percent body fat (BFM, PBF on the $1^{st}$ day: $21.83{\pm}7.03$, $38.24{\pm}3.36$; on the $4^{th}$ day:$19.55{\pm}6.35$, $34.20{\pm}3.77$), but skeletal muscle mass has increased (SMM on the $1^{st}$ day: $18.37{\pm}4.24$ ; on the $4^{th}$ day: $19.80{\pm}4.44$). Conclusions This study shows that hot spring bath could be an effective way of managing and treating obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.155-159
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study investigate method and effect of traditional hydrotherapy and therapeutic hydrotherapy. Methods : This is a literature study with books, seminar note and study for traditional hydrotherapy and therapeutic hydrotherapy. Results : Traditional hydrotherapy in Korea include balneotherapy, medicine herbs bathing therapy, hand and foot hot bath therapy, contrast bath. Therapeutic hydrotherapy include whilpool bath, Hubbard bath, contrast bath, pool bath using mechanical stimulation. Conclusion : Traditional hydrotherapy was static approach method with using water in motion, thermodynamics and water at rest. Therefore in modem hydrotherapy need more dynamic activities in the water. We need scientific research to prove effectiveness of physical therapy and traditional therapy which are known to everybody recently.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.77-84
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the effect of hot spring therapy on children weight, body composition and heart rate variability. Methods: The study was carried out from 30 children who visited the spa from August 1, 2011 to August 31, 2011. We measured the change of weight, body composition, and heart rate variability after hot spring therapy for an hour per day. Results: The subject was consisted of 13 boys and 17 girls. This study revealed that their weight got lost from a hot spring therapy, which was statistically significant. Their body mass index(BMI) was decreased in from a hot spring therapy, which was not statistically significant. Total body water, muscle, protein, and mineral were decreased from a hot spring therapy, which was statistically significant. We measured HRV(heart rate variability) before and after the hot spring therapy. The mean HRT was increased, which was statistically insignificant. SDNN(standard deviation of the NN interval) and RMSSD(square root of the mean of the sum of the square of differences) were not different before and after the hot spring therapy. ln TP was decreased insignificantly. ln VLF was not affected before and after hot spring therapy. ln LF and ln HF was decreased, LF norm was increased, and HF norm was decreased, which were not statistically significant. Also, LF/HF ratio was increased insignificantly. Conclusions: From these results, we concluded that the weight, total body water, muscle, protein, and mineral got lost from the hot spring therapy. However, the HRV was not affected from the hot spring therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.131-145
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of artificial balenotherapy on the with degenerative osteoarthritis were selected as the subject do this study among the patients with degenerative osteoarthritis having pains in their knees by the criteria of America Rheumatoid Association. And the randomly selected ten patients out of the twenty were classified as an artificial balenotherapy group and the other the Patients were in a control group. Ten individuals with degenerative osteoarthritis patients in the artificial balenotherapy group Participated in artificial balenotherapy Program four weeks from March 1st, 2003 to March 31st, 2003 in Daegu 00 hospital. Ten individuals with degenerative osteoarthritis in the control group did not receive Artificial Balenotherapy. The conclusions were as follows: 1. After 4 weeks of therapy, the score of WBC(p < 0.01), RBC(p < 0.01), HTC(p < 0.01) in the artificial blalenotherapy group were significantly decreased, compared with their scores in pre-intervention. 2.In the balenotherapy group, significantly increase $Na^{+}$ ion(P < 0.05), decrease K ion(p < 0.01), unchanged Cl ion scores were found, compared with their scores in pro-intervention. 3. The result of the substudy about the effects of artificial balenotherapy on the substances that have relations with the function of liver were following that artificial balenotherapy group, increased total bilirubin(P < 0.01), unchanged total Protein, Albumin, total cholesterol, GOT, GPT, ALP were found, compared with their score in pre-intervention. 4. The result of the substudy about the effects of artificial balenotherapy on the substances that have relations with the function of kidney were following that in the artificial balenotherapy group, reduced BUN(P < 0.05), and increased creatine were found. 5. The result of the substudy about effects of artificial balenotherapy on the knee pain visual analog score, knee's functional score, ADL score were following that in the artificial balenotherapy group, decreased VAS score(P < 0.05), increased ADL score(p < 0.01), unchanged knee's functional score were founf, compared with their scores of the pre-intervention. In conclusion, the result of this study suggest that artificial balenotherapy improved ADL score and reduced knee pain visual analog score of the patients with degenerative osteoarthritis. The result proposed that appropriate use of artificial balenotherapy improves the degenerative osteoarthritis