• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.161-169
• /
• 2014

The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on the alleviation of lumbar myalgia. This is a randomized, real-sham, double blind pilot study. 38 patients were divided into the PEMF group and the Sham group, each of which was composed of 19 patients (1 patient dropped out in the Sham group) of randomized allocation. The PEMF group was treated by using the PEMF device and the Sham group by using a sham device on the lumbar muscle and acupuncture points, three times a week for a total of two weeks. Evaluations of Visual Analogue Scale for bothersomeness (VASB), Visual Analogue Scale for pain intensity (VASP), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Instrument (SF-36), EuroQol-5Dimension (EQ-5D), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), etc. before and 1 week after treatment were carried out. The primary outcome measure was the VASB, measured 1 week after the end of the pulsed electromagnetic therapy. VASB scores for the PEMF group changed by $-2.06{\pm}2.12$ from the baseline, and that for the Sham group changed by $-0.52{\pm}0.82$ (p < 0.05). VASP scores for the PEMF group were reduced by $-2.10{\pm}2.12$ from the base line, and that for the Sham group was reduced by $-0.53{\pm}1.50$ (p < 0.05). PEMF group showed significant improvements in all VASB, VASP, ODI, SF-36, EQ-5D, BDI and RMDQ scores, while the Sham group showed significant improvements in all scores, except the VASP score. However, the VASB, VASP and RMDQ scores of the PEMF group were much lower than those of the Sham group. The two groups showed no significant difference in ODI, SF-36, EQ-5D and BDI. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of PEMF treatment for alleviating lumbar myalgia.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.83-93
• /
• 2015

Objective : There are many documents that explain efficacy of herbal medicine products (HMP), however, explanations on efficacy are not consistent with the clinical use. The objective of this study is to identify the differences between herbal medicines used in clinics and Korean Medicine literatures. The disease was restricted in low back pain (LBP). Method : In order to investigate HMP for the treatment of LBP, we selected five Korean medical documents as reference and searched for key words related to LBP. Five databases were Information on Herbal prescription published by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 56 Herbal Medicines covered with Health Insurance, Guideline for prescribing herbal medicines announced by Ministry Health & Welfare, Explanation on Herbal Medicines published by Korean Pharmaceutical Association, website of Korea Pharmaceutical Information Center (http://www.health.kr/). The keywords were 'low back pain', 'lumbar', 'pain', 'myalgia', 'neuralgia', 'arthralgia', 'arthroneuralgia', and 'sciatica'. We also utilized the result of retrospective cross-sectional study in five university hospitals to investigate HMP used in practice for LBP. Results : From five databases, the number of searched HMP was 25, 12, 40, 12 and 38 respectively and 83 remained after removing duplications. There were 43 kinds of HMP used in clinical practice and only 20 (46.51 %) were included in one or more databases. Conclusion : This study suggests the necessity for reorganizing efficacy of herbal medicine. Standardizing explanation on herbal medicine should reflect the clinical conditions in further study.

• Korean journal of dermatology
• /
• v.56 no.9
• /
• pp.531-538
• /
• 2018

Background: Herpes zoster is a common dermatologic disorder. However, it rarely occurs in children and adolescents in Gwangju-Jeonnam province. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological features and clinical characteristics of herpes zoster in children and adolescents. Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted on patients who visited the department of dermatology of Chosun University Hospital in Gwangju-Jeonnam province within the past 8 years. The medical records of 103 patients aged <18 years were reviewed. We analyzed for age, gender, accompanying symptoms, dermatomal distribution, underlying disease, treatment, and complications with serologic test. Results: The male-to-female ratio of the participants was 1.08:1, and their mean age was 13.0 years. Underlying diseases were observed in 3% (3/102) of the patients. The most common dermatomal distribution was thoracic dermatome (34%), followed by trigeminal (26%), cervical (20%), lumbar (15%), and non-skin (6%). The most common accompanying symptoms were headache (10%), fever (3%), and myalgia (3%). No difference was observed between patients who were varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IgM-positive and those who were VZV IgM-negative in terms of dermatome, visual analogue scale (VAS), severity, and body mass index (BMI). Conclusion: In children and adolescents with herpes zoster, the gender ratio and dermatomal distribution were similar to those previously reported, except for the low rate of underlying diseases. The incidence of herpes zoster in children was not significantly associated with immunosuppression and underlying diseases. Higher VZV IgM titer was not associated with dermatomal distribution, higher VAS score, or BMI. This study first compared the serological test results of children.