• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.101-107
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• 2017

Objectives : We report a case of Phantom Limb Pain (PLP) and propose the possibility of integrative Korean and Western medicine in PLP treatment. Methods : For 42 days, a patient who complained of pain and insomnia with PLP (December 20, 2016 to January 20, 2017) received Korean and Western medical treatment. The patient was treated with analgesic injection, a neuropathic pain inhibitor, the combined herbal formula powders Bojungikgitang, and acupuncture. Symptom improvement was assessed using the numerical rating scale (NRS) and continuous sleep time. Results : The patient's NRS scores decreased, and continuous sleep time increased after treatment. The NRS scores decreased from 10 to 0, and the continuous sleep time increased from 2 hours to 7 to 8 hours. Conclusion : According to the results, this report suggests that integrative Korean and Western medicine could be effective in the treatment of PLP patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2022

Objectve: To inform a clinical usefulness of Nangan-geon (暖肝煎) decoction to treat a refractory abdominal pain especially in eldery. Methods: This case report presents an 85-year old male patient who had been suffered with a refractory abdominal pain without any abnormality in laboratory test and radiological examination for 5-years. The clinical outcome was observed by numerical rating scale (NRS) of self-reporting method. Results: Based on his previous multiple normal examination results from Western hospitals and clinical features including thin body (19.6 BMI), nocturnal pain around lower abdomen and cold-sensitivity, author diagnosed him as "deficiency and cold of liver-Qi (肝氣虛寒)" similar to intestinal spasm. After prescription with Nangan-geon (暖肝煎) for one month, all symptoms became improved notably (NRS 5), and almost completely recovered as a level of normal condition in 3 months (NRS 1). Conclusion: This study would show the potential of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) therapies for a refractory functional abdominal pain, and especially efficacy of Nangan-geon against cold-pattern of nonspecific abdominal pain in elderly patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.81-85
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• 2012

Objectives: To describe a clinical case of a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who was cured using indirect moxibustion. Methods: A male patient with severe CFS was treated with mainly indirect moxibustion (KI1, CV4 and CV8). The clinical outcome was observed by self-reporting, both visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: The patient's symptoms matched the criteria for CFS diagnosis. His symptom differentiation was the "Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney". The fatigue feeling and related-symptoms were radically reduced by 14-day treatment. The VAS and NRS score changed from 8.5 and 70 to 3.5 and 35, respectively. Conclusions: This case report provides information on the potential of moxibustion therapy and its application for CFS and fatigue-associated disorders.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2020

The effects of complex Korean medicine treatment including acupotomy, on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are reported in this case study. A 54-year-old woman with diarrheal symptoms that alternatively improved and worsened for many years and worsening abdominal pain visited the emergency room and was diagnosed with IBS; she was admitted for approximately 2 weeks at the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department of National Medical Center (NMC). Numerical rating scale (NRS), irritable bowel syndrome-quality of life (IBS-QOL), and gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) scores were evaluated on the day of hospitalization, midway through the hospitalization period, and on the day of discharge. Abdominal pain was measured daily using NRS, and the score decreased from 8 at admission to 0 at discharge. The IBS-QOL percentile score improved from 42 points to 100 points. The total GSRS score also improved, from 30 points to 2 points. These results suggest that complex Korean medicine treatment with acupotomy, is useful for treating internal diseases, such as IBS, as well as musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.863-871
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Korean medical treatment on a fibromyalgia patient with gastrointestinal symptoms, using herbal medicines selected according to new rather than existing standards. Method: A 52-year-old female patient with fibromyalgia was treated with Odu-tang and acupuncture, cupping, and moxibustion for 22 days. To evaluate the treatment, we used the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), American College of Rheumatology's Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria (ACR), and Korean Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (KGSRS). Result: Following treatment, pantalgia diminished, NRS, and ACR scores improved, and the GSRS score decreased from 29 to 11. Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medical treatment could effectively reduce pain and improve digestive symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia. It also presents a new method that considers individual characteristics when choosing herbal medicine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1085-1095
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of Lijin-tang-gamibang on refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods: This before-and-after study compared the first medical examination and examination at the end of medical treatment. Twelve refractory GERD patients who visited the Department of Digestive Diseases of Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from August 14th, 2017 to October 14th, 2017, were treated with Lijin-tang-gamibang for four consecutive weeks. The clinical characteristics of refractory GERD and the efficacy of herbal medical treatment was assessed by questionnaires, the Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean version (NDI-K), the Korean Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (KGSRS), the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Korean version of the Perceived Stress Scale (KPSS-10), the Qi Stagnation Questionnaire (QSQ), the Spleen Qi Deficiency Questionnaire (SQDQ), and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Prolonged effects were reported upon the follow-up telephone survey two weeks after treatment. Results: After treatment with the herbal medicine Lijin-tang-gamibang, the clinical characteristics of 12 refractory GERD patients were improved, especially in terms of the most common symptoms of acid regurgitation and heartburn. Each symptom score of NDI-K, KGSRS, NRS, SQDQ, and PGIC showed significant advances. Prolonged effects were reported in NDI-K, NRS and PGIC questionnaires two weeks after treatment. Conclusions: These results suggest that Lijin-tang-gamibang is an effective treatment for refractory GERD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1268-1277
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine in the treatment of functional dyspepsia in a fibromyalgia patient with a history of long-term NSAIDs use. Methods: The patient was diagnosed as a Soeumin, one of the four constitution types in Korean medicine, and treated with herbal medicines such as Seungyangikgibuja-tang and Pyeongjinsunjeom-san. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment were also performed. The severity of symptoms was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of epigastric pain, daily oral intake changes, the Korean Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (KGSRS), the Gastrointestinal Symptom Score (GIS), and the Functional Dyspepsia-Quality of Life (FD-QOL) score. Results: After treatment for 48 days, the severity of epigastric pain decreased from NRS 8 to NRS 0, and daily oral intake was increased. The KGSRS score decreased from 55 to 43, the GIS score was reduced from 18 to 10, and the FD-QOL score also decreased from 69 to 55. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medical treatment could be an effective option for treating functional dyspepsia in fibromyalgia patients with a history of long-term NSAIDs use.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2016

Objective: This study reports on three cases of cerebellar artery infarction patients treated by traditional Korean medicine.Method: Three patients with cerebellar artery infarction according to cerebellar artery were treated by traditional Korean medicine at the traditional Korean medicine hospital of Daejeon University. The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction patient had ataxia, dysarthria, gait disturbance, and dizziness; the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) infarction patient had facial palsy, dizziness, and hearing loss; and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) infarction patient had gait disturbance and dizziness. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, and pharmacopuncture were used as traditional Korean medicine treatments during hospitalization. We then observed any improvement in the symptoms.Results: The scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) score (gait, stance) of the PCA infarction patient was reduced from 8.6 to 2.2, while the dizziness numerical rating scale (NRS) score was reduced from 10 to 2 after treatment. The Yanagihara score of the AICA infarction patient was reduced from 27 to 14, while the dizziness NRS score was reduced from 10 to 2 after treatment. The SARA score (gait, stance) of the PICA infarction patient was reduced from 7.4 to 1.0, and the dizziness NRS score was reduced from 10 to 1 after treatment.Conclusion: Traditional Korean medicine appears to be effective in treating cerebellar infarction symptoms.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1223-1230
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine (Beewha-eum) on the treatment of non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) in a patient with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Methods: The patient was diagnosed with a spleen-stomach weakness pattern identified by Korean medicine and was treated with herbal medicine (Beewha-eum). The severity of symptoms was assessed with a numerical rating scale (NRS) for chest pain, self-reported dyspepsia degree (%), Korean gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (KGSRS), gastrointestinal symptom score (GIS), and Functional Dyspepsia-Quality of Life(FD-QOL) score. Results: After Beewha-eum treatment, the severity of chest pain was decreased from NRS 8 to NRS 0 and the self-reported dyspepsia degree also decreased from 100% to 65%. The KGSRS score was decreased from 49 to 35, the GIS score was also decreased from 16 to 9, and the FD-QOL score was increased from 20 to 25. Conclusions: The study findings suggested that Korean medical treatment with Beewha-eum could be an effective option for treating NCCP in patients with NERD.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2019

■ Objectives The purpose of this case is to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. ■ Methods The patient was diagnosed as a Soeumin, one of the 4 constitution types in Korean medicine, and treated with herbal medicine, Osuyubujaijung-tang and acupuncture treatment. The severity of symptom was assessed using daily defecation frequency, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of abdominal pain, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) score and Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) score. ■ Results After treatment, the defecation frequency was reduced from 6 to 2 times a day, and the severity of abdominal pain was reduced from NRS 6 to NRS 2. Also, GSRS score was decreased from 18 to 4 and IBS-QOL score was improved from 70.59 to 81.18. ■ Conclusion This study suggested that Korean medical treatment could be an effective option for treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.