The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회지)

The Society of Internal Korean Medicine (대한한방내과학회)
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A Case Study of Combined Korean Medicine Treatment of Paraplegia Diagnosed as Spinal Cord Infarction

척수경색 환자의 보행불가 증상에 대한 한의복합치료 1례

  • Hyun-seo Park (Dept. of Neuropsychiatry, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University) ;
  • Sun-joong Kim (Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, National Medical Center) ;
  • Ji-su Ha (Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, National Medical Center) ;
  • Jin-won Kim (Dept. of Internal Medicine of Korean Medicine, National Medical Center)
  • 박현서 (동국대학교 한의과대학 신경정신과) ;
  • 김선중 (국립중앙의료원 침구과) ;
  • 하지수 (국립중앙의료원 침구과) ;
  • 김진원 (국립중앙의료원 한방내과)
  • Received : 2024.01.08
  • Accepted : 2024.03.26
  • Published : 2024.03.30
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Abstract

Spinal cord infarction is one of the rare strokes with no clear signs of serious nerve damage or after-effects. This study reports on the effectiveness of a combined treatment of Korean medicine and acupuncture on bilateral paraplegia, dysuria, and constipation in a patient with sudden-onset spinal cord infarction. An 84-year-old male patient was diagnosed with spinal cord infarction in August 2022. After diagnosis by whole spine MRI, he received treatment for two months at another hospital, but the improvement was insignificant. He then received Korean medicine treatment, and during this period, his lower extremity manual muscle test grade improved from 3 to 4 and his modified Rivermead mobility index score increased by 13 points, compared with hospitalization. Dysuria improved with acupuncture, and constipation improved with herbal medicine treatment. A combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture can be used to treat paraplegia, dysuria, and constipation caused by spinal cord infarction.

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References

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