Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this study is to establish literatural evidence about thermotherapy and cryotherapy for Korean medicine through literatural review. Methods : Applicable paragraphs which were related to the thermotherapy and cryotherapy of cutaneous and muscle meridian were phrased from in "Yibujicheng(醫部集成) and "Dongyibaojian(東醫寶鑑)" where were archiving of Oriental or Korean medicine literatures. Searched paragraphs were analysed for establishing historical and theoretical bases of thermotherapy and cryotherapy in Korean medicine. Results : Thermotherapy of cutaneous and muscle meridian(經皮經筋溫熱療法) such as hot pack, warm water therapy, paraffin bath, ultrasound is originated from yu(慰) warm water(溫水) hot water(熱水). Matching indications are various pain conditions(caused by coldness(寒), hard-work(僗若), extravasated blood(瘀血), inflammatory skin disease, frostbite and several internal diseases. It also treats gynecological diseases and facial palsy. Diathermic therapy on acupuncture points(穴位照射溫熱療法) such as infra-red, microwave, shortwave is originated from huolu(火爐), wenlu(溫爐), xianglu(香爐), lamp light(燈火). Its objective is to improve the effects of herb medicine by aiding sweating or to treat the residual symptoms of fever disease or to care skin disease and pain from bone fracture, contusion. Cryotherapy of cutaneous and muscle meridian(經皮經筋溫寒冷療法) such as ice pack, ice spray, iced whirpool, cool water bath is originated from lengfu(冷敷), lengtie(冷貼), lengshiyu(冷石熨). Matching indications are contusions, animal bite injury, corn(肉刺) and (淋病), eye disease, nasal bleeding, hemorrhoid, inflammatory skin disease and chicken pox. Conclusions : Thermotherapy and cryotherapy of cutaneous and muscle meridian(經皮經筋溫冷療法) are the treatments which were used in Korean medicine from the ancient Korean medicine. As scientific equipments were originated from yu(慰), huolu(火爐), wenlu(溫爐), xianglu(香爐), lamp light(燈火). lengfu(冷敷), lengtie(冷貼), lengshiyu(冷石熨). It can be said that these are elements of Korean medicine. More rigorous studies are needed to establish clinical evidence about not only thermotherapy and cryotherapy but also the other physiotherapy of Korean medicine.