• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.215-224
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• 2001

Objcetive : Neuropathic pain sometimes arises from a partial peripheral nerve injury. This kind of pain is usually accompanied by spontaneous burning pain, allodynia and hyperalgesia. It has been well known that acupuncture is effective to the pain control from ancient time in Asia. However, it is not clear whether acupuncture can control neuropathic pain. The aim of the present study is to examine if acupuncture stimulation may be effective to the mechanical allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Methods : To produce neuropathic pain, under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia, the right superior caudal trunk was resected between the S3 and S4 spinal nerves. After the neuropathic surgery, we examined if the animals exhibited the behavioral signs of mechanical allodynia. The mechanical allodynia was assessed by stimulating the tail with von Frey hair (bending force : 2.0g). three or 6 weeks after the neuropathic surgery, acupuncture stimulation was delivered to Houxi (SI 3) as the following parameters (2HZ frequency, 0.07mA intensity and 3msec duration) for 30 minutes. Results : The stimulation of Houxi (SI 3) acupoint relieved the behavioral signs of mechanical allodynia. Conclusion : Our results suggest that acupuncture can control the mechanical allodynia of neuropathic pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.165-171
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• 1990

The reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) consists of sustained burning pain and tenderness, vasomotor instabilitiy, swelling, occasional functional instability, trophic skin change and edema of extremity following trauma, peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, infection, burn and other etiologic factors. The most important thing in RSDS is to start the treatment as soon as the disease was diagnosed. Most patients with RSDS respond dramatically and permanently to sympathetic blocks if treatment is instituted before irreversible trophic changes. The characteristic radiological finding in RSDS is a patchy osteoporosis in the cancellous bone. Periarticular hyperactivity is seen in RSDS by Tc99m bone scan. We have managed 4 cases of RSDS. The methods of management and effects are as follows: 1) In case 1, 28 lumbar sympathetic blocks in both sides were performed. The patient did not complain of pain or tenderness and the limping improved. 2) In case 2, 7 lumbar sympathetic blocks were performed, but we could find only a slight improvement in the symptoms. 3) In case 3, 8 stellate ganglion blocks were carried out. The patient refused the treatment of RSDS because of the lack of rapid improvement. 4) In case 4, total 64 stellate ganglion blocks were carried out; the patient was permanently improved.

• Clinical Pain
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.32-35
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• 2020

Treatment-induced neuropathy in diabetes (TIND) is a reversible neuropathy that occurs in patients with diabetes, usually after a fast improvement in glycemic control. TIND is defined as the sudden onset of neuropathic pain or autonomic dysfunction with a large improvement in glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] level of ≥ 2% over 3 months). We report the first case of a 24-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed TIND in Korea. Her HbA1c level had decreased from 16.7% to 7.3% within a 3-month period. She developed acute-onset, severe, and continuous burning pain affecting her back and lower extremities. She was administered tapentadol (50 mg), pregabalin (75 mg), and vitamin B with minerals twice daily for neuropathic pain. She complained of orthostatic hypotension; thus, midodrine (2.5 mg) and anti-embolic stockings were prescribed. She almost completely recovered 6 months after the onset. A physician should be aware of TIND and gradually reduce HbA1c levels to prevent the occurrence of TIDN. They must also try to provide relief from severe pain or autonomic dysfunction and emphasize on an almost complete recovery.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.838-847
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) due to hyposalivation (HS). Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 39 BMS patients who visited the Department of Digestive Diseases of Kyunghee Korean Medicine Hospital from March 1st, 2020 to July 31st, 2020. The subjects were classified according to the presence or absence of hyposalivation and both groups were compared for the proportion of coated tongue, heart rate variability (HRV), Ryodoraku, and the numeral rating scale (NRS) score of tongue pain results. Results: The BMS with Hyposalivation (HS group) and the BMS without Hyposalivation (Non-HS group) showed a significant difference in the proportion of coated tongue and the NRS score for tongue pain. The NRS score was significantly higher in the Non-HS group and the proportion of coated tongue was lower. However, no significant differences were noted in several HRV parameters between the two groups. The most frequent accompanying symptoms were xerostomia and dyspepsia. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that hyposalivation might be one of the main causes of tongue pain, the key complaint in BMS patients. Sympathetic/parasympathetic imbalance might not be a main contribution of hyposalivation in BMS. Instead, factors such as the number of medications taken seem to correlate with hyposalivation in BMS. This results could be useful in the management of BMS patients with hyposalivation in clinical practice.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.81-84
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• 2017

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a premalignant condition characterized by juxtaepithelial fibrosis of the oral cavity. The clinical manifestations include burning sensation to spicy food, blanched oral mucosa with palpable fibrous bands, trismus, depapillation of tongue, and dry mouth. As OSF is predominantly seen in people of the Indian subcontinent, cases of this disease have been rarely reported in South Korea. We present a case of OSF in a Sri Lankan man living in South Korea and emphasize the importance of enhancing knowledge of this disease while the number of immigrants is increasing.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.109-113
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• 2011

Objective : Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by hyperalgesia, spontaneous burning pain, and allodynia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase-4-specific inhibitor, in a segmental spinal nerve ligation model in rats. Methods : Both the L5 and L6 spinal nerves of the left side of the rats were ligated. Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor (rolipram) and saline (vehicle) were administered intraperitoneally. We measured mechanical allodynia using von Frey filaments and a nerve conduction study. Results : The mechanical allodynia, which began to manifest on the first day, peaked within 2 days. Multiple intraperitoneal injections of rolipram ameliorated the mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, an intraperitoneal administration of rolipram improved the development of pain behavior and nerve conduction velocity. Conclusion : This study suggests that the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, rolipram, alleviates mechanical allodynia induced by segmental spinal nerve ligation in rats. This finding may have clinical implications.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.40-44
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• 2019

Third molar extraction, one of the important surgical treatments commonly practiced in dentistry, presents various symptoms after surgery ranging from temporary or mild symptoms to permanent or severe complications. However, oral burning pain, dysesthesia, parageusia, dry mouth, headache and pain in multiple teeth are not the common symptoms that patients often complain after dental extraction. Here, the authors report two cases who presented acute neuropathic symptoms mentioned above in the orofacial regions following third molar extraction. At the initial examination, the healing of the tooth sockets of two patients was normal. One patient was diagnosed as megaloblastic anemia associated with Vitamin $B_{12}$ deficiency and was referred to the Department of Hematology for assessing the underlying etiology of anemia. The laboratory test for the other patient revealed microcytic anemia related to iron deficiency. The patient with iron deficiency anemia was successfully treated with iron supplement. These two cases suggest that anemia, as an underlying systemic disease, may be a rare etiology explaining acute onset of peripheral neuropathy in the orofacial regions after third molar extraction and should be considered in the assessment of patients who report neuropathic symptoms after dental extraction.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.186-190
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• 1991

Causalgia is an extremely incapacitating disease often associated with a major peripheral nerve injury, which is characterized by sustained diffuse burning pain, allodynia and hyperpathia. The condition follows traumatic nerve lesions, often combined with vasomotor and sudomotor disturbances and later trophic changes. While sympathectomy has been the classical treatment of causalgia, others nonsurgical therapies such as regional sympathetic block, IV regional sympathetic block, oral adrenolytic drugs, transcutaneous electrical nerve simulation, physical theraphy, cryotheraphy and psychotheraphy have been used. Causalgia is rare in children and early treatment is controversial because of the possibility of many different complications following aggressive treatment. This is a report of a 6-year-old girl with causalgia suffered after a right posterior tibial nerve injury following an intragluteal injection of an antipyretics. We successfully treated this syndrome with continuous epidural block using 0.5% lidocaine and no specific complication was encountered.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.753-761
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• 1996

The purpose of present study is to assess the effects of capsaicin topically applicated to the chronic periodontal pain suffering area. In the First study, twenty patients with chronic pain caused by mild periodontal disease were selected, and periodontal pack containing capsaicin(PPC) was attached to these patients gingiva around pain suffering area. Then the presence of discomfort had been recorded every ten minutes for the first 1 hour. After 1 hour again, It had been recorded according to the presence of pack and to the existence of pain. In the second study, twenty moderate periodontitis patients were selected. After subgingival curettage of two quadrant area, non-euginol periodontal pack or PPC were attached to the curetted gingival margins of them (Non-euginol pack bearing area and capsaicin pack bearing area is supposed to control group and test group respectively.), and the degrees of pain with time had been recorded eight times with 1 hour interval (at that day) or recorded once in a day (from the next day to the next appointment day). The results are as follows : 1. PPC has caused discomfort accompanied by burning sensation to the mild periodontitis patients with chronic pain. 2. PPC has given little effects to improve the pain after subgingival curettage of moderate periodontitis patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.19-30
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• 2000

Background: Partial nerve injury to a peripheral nerve may induce the development of neuropathic pain which is characterized by symptoms such as spontaneous burning pain, allodynia and hyperalgesia. Though underlying mechanism has not fully understood, sensitization of dorsal horn neurons may contribute to generate such symptoms. Nitric oxide acts as an inter- and intracellular messenger in the nervous system and is produced from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Evidence is accumulating which indicate that nitric oxide may mediate nociceptive information transmission. Recently, it has been reported that NOS inhibitor suppresses neuropathic pain behavior in an neuropathic pain animal model. This study was conducted to determine whether nitric oxide could be involved in the sensitization of dorsal horn neurons in neuropathic animal model. Methods: Neuropathic animal model was made by tightly ligating the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves and we examined the effects of iontophoretically applied NOS inhibitor (L-NAME) on the dorsal horn neuron's responses to mechanical stimuli within the receptive fields. Results: In normal animals, NOS inhibitor (L-NAME) specifically suppressed the responses to the noxious mechanical stimuli. In neuropathic animals, the dorsal horn neuron's responses to mechanical stimuli were enhanced and NOS inhibitor suppressed the dorsal horn neuron's enhanced responses to non-noxious stimuli as well as those to noxious ones. Conclusions: These results suggest that nitric oxide may mediate nociceptive transmission in normal animal and also mediate sensitization of dorsal horn neurons in neuropathic pain state.