• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.219-230
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• 2004

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to evaluate the clinical improvement of insomnia and patients' original disease after the therapy of auricular acupuncture. METHODS: A questionnaire regarding patients' sleeping behavior was executed to secure the objectivity. 20 patients were selected from 55 patients in Joong Hwa oriental medicine hospital. 20 patients who had undergone auricular acupuncture for insomnia for 6 days were asked before the first therapy to fill in a form regarding their sleeping behavior and retrospectively after 6 days a questionnaire regarding the success of therapy. Auricular acupuncture therapy consisted of 3 consultations at an interval of 2 days. RESULTS: 12 patients were good conditions, 5 were same conditions and 3 were rather poor conditions of 20 patients after auricular acupuncture therapy. CONCLUSIONS: 60% of object improved insomnia after auricular acupuncture therapy. Auricular acupuncture therapy can be applied and adapted individually, furthermore it is economical and small side effects.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to examine the applied effect of auricular acupressure therapy on insomnia for Korean elderly. Methods: Design was one group pretest-posttest measure study. Subjects were total 28 elderly with 65 years old and over in appropriate criteria. Experimental treatment was a auricular acupressure therapy during 3 days/a term, and this was applied on 4 series. Measures were sleep measurement (Cronbach's ${\alpha}$= .72) developed by Oh et al.(1998) and self satisfaction measurement on sleep (visual analogy scale) developed by authors. Data were collected from March 2005 to February 2006, and analyzed by SPSS PC+ 12 according to the aims of this study. Results: 1. After receiving the auricular acupressure therapy with 4 series, sleep scores were significantly increased (t=-40.600, p=.000). 2. After receiving the auricular acupressure therapy with 4 series, self satisfaction scores on sleep were significantly increased (t=-54.645, p=.000). Conclusions: Auricular acupressure therapy can be a better nursing intervention to decrease insomnia of elderly. Auricular acupressure therapy will be able to improve ultimately the quality of life for Korean elderly.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2010

Purpose: Patients with serious burns are prone to chondritis due to lack of soft tissue in the auricle, which can cause severe defects in the auricular morphology. In addition, skin damage occurs frequently in the vicinity of post-burn wounds, presenting difficulties in reconstruction surgery. An auricular reconstruction has functional and cosmetic significance. The aim of this study is to develop appropriate reconstruction methods for auricular defects. Methods: Thirty seven patients, who were treated for auricular defects from 2005 to 2009, were enrolled in this study. A local flap, multiple regional flaps and cartilage framework with or without a temporal fascial flap were applied in reconstruction surgery according to the location of the auricular defect. Results: The age of the subjects ranged from 11 to 56. Some subjects had defects that cover more than half of the helical rim with most exhibiting post-burn scars in the vicinity, for whom a multiple regional flap was used. A single use of a tubed flap was sufficient for subjects with defects that covered less than half of the helical rim. A regional flap was also used for reconstruction in subjects with defects covering both the helical rim and antehelix. Conclusion: Achieving satisfactory results from the skin flaps and skin grafts for post-burn auricular defects in both functional and cosmetic aspects is a difficult task. Therefore, selecting an appropriate surgical method through proper diagnosis of the auricular defect and the state of the available skin in the vicinity is essential.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.289-293
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• 2009

Purpose: The retroauricular flap has many advantages for facial reconstruction and is being performed by many surgeons. However, it is difficult for the retroauricular flap to perform reconstruction of the upper region of the auricle and its surroundings, due to limited rotation arc and length of pedicle. We successfully reconstructed the upper region of the auricle and its surroundings with retroauricular flap by using the superior auricular artery as a supplying pedicle. The purpose of this study is to present an anatomic study about the superior auricular artery and its clinical application. Methods: We investigated the relationship between the superior auricular artery and its surrounding structures through anatomic studies with 7 fresh cadavers and then applied the findings clinically. From February to December 2008, we performed 7 cases of the superior auricular artery island flap to reconstruct the defects in patients operated on skin cancer. Sizes of the defects varied form $0.8{\times}0.8cm$ to $3.5{\times}3.0cm$. Results: We found that the superior auricular artery is a reliable pedicle for the retroauricular flap, based on anatomical studies. All wounds of the patients were successfully closed. The flap donor site was primary closed except in one patient with a large defect. The aesthetic outcomes of the donor and recipient sites were satisfying. Conclusions: The superior auricular artery island flap has several advantages. Therefore, we suggest that the superior auricular artery island flap is a treatment of choice for reconstructing soft tissue defect at the upper region of the auricle and its surrounding area.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2001

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of stimulation of specific auricular acupuncture points on appetite suppression. Methods : The fasted rats were deprived of food and water for 48 hours. Stimulation of tho inner auricular region of the rat correspond to the human stomach acupuncture point was made for leptin, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and c-fos expression in the brain of the fasted rats by immunohistochemistry. Results : The immunoteactivities of leptin in the periventricular nucleus of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantly higher compared to those of the fasted group. The immunoreactivities of TPH in the median raphe neucleus and reticulotegmental neucleus pons of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantty higher compared to those of the fasted group. And the immunoreactivities of c-fos in the dentate gyrus of the auricular acupunctured group with fasted were significantly lower compared to those from the fasted group. Conclusions : We conclude that the auricular acupuncture altered leptin and TPH-expression in the brain of the fasted rats. The results suggest that auricular acupuncture may inhibit food intake.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1014-1024
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to exam me the effects of auricular acupuncture on insomnia in Korean elderly. Method: The study design was a triangulation study. Subjects were 40 elderly who were 65 years and over in Seoul, and 10 subjects for a qualitive study who were saturated with interviews and observation. The first auricular acupuncture was applied for three days, and this was applied to subjects on a 5 times series. The quantative data was analyzed by SPSS PC+ and the qualitive data was analyzed by driving of core meaning and abstract concepts using a semi-structural interview and observation. Result: I. The experimental group had higher significant sleep scores than that of the control group (t=32.739, p=.001). 2. The experimental group had higher significant self- satisfaction scores on sleep than that of the control group (t=30.049, p=.001). 3. In the qualitive study, insomnia characteristics before application of auricular acupressure therapy were confirmed by physical dysfunction, recall of past, and psychological dysfunction. Insomnia characteristics after application of auricular acupressure therapy were confirmed by recovery of physical dysfunction, improving recall of past, and recovery of psychological dysfunction. Conclusion: Auricular acupuncture was effective on insomnia in Korean elderly.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.27-41
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• 2002

Objective : The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of two other groups(Group A and B) which were treated with two other auricular acupuncture therapy to quit smoking. Methods : Seventy three high-school students were devided in two groups. Group A was treated with auricular acupuncture therapy by burying a needle in one side ear. Group B was not only treated with auricular acupuncture therapy by burying a needle in one side ear, but also treated with venesection on the other side ear. The effects of auricular acupuncture therapy to quit smoking were evaluated at two weeks and six months after the therapy. Results : Group A's score to quit smoking after the auricular acupuncture therapy was higher than Group B's score. Conclusions : Treating with auricular acupuncture therapy by burying a needle in one side ear and venesection on the other side, was effective neither on decreasing the amount of smoking nor on decreasing the desire to smoke compared with the only needle burying treatment.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.103-113
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the auricular acupuncture treatment of insomnia in current traditional medicine. Methods : We reviewed the 18 studies about auricular acupuncture of insomnia which were published from 2005 through 2009. We selected those studies from PubMed, ScienceDirect, CNKI, KMbase, Korean studies Information Service System, and Korean traditional knowledge portal. Results : Selected 18 studies were divided into 8 case reports and 10 control studies. Auricular acupuncture points frequently used were Sinmun(神門), Heart(心) and acupuncture points frequently used were Baekhoe(百會, GV20), Sinmun(神門, HT7). According to specific parts of symptom, some points were added. Most of studies reported that Auricular acupuncture treatment of insomnia were very effective. Conclusions : There have been many auricular acupuncture treatment of insomnia in traditional medicine, and we believe that these studies could be applied to the clinical practices in Korea.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.20-28
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of auricular acupressure therapy on dysmenorrhea of puberty girls. Methods: This study was a pretest-posttest design with a nonequivalent control group. The subjects of this study were 61 girls who were middle and high school students in Seoul and the experiencing dysmenorrhea; 31 for the experimental group and 30 for the control group. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. Results: The experimental group which applied the auricular acupressure therapy scored lower for low abdominal pain (F=136.13, p=.000), low back pain (F=62.79, p=.000). autonomic nervous system reactions (F=102.31, p=.000) and negative emotions on the menstruation (F=102.31, p=.000) compared to the control group. There were significant interaction effects of auricular acupressure on low abdominal pain, low back pain, autonomic nervous system reactions, and negative emotions on the menstruation between time and group. Conclusion: We observed that auricular acupressure therapy is effective for reliving pain and the symptom of dysmenorrhea. Based on these result, auricular acupuncture is useful by individual nursing intervention and improves the quality of life for dysmenorrhea of puberty girls.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of auricular acupressure on menstrual pain, dysmenorrhea and academic stress among college students. Methods: A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 57 female students recruited from one college. The treatment group (n=30) received an auricular acupressure on a valid zone and the control group (n=27) received an auricular acupressure on an invalid zone (placebo). The independent t-test and ${\chi}^2$-test were used to examine group differences by using SPSS/Win18.0. Results: Subjects in the treatment group reported much less menstrual pain of premenstrual day (p=.001), 1st day (p<.001), 2nd day (p=.003), and dysmenorrhea (p=.003). Of significance, participants in the treatment group reported much less academic stress (p=.049) following auricular acupressure. Conclusion: The findings support that auricular acupressure is effective in controlling menstrual pain and academic stress related to menstruation. As the method is simple it would be useful for women students to be taught and encouraged to utilize this method to mitigate the symptoms related to menstruation through self care.