• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2013

Objectives Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reason for people in Korea to visit Korean medical institutions. To assess actual amounts of use in the treatment of LBP in Korean medicine and to provide objective base line data for policy decision making, research regarding the current state of LBP patients' treatment in Korean medical institutions are in need. Methods The current study was designed as a retrospective chart review to investigate descriptive characteristics of LBP patients. The clinical records of 304 patients who were hospitalized for the treatment of LBP in Korean rehabilitation medicine inpatient clinics of five different Korean medicine hospitals were analyzed. The percentage of patient characteristics such as sex, age, average duration of admission, insurance type, diagnosed LBP related disease code, and rates of interventions applied were assessed. Results 1. The female sex was significantly predominant among patients with LBP : 105 patients (34.5%) were male and 199 patients (65.5%) were female. Percentage of the patients' age appeared as followed : 76 people (25.0%) were in their 50s, 64 people (21.1%) were in their 40s, 51 people (16.8%) were in their 30s, 37 people (12.2%) were in their 60s, and 33 people (10.9%) were in their 70s. Approximately half of the total LBP patients investigated were older than 50. 2. The average duration of admission was 16.2 days. Approximately one third (30.3%) of the patients were hospitalized for 8 to 14 days. 3. Female patients tended to stay admitted in hospitals slightly longer than male patients. Elderly (age 60~79) patients stayed in hospitals longer (17.8 days) compared to younger (age 20~39) patients (13.5 days). 4. More than half of the patients (171 cases, 56.3%) had their hospital bills covered with automobile insurance. 40.1% (122 cases) of the patients had medical insurance to cover their hospital bills. The average duration of admission of patients who had automobile insurance was 14.2 days, while that of the patients who had medical insurance was 18.4 days. 5. "Sprain and strain of the lumbar spine and pelvis" was the most commonly used (195 cases, 64.1%) disease code in patients with LBP. Patients diagnosed as "lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy" required the longest admission duration (22.1 days). 6. Herbal medication was applied to all of the patients during admission. Acupuncture was applied to all of the patients except one case diagnosed as spinal stenosis. Physical therapy, cupping therapy, moxibustion therapy, chuna therapy, and pharmacopuncture therapy were applied to 94.7, 92.8, 85.2, 83.9, and 49.7% of the patients, respectively. 7. There were certain differences among Korean medicine hospitals in terms of the LBP patients' duration of admission, type of insurance, frequency of the disease code use, type of intervention applied. Conclusions It is thought that the current study can be used as reference data in assessing the current state of LBP treatment in Korean rehabilitation medicine and a basis for future research. Provided improvements of certain limitations of the current study in future researches, such data would act as better base line data in policy decision making.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.211-226
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to establish literatural evidence about traditional Korean medical physiotherapy through literatural review. Methods : Applicable paragraphs which were related to the traditional Korean medical physiotherapy were phrased from in "Hwang-je-nae-gyung(黃帝內經)", "Yumun-sa-chin(儒門事親)", "Geum-guei-yo-ryack(金匱要略)", "Eui-hack-ip-mun(醫學入門)", "Gyung-ack-jeon-seo(景岳全書)", "Eui-hack-gang-mock(醫學綱目)", "Dong-eui-bo-gam(東醫寶鑑)" where were archiving of Oriental or Korean medicine literatures. Searched paragraphs were analysed for establishing historical and theoretical bases of Korean medical physiotherapy. Results : 1. Theromtherapy is originated from yu(熨), hot hand, warm, water bath, warm earth, fumigation, lamp, torchlight and brazier. Matching indications are various musculoskeletal pain and diseases, skin diseases such as chronic inflammation, frostbite, gynecological and urogenital diseases such as uterine myoma, lower abdominal pain, metrorrhagia, breast diseases, digestive tract diseases such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache and also it treats cardiovascular disease. Other matching indications are sunstroke, rhinorrhea, psycosis and anal pain. And it used helping acupuncture therapy. 2. Cryotherapy is originated from lengfu(冷敷), lengtie(冷貼), cold stone and cold water. Matching indications are various fever disease, skin diseases such as acute inflammation, wound, fever skin disease, otorhinolaryngological diseases such as acute sore throat, otitis, stomatitis, nasal bleeding and contusions, abrasions, burn and dysuria. In addition, it treats extremity coldness, chillness, stomachache caused to accumulate fever. 3. Physiotherapy by circulating meridian system is originated from manipulation such as pushing, massage and beating to therapy point. Matching indications are musculoskeletal diseases such as various muscular pain, heavy sensation, convulsion, urogenital diseases such as dysuria, lower abdomen pain, digestive tract diseases such as stomachache, and paralysis due to blocked meridian system. And other matching indications are psycosis, leprosy, hypoesthesia, acute stroke. In addition it helps other therapy methods. In addition, the power of manipulation classify to strengthen and reduce. 4. Physiotherapy by balancing meridian system is originated from sunshine, magnet, horn, bamboo and tube. Sunshine helps improving self's care and cure inflammatory skin disease. Magnet's matching indications are paralysis, various injuries, abscess, fever and eye disease. Cupping therapy treats to skin diseases and internal diseases such as tuberculosis. Conclusions : Traditional Korean medical physiotherapy was widely used in traditional Korean medicine since ancient time based on the traditional Korean medical principle and anatomical knowledge. With modern physiotherapy and traditional Korean medicine together, effects of treatment are enhanced. And traditional Korean medical physiotherapy is appropriated to world physiotherapy's expectation.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2003

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the different concepts of oriental nursing as perceived by nurses, doctors, and patients in oriental hospitals. Method: A descriptive survey design was used for this study. Fifty-eight nurses, 26 doctors and 28 inpatients in 3 oriental hospitals were recruited from October to December 2002. The data were collected through a semi-structured open questionnaire. The data were analyzed by content analysis. Result: 1. The perceived concept of oriental nursing varied among the subjects. The nurses regard it as "a traditional nursing activity based on oriental philosophy" (60.3%), while the doctors viewed it as "a supplement to western nursing activity"(38.5%). For patients, the oriental nursing activity was considered as "a cordial form of nursing like that from a family member" (50.0%) and "an activity that doesn't differ so much from western nursing" (42.8%). 2. As for oriental nursing activities actually practiced, both the nurses and the doctors agreed that they carry out traditional oriental nursing activities such as explaining the treatment (taking oriental medicines, administering acupuncture etc.; nurses 96.6%, doctors 57.7%) and direct care like removing acupuncture needles (nurses 43.1%, doctors 34.6%). Patients replied that a western nursing activity is performed rather than an oriental nursing activity. 3. As for the required oriental nursing activity, nurses stated they apply traditional oriental methods such as CHUNA exercise therapy, moxibustion, cupping method etc. in their nursing practice. Doctors remarked that they try to understand the patients' state by approaching patients through an oriental way of thinking. Patients wish to get kindly care. 4. As a whole, 34.5% of nurses and 25.0% of patients have experienced little satisfaction from oriental nursing activity. Nurses found it valuable to carry out western nursing (39.3%), while patients found satisfaction in the use of a cordial attitude (39.9%). 5. Both nurses and doctors defined the first reason that oriental nursing activity cannot be performed more often was the lack of education in oriental nursing, and the absence of interest in oriental nursing. Conclusion: Nurses and doctors appreciate an oriental way of nursing, and think that this type of nursing activity has been carried out even though it may be infrequent. However this oriental nursing activity has won recognition from patients who view western nursing activity as being more important.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.357-365
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• 2015

Folk medicine is traditionally passed down to cure disease, and adverse events (AEs) of folk medicine are any unfavorable and unintended discomforts temporally associated with the use of folk medicine. The aim of this study was to analyze AEs types and risks of folk medicine through the internet news articles. Included in this analysis are all articles on the topic of folk medicine and AE reported in the top 3 online news websites (NAVER, DAUM and NATE) determined by InternetTrend$^{TM}$(www.internettrend.co.kr). It was searched in the last five years (between 1 January 2009 and 28 February 2014). In total, 18 AEs articles of 973 news articles met our inclusion criteria. A total of 27 people were experienced AEs associated with use of folk medicine. Age was from 4 months to 76 years old, and it was occurred in both men and women. Folk medicine that caused AEs in twice or more was therapy that patient taking the dictamnus or aconitum of toxic herbal medicines, vinegar therapy of external use to topical skin, and cupping or bee sting therapy by practitioners. Death as a kind of serious AEs was 11 people, and 10 people were died after treatment by unqualified practitioner. Folk medicine that is popular and widely used in Korea is actively interacted with information on the internet, so it apt to misuse and abuse without guidance of health professionals. Aspects of health care system, we point out that the need for government and medical society establish not only correct health information plan and promotion of risk but also system as reporting and monitoring of AEs by folk medicine.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.38-52
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the use of insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments, which are mainly used to treat allergic rhinitis in Korean medicine. Methods : Among all HIRA(Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service) claims data in 2016, we included all statements that included J30(vasomotor and allergic rhinitis) or a subcategory of J30(J30.0, J30.1, J30.2, J30.3, or J30.4) as the main disease, using the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases(KCD-7). This study analyzed the most frequently used insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments for allergic rhinitis in Korean medicine. We performed a frequency analysis on subgroups based on treatment type(inpatient or outpatient), sex, age, insurance type, and medical institution type. Results : The result shows the 10 most frequently used insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments for allergic rhinitis. The total number of insured herbal extracts prescriptions was 82,533, and the most commonly prescribed insured herbal extracts was socheongryong-tang(35,131 prescriptions), followed by hyeonggaeyeongyo-tang(18,157 prescriptions), samsoeum(6,257 prescriptions), and galgeun-tang(4,465 prescriptions). The total number of Korean medicinal treatments prescriptions was 1,878,541, of which the most common Korean medicinal treatments was acupuncture(922,977 prescriptions), followed by moxibustion(372,120 prescriptions), cupping(242,094 prescriptions), and segmental acupuncture(161,553 prescriptions). Conclusions : It is expected that the results of this study can be used as a basis for establishing the priorities of evidence-based clinical research topics in the field of Korean medicine and making health care policy decisions to strengthen coverage in the future.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.812-819
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• 2008

Purpose : Vitamin D plays a key role in bone mineralization of the skeleton and vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets. It is well known that vitamin D deficiency is common in breast fed infants. Of these patients, clinically, some have no signs of rickets, but laboratory and radiographic findings are diagnostic for vitamin D deficiency rickets (subclinical vitamin D deficiency rickets). The purpose of this study is to clarify current causes and ways to prevent this disease. Methods : We reviewed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of children who were incidentally diagnosed as subclinical rickets during treatment of other disease such as pneumonia, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection at Eulji Hospital, Seoul, Korea from March, 2003 to July 2007. Results : Eight patients (six boys and two girls) were diagnosed with subclinical vitamin D deficiency rickets. The mean age of the patients was $12.6{\pm}5.8months$, and they were diagnosed from January to July. The associated diseases were pneumonia, urinary tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, and iron deficiency anemia. All patients were breast-fed. Two showed growth failure. The mean serum alkaline phosphatase was $1995.8{\pm}739.5IU/L$, the mean calcium count was $9.5{\pm}0.6mg/dL$, and the mean phosphorus content was $3.6{\pm}1.5mg/dL$. The mean intact parathyroid hormone was $214.8{\pm}155.9pg/mL$ (reference range, 9-65), the mean 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D was $82.4{\pm}49.3pg/mL$ (reference range, 2070), and the mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D was $29.6{\pm}10.6ng/mL$ (reference range, 1030). A radiographic examination showed cupping, fraying, and flaring of metaphyses in all patients. Six patients were administered calcitriol (400 IU/day) for three months. A consequent radiographic and laboratory examination showed improvement. The first two patients were initially diagnosed with metaphyseal dysplasia, without the detection of vitamin D deficiency and they spontaneously improved without vitamin D supplements. However, two years later, they showed mild scoliosis and metaphyseal dysplasia, respectively. Conclusion : Breast-feeding without supplementation involves high risk of vitamin D deficiency. Some infants may also develop rickets; therefore, such groups should be considered for vitamin D supplementation.