• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2 s.66
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• pp.244-252
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• 2006

Objectives : To examine any potential relationships between the types of alopecia and the facial heat distribution in patients with alopecia. Methods : 183 patients with alopecia participated in this study to provide facial heat distribution measured by the Infrared Thermography Scanner (ITS, Nec San-ei Instruments Ltd, Japan). The thermography scan was used in a light- and heat-protected room after 20 minutes' of rest. 1.5m of distance was maintained between the patients and the scanner. Results : Specificity in the type of facial heat distribution was found as follow. 1. Types of facial heat distribution can be classified as T-type and diffused patterns. 2. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution among different types of alopecia (p=0.002): facial heat distribution appeared T-type in androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, and telogen effluvium (71.3%, 85.7%, 70.4%), whereas diffused pattern was dominant in seborrheic alopecia (55.6%). 3. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution between men and women (p<0.001) : While the T-type and diffused type appeared equally in men (50.6% : 49.4%), T-type was dominant in women (88.0% vs. 12.0%). Conclusions : We conclude that the pattern of facial heat distribution differs depending on the types of alopecia and gender. These differences may provide useful information for diagnosis and clinical therapy for this population.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.133-143
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• 2006

Objectives : To Investigate Severity Measurement and the Correlation between Acupoints on the Face and the Upper limb in Bell's Palsy Patients by Using of DITI. Methods : We recreated the persons in the Wonkwang oriental hospital, KwangJu and the public health center, Hwasoon from April 2005 to October 2005. the 60 persons randomized allocated were not showed the acupuncture and treated in the acupuncture points used for treatment of the shoulder pain. the 30 persons were treated with real acupuncture and the others were treated with Kiln Sham Acupuncture. Conclusion : This report suggest that we must except Kyon-lyo(TE14), kyon-u(LI15), and hu-gye(SI03) from the shoulder pain study with Kim Sham Acupuncture because the persons significantly distinguished Real acupuncture from Sham acupuncture at the Kyon-lyo(TE14), kyon-u(LI15) and hu-gye(SI03) and so We cannot blind a person.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.213-226
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was aimed to show the effect of electroacupuncture combined with magnetic acupuncture on abdominal obesity without patient dieting, exercise or use of herbal medication. Methods : Women over 85 cm in waist circumference were treated with electroacupuncture combined with magnetic acupuncture. Acupuncture points were located at the abdomen ($CV_{12}$, $CV_6$, $ST_{25}$, $ST_{21}$, $SP_{15}$, $SP_{14}$), extremities ($LI_4$, $LI_{11}$, $ST_{36}$, $ST_{44}$) and were stimulated 30 minutes with 2.1~3 Gaus, 500 Hz, tolerable strength. The Interference wave forms were by Whata 153 (Medi Lab, Korea). Two or three treatment sessions per week (five or ten sessions in total) were done. Before treatment, and after the last treatment, we measured waist circumference, hip circumference, waist hip ratio, thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, visceral fat area, free fat mass, body fat mass and skeletal muscle mass. We also measured the subcutaneous temperature of the abdomen($CV_{12}$, $ST_{25}(Rt)$, $ST_{25}(Lt)$, $CV_6$) by using digital infrared thermal imaging(DITI). Results : In this study, significant reductions were shown in waist circumference, hip circumference, thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio and body fat mass. There were no significant differences in waist hip ratio, free fat mass or skeletal muscle mass. There were also significant increases of the subcutaneous temperature on $CV_{12}$, $ST_{25}(Rt)$, $ST_{25}(Lt)$. Conclusions : From the above results, electroacupuncture combined with magnetic acupuncture might be an effective treatment for abdominal obesity.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

Objectives: Considering that homeothermy is a major component of metabolic rate, body temperature might play a role in the pathophysiology of obesity. This study aimed to determine the relationship between abdominal fat distribution and abdominal temperature in Korean, premenopausal, obese women. Methods: Weight and height were measured in 26 premenopausal, obese women to calculate body mass index (BMI). Obesity was defined as a $BMI{\geq}25kg/m^2$. Waist circumference (WC) was also measured as well as abdominal fat by computed tomography (CT) and abdominal temperature by digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI). Results: Visceral abdominal fat area was found to have a significant negative correlation with the temperature of Guanyuan (CV4, lower abdomen acupoint). We also found the visceral-subcutaneous fat ratio had a significant negative correlation with the temperature of CV4 and Right Tianshu (RST25, lateral navel acupoint). Only visceral fat and its ratio to subcutaneous fat had a significant correlation with abdominal temperature. Subcutaneous fat area and total fat area were not correlated with abdominal temperature. Conclusions: This study suggests that abdominal visceral fat has a significant negative correlation with abdominal temperature. Further study is needed to uncover the relationship between abdominal fat distribution and temperature regulation in obese individuals and to define the role of body temperature in the pathogenesis of obesity.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.59-73
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• 2000

Depression is a psychiatric syndrom consisting of dejected mood, psychomotor retardation, insomnia and weight loss, sometimes associated with irrational guilt feeling. And it is also similiar to Hwa-byung(火病) symptom in oriental medicine. But it is difficult to diagnose with objective method. Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I.) is one of diagnotic method that measure the changes of skin temperature in body. Specially we checked the skin temperature on depressed patients by using D.I.T.I. and compared with Bell's palsy patients and normal persons group. The results are as follows; Average body temperature of the depressed patient group is $36.68{\pm}0.43^{\circ}C.$ and that of the control group is $36.73{\pm}0.40^{\circ}C.$. So there is no meaningful difference. The depressed patient group has higher temperature than the control group by ${\triangle}T>1.0^{\circ}C$ at the following acupuncture points in these body parts - upper and lower, left and right, anterior and posterior. When acupuncture points temperature was compared superior and inferior part of the body, depressed patient group have meaningful difference at the GV-4(Myung-moon) and also in the control group. When acupuncture points temperature was compared left and right part of the body, depressed patient group have no meaningful difference and also in the control group. When acupuncture points temperature was compared in the anterior and posterior part of the body, depressed patient group have meaningful difference at the GV-4(Myung- moon) and also in the control group. From this study, we think that D.I.T.I. could be used to diagnose objectively on the depressed patients and useful to another psychoneurogenic diagnosis in oriental medicine.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2003

Objective: Hapkok(L14) and Taechung(Liv3) are acupuncture points located on both sides of each foot and hand of the human body. These two points are called sakwan points. Matching these acupuncture points have a significant reason in pints of not only regulating the circulation of Yin-Yang as a source point of each meridian, but also playing a basic role of twelve meridian by controlling circulation of ki and blood in the whole body. There are already related documents and studies on stimulating sakwan points. Since those papers mostly studied on either hapkook or taechung, we came to have a doubt of stimulation the two point at the same time when an unbalance of Yin-Yang and ki-blood appears. Accordingly, we got to investigate how thermogram of body changes after applying an acupuncture on sakwan points. Our study is as follows ; Method : Our study was performed on 30 normal cases(M:F=17:13) with no past history to observe the effects of the acupuncture. We measured temperature of abdomen and the back of both hands by D.I.T.I(Digital infrared Thermographic Imaging) before and after acupuncture on sakwan points. Results and Conclusions: The thermographic change on abdomen was $0.51{\pm}0.71^{\circ}C$. Temperature of abdomen after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture with high validity(p<0.01). And the thermographic changes on the back of both hands were right hand $0.54{\pm}1.17^{\circ}C$, left hand $0.56{\pm}1.28^{\circ}C$. Temperature on the back of both hands after acupuncture was higher than before acupuncture, but the difference between them had little validity(p<0.01). In addition, we found that it doesn't necessarily follow that the thermographic changes on abdomen and back of both hands after acupuncture on sakwan points happen concurrently.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2015

Purpose: Bell's palsy is a nerve paralysis disease that causes functional impairments and affects psychological and aesthetical parts. This study aimed to examine whether acupressure massage had positive effects on facial paralysis, subjective symptoms, and depression in Bell's palsy patients. Methods: This study was conducted by a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 60 patients with Bell's palsy. 30 patients were assigned to the experimental group and the remaining 30 patients were assigned to the control group. The period of the study was from October 1, 2008 to July 30, 2009. Acupressure massage was offered to the experimental group for 20 minutes per day for two weeks (a total of six times). A SPSS/Win 12.0 program was used for data analysis. Results: A difference in Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI) between affected and unaffected sides was less in the experimental group having acupressure massage than in the control group and the score of the recovery of facial paralysis was also increased in the experimental group. The Facial Nerve Grade Systems by Brackmann score that is a more objective index showed a significant difference between two groups (F=26.81, p<.001). Subjective symptom and depression scores were more decreased in the acupressure massage group than in the control group. Conclusion: Based on the results, it is considered that acupressure massage can be applied to Bell's palsy patients as an alternative therapy. It can be used as an evidence-based East-West nursing intervention to improve patients' physical and mental functions.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2006

Objectives: To examine any potential relationships between the types of alopecia and the facial heat distribution in patients with alopecia Methods: 183 patients with alopecia participated in this study to provide facial heat distribution measured by the Infrared Thermography Scanner (ITS, Nec San-ei Instruments Ltd, Japan). The thermography scan was used in a light-and heat-protected room after 20 minutes’of resting period. 1.5m of distance maintained between the patients and ITS. Results: Specificity in the type of facial heat distribution was found as follow. 1. Types of facial heat distribution can be classified as T-type and diffused patterns. 2. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facial heat distribution among different types of alopecia (p=0.002): facial heat distribution appeared T-type in Androgenic Alopecia, Alopecia Areata, and Telogen Effluvium (71.3%, 85.7%, 70.4%), whereas diffused pattern was dominant in Seborrheic Alopecia(55.6%). 3. There was a significant difference in the pattern of facialheat distribution between men and women (p<0.001): While the T-type and diffused type were equally appeared in men (50.6%: 49.4%), T-type was dominant in women (88.0% vs. 12.0%). Conclusions: We conclude that the pattern of facial heat distribution differs depends on the types of alopecia and gender. These differences may provide useful information for the diagnosis and clinical therapy for this population.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.80-90
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Korean traditional treatments for Climacteric Syndrome Patients with Hwa-Byung. Methods: From February 2015 to May 2015, We treated 5 Cases Patients with Korean traditional treatments for a month. We measured treatment effects by Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). Results: After treatment, First, the scores of MRS, BDI were decreased. Second, the symptoms such as hot flush, pantalgia, palpitation, insomnia, fatigue were significantly improved. Also, the difference of 膻中 (CV17, Danjung) and 關元 (CV4, Guanyuan) temperatures were significantly decreased after treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean traditional treatments such as Gamicheonglijagam-hwan, acupuncture, moxibustion are effective on Climacteric Syndrome Patients with Hwa-Byung.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.62-70
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between cold hypersensitivity and common health indexes including dyspepsia, headache, defecation, leucorrhea, and menstruation in young women. Methods: 40 outpatients who visited Kangnam Kyung-Hee Oriental Hospital from January, 2010 to November, 2011 were analyzed. The experimental group consisted of 20 patients diagnosed with cold hypersensitivity, while the control group consisted of 20 patients who were not. All patients were subjected to Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI), and those with thermal difference greater than $2^{\circ}C$ between anterior thigh and top of feet were diagnosed with cold hypersensitivity. The subjective characteristics of dyspepsia, headache, defecation, leucorrhea, and menstruation were obtained through inquiry by residents at the hospital. The relationship between cold hypersensitivity, dyspepsia, headache, defecation, leucorrhea, and menstruation was analyzed with Independent T-test using SPSS for Windows (version 17.0). Results: Means of defecation, leucorrhea, dysmenorrhea in cold hypersensitivity group were higher than control group without significant statistical difference. Dyspepsia appeared statistically higher in experimental group with significance while headache was the same in both groups. Means of menstrual cycle and menstrual coagulation were higher in non-cold hypersensitivity group, but there was no statistical difference. Conclusions: Results suggest that dyspepsia is common in cold hypersensitivity and treatment of cold hypersensitivity may relieve accompanying digestive problems.