• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 1991

The author studied the changes of subjective, objective symptoms and muscle activities with EM2 (myo-tronics Co., Seattle, USA) before and after MRA therapy. The 11 patients were treated with MRA and active range of motion, pain and mouth opening limitation were checked at each visit for 6-8 weeks. Electromyographic activities were measured in both anterior lobe of temporalis and middle fibers of masseter at the position in rest, clenching and mastication. The obtained results were as follows : 1. There were significant decrease in pain and mouth opening limitation and significant increase in active range of motion after MRA therapy. 2. The muscle activities tended to decrease in general, especially in the temporal and masseter muscles on clenching and in the masseter on mastication after MRA therapy. 3. There were no significant differences in muscle activities between affected and unaffected side, but there was significant differences in temporal muscle on clenching side after therapy. 4. There were no significant differences in active range of motion, pain and mouth opening limitation between acute and chronic groups. 5. There was more significant decrease in muscle activities of the affected side in acute group than those in chronic group.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.68-80
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• 2022

Objectives This study is to report a significant improvement in a Taeeumin patient with systemic contact dermatitis after eating urushiol chicken by herbal medicine treatment. Methods The patient had complaints of erythema, swelling, pruritus, scaly skin, and facial flushing. We treated the patient with an herbal medicine 'Galgeunhaegi-tang' for three months. We evaluated the treatment outcome of systemic contact dermatitis using the Three Item Severity(TIS) score every visit and facial flushing by Image color summarizer at the first and last visit. Results After the treatment, the severity of the patient's skin complaints lessened from moderate to mild. The Image color summarizer showed a minor decrease in the normalized red color level and a significant increase in the brightness level and facial color percentage. Conclusions The patient diagnosed with systemic contact dermatitis, treated with Galgeunhaegi-tang for three months, showed a significant improvement in skin complaints with brighter and even facial color.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.419-430
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• 1988

This study was performed in a rural community, Kanghwa county which was introduced to a regional medical insurance pilot program in 1982. The purposes of this study were, firstly, to observe the changes in ambulatory care utilization in the three years 1982, 1983 and 1987 : secondly, to analyse factors which convert perceived medical care needs to effective medical care demand. During the three periods, a serial interview survey was performed to determine the changes in medical utilization before and after the regional medical insurance program implementation. The number of subjects was 3,356 persons in the year 1982, 3,705 in 1983 and 2,745 in 1987. The results of the study were as follows : 1. Total ambulatory care utilization rates per 100 persons during a 2-week period were 23.6 in the year 1982, 21.8 in 1983, and 29.3 in 1987; and physician visit rates were 6.1 in 1982, 11.7 in 1983, and 14.9 in 1987. Thus, compared to the total utilization rate there was a definite increase in physician visit, and during the study periods there was a decrease in drug store visits whereas an increase in hospital or clinic visits was noticed. 2. The rates of effective demand for medical care need were 70.7% in 1982, 70.5% in 1983 and 75.9% in 1987 : and the rates of patients who visited physicians were 20.2% in 1982, 42.8% in 1983 and 35.6% in 1987. Thus, physician visits increased sharply by introducing the medical insurance program, but after the latent medical care demands were fulfilled, there was a slight decrease in the physician visits. 3. The number of acute symptoms and the number of chronic symptoms were common determinants of total ambulatory care utilization and physician visits. Besides the medical care need factors, age in 1982, sex and accessibility in 1983, and accessibility in 1987 were statistically significant determinants of the total utilization ; sex and accessibility in 1983, and education in 1987 were also statistically significant determinants of the physician visit. 4. For persons with perceived acute symptoms during the 2-week periods, accessibility in total utilization and age in physician visits were common discriminating factors of ambulatory care utilization in the three years, and education and income were also statistically significant variables. For persons with perceived chronic symptoms, occupation and income were statistically significant discriminating variables commonly observed in total utilization and physician visits.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of myofascial release technique on pain threshold and hormonal changes in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. Methods: Eight patients with adhesive capsulitis were treated with the myofascial release technique. Myofascial release is a form of manual therapy that involves the application of a low load, long duration stretch to the myofascial complex, intended to restore optimal length, decrease pain, and improve function. Blood tests and pressure pain threshold (PPT) examinations were performed on their first visit. On their second visit, the myofascial release technique was applied to the shoulder for 20 min. Then, blood tests and PPT were re-evaluated to determine the effects of the myofascial release technique on pain threshold and hormonal changes. Results: Pain threshold increased from 2.92 to 24.13 lb after treatment. Epinephrine decreased from .13 to .08 ng/mL whereas norepinephrine increased from .25 to .41ng/㎖ after treatment. Conclusion: Myofascial release technique in patients with adhesive capsulitis increased pain thresholds, norepinephrine and decreased epinephrine levels.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.315-324
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this case report was to investigate the effect of Korean medicine therapy on migraine patients with typical aura. Methods: Acupuncture and chuna manual therapy were applied to outpatients once in 1 to 2 weeks, a total of 9 times, for about 11 weeks. A patient was diagnosed with ganyang-toutong and taeeumin dry-heat symptomatic pattern. Herbal medicine (Chongsanggeontong-tang Gagambang (淸上?痛湯加減方)) was prescribed for 15 days up to the 3rd visit, then another herbal medicine (Yeoldahanso-tang (熱多寒少湯)) prescribed for 15 days up to the 6th visit. MSQol and MIDAS were used as a tool at the start and after 9th treatment. The intensity and frequency of headache, frequency of aura and neck pain were examined on every visit. Results: According to the results, Korean traditional medicine described above had effect on the intensity and frequency of headache, frequency of aura and neck pain as well as an increase in the figure of MSQoL from 62 to 81 and decrease of MIDAS Disability from 18 to 7, Duration from 60 to 30, Pain score from 8 to 2. Conclusions: Migraine with typical aura classified as ganyang-toutong and taeeumin dry-heat symptomatic pattern can be alleviated by Korean traditional medicine.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.165-168
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• 2010

Purpose: Pain or discomfort caused by foot diseases may lead to abnormal gait, resulting in decreased bone mineral density (BMD) of the affected lower limb. We analyzed the effect of foot affection to BMD and its clinical significance. Materials and Methods: Bilateral hip BMD was evaluated in 93 patients with unilateral chronic foot disease. To minimize statistical errors, we excluded patients with medical histories that had influence on BMD. Analysis was based on the results of BMD tests at the first visit. All patients denied past medical intervention for osteoporosis. The difference in density between bilateral limbs was determined by comparing BMDs of the neck, upper neck, trochanter and total area of hip. Results: Test results revealed the decrease of BMD in the lower limb with the affected foot, compared to the unaffected side. This decrease was significant in the area of the trochanter (p <0.05). There was no marked difference of BMD in relation with duration of affection, underlying disease or age. Pertaining the location of foot affection, the hindfoot group showed significant decrease in BMD compared to the forefoot group. The group with affection in bone and joint also showed a marked decrease in BMD compared to the soft tissue group (p <0.05). Conclusion: Pain and discomfort caused by chronic foot diseases can lead to a decrease in the BMD of the affected lower limb. This may increase the risk of complications such as osteoporotic fracture and muscular atrophy.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.263-274
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• 2011

1. Objectives: We report a series of 4 obesity cases who responded well to the weight-loss therapy based on the Taeeum Sasang constitutional therapy. 2. Methods: In treating 4 obese patients who were constitutionally typed as the Taeeum type, Case 1 and Case 2 fell into the category of the Lung Dry-Cold symptomatology, Case 3 into the Dry-Heat symptomatology, and Case 4 into the Exterior-Interior Combined symptomatology. Each patient was given Sasang medication according to protocol: Taeeumjowi-tang (Taiyintiaowei-tang) to Case 1 and Case 2, Cheongpyesagan-tang (Qingfeixiegan-tang) to Case 3, and Seunggijowi-tang (Chengqitiaowei-tang) to Case 4. On each visit to the clinic (7-21 times in total), the patients were checked on their general condition and change in body weight. 3. Results and Conclusions: All patients showed improvements in their general condition and a satisfactory decrease in weight (Case 1 showed a decrease of 12.7 kg in 84 days, Case 2 a decrease of 8.9 kg in 39 days, Case 3 a decrease of 33 kg in 250 days, and Case 4 a decrease of 29.3 kg in 155 days). Treating obesity based on Taeeum constitutional therapy was found to be effective for weight loss and general improvement of health. The sustained effects of the therapy should be checked during the following visits. The obesity treatment protocol suggested in this investigation should be explored and verified in future studies.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.723-726
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• 2019

We report two rare cases of spontaneously regressed Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC). A 52-year-old woman presented with headache. A pituitary hormone study was normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a $0.45-cm^3$ cystic sellar lesion. The cyst was hyperintense on T1-weighed imaging and hypointense on T2-weighted imaging without rim enhancement, comparable to a RCC. Six months later, brain MRI showed no change in the cyst size. Without any medical treatments, brain MRI 1 year later revealed a spontaneous decrease in cyst volume to $0.05cm^3$. A 34-year-old woman presented with headache and galactorrhea lasting 1 week. At the time of the visit, the patient's headache had disappeared. Her initial serum prolactin level was 81.1 ng/mL, and after 1 week without the cold medicine, the serum prolactin level normalized to 11.28 ng/mL. Brain MRI showed a RCC measuring $0.71cm^3$. Without further treatments, brain computed tomography 6 months later showed a spontaneous decrease in cyst volume to $0.07cm^3$. Another 6 months later, brain MRI revealed that the cyst had remained the same size. Neither patient experienced neurological symptoms, such as headache or visual disturbance, during the period of cyst reduction. The RCCs in both patients underwent spontaneous regression without any medical treatment during a period of 6 months to 1 year. Although spontaneous regression of a RCC is rare, it is still possible and a sufficient follow-up period should be considered.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.372-379
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• 2018

Korean society is experiencing rapid growth due to industrialization and urbanization, and the aging of population is emerging. Degradation of the masticatory muscle due to aging and reduction of the number of mastications causes dry mouth syndrome with decreased saliva in the elderly. Changes in the amount and composition of saliva cause various oral diseases, especially, periodontal disease is closely related to the microorganisms that form the plaque. In the elderly education, stimulation saliva was collected at the first visit and the last visit to observe changes in microorganisms in the oral cavity. For the collection of the probes, the paraffin wax was chewed for 5 minutes. The samples were immediately refrigerated in a 50 cc plastic tube and then stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ until the next use. The subjects of this study were the elderly people aged 65 years or older, and the study was conducted on 16 persons, 3 males and 13 females. The distribution of saliva microorganisms according to rolling brushing method showed significant difference in all three groups (Aa & Red complex, Orange complex and Green complex) before and after the education. In the group who answered that they had dentures, it was confirmed that the amount of microorganisms before and after education was significantly reduced in all three groups. There was a significant decrease in the amount of microorganisms in the Aa & Red complex and Orange complex group in the case of hypertension related to systemic disease. In conclusion, the higher the interest of oral health and general health of the subjects, the more effective the education.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was to examine whether a health care model that provides comprehensive medical services based on population groups to members of the medical cooperative is applicable as a policy alternative in terms of medical use and cost. Methods: Data were derived from National Health Insurance claim data in 2019. We compared the medical volume and expenses of patients who visited social cooperative-type medical clinics with other patients, control group who visited other clinics in a local area. Results: The average number of visit days was 25.3 days in social cooperative-type medical clinics, more than 24.2 days in the control group (p=.004). However, the average medical cost per visit was KRW 46 thousand in social cooperative-type medical clinics, which was significantly lower than KRW 51 thousand in the control group (p<.001), and the total medical cost was also KRW 16.1 billion in social cooperative-type medical clinics and KRW 16.9 billion in the control group. Conclusion: We identified that a population-based health care model might change patients' behaviors to health care services and decrease total medical cost. Further population based experiment is needed to develop alternative healthcare model.