• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2013

More than 80% of cancer patients experience cancer pain. Among them, more than 50% experience moderate to severe pain. To control cancer pain, a variety of methods have been used, including medications and nerve blocks. In some patients, however, it is impossible to perform nerve blocks due to caner metastasis into the epidural space, while in other patients, opioid dose escalation is impossible due to opioid side effects; thus, cancer pain management is difficult. Scrambler therapy is a novel approach for pain control that uses EKG-like pads, which are applied above and below the site of pain. Scrambler therapy synthesizes 16 different types of nerve action potentials that provide "non-pain" information via cutaneous nerves. The advantages of this treatment are that it is non-invasive and safe and has no significant side effects. In this case series, we report the treatment results of using scrambler therapy in three cancer patients with intractable pain.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.49-57
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this study is evaluation for significance of skin meridian-acupoints energy measurement system, and is verification of principle to measure the bio-ion charge on acupoints. Methods : To check a correlation between the MEP(Meridian Energy Potential) and bio-electric charge condition, ten acupoints(left/right BL meridian : BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23) were chosen. Based on basic theory concerning the upward trend of the bio-electric charge by cupping therapy, we measured MEP change before and after 600mmHg(80kPa) Negative pressure stimulation using cupping. Results : We could identify the correlation between MEP and the condition of bio-electric charge in acupoints. Also, we checked the balance or imbalance of left/right the MEP and unusual cases. Conclusions : We confirmed significance of proposed principle and meridian energy measurement system.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.453-464
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• 2021

Abdominal obesity is increasing due to a decrease in physical activity and westernization of diet in busy daily life. Therefore, in order to satisfy the desire for body shape management, a management program with high efficiency versus time is needed. In this study, the diet-gel (i.e., slimming cosmetics) with the electrical muscle stimulation therapy was used to promote the effect of reducing waist circumference and body fat mass (or abdominal fat). For men and women in their twenties, the subjects simply applied diet-gel to their waist, wore EMS, and massaged for 20 minutes twice a day after waking up and before going to sleep. The experiment period was carried out for 2 weeks. The reduction of subcutaneous fat was observed using non-contrast CT, and it was confirmed by measuring waist circumference and body fat mass. In conclusion, the developed EMS and diet-gel combination program showed excellent waist management effects by reducing waist circumference by about 3 cm (p<0.001) and body fat mass by about 1 kg (p<0.01). This result suggests that the use of EMS shows a massage effect by muscle stimulation, and plays a role in promoting fat decomposition by helping the absorption of diet gel.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.670-678
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• 2004

In oriental medicine, meridian is pathway of bio-energy, and basic an object of diagnosis/therapy. But, in western medicine, meridian has been accepted as action pathway of nerve-endocrine-immune system. Acupuncture effect has been regarded as not effect by transmission of bio-energy but action or response by stimulation. In this paper, when an acupuncturist's bio-energy is passed on(non-insulation) and when is not(insulation), we analysed electric potential on meridian/non-meridian to verify effect of acupuncture therapy. In the results, when bio-energy isn't passed on, bio-potential is reacted to only the first of 4 times acupuncture operating. But when bio-energy is passed on, it is reacted to 4 times, and potential on meridian is higher than that of on non-meridian. Electric potential for same acupuncture operating is different on non/meridians, which implies that physiological construction and bio-energy transmission material is different respectively. When is extracting acupuncture method, potential is higher than that of injection one. It implies that extracting method is more effect than injecting one, in aspect of acupuncture therapy effect. Therefore, acupuncture therapy effect is verified as effect of response by acupuncturist's bio-energy transmission rather than that by only acupuncture stimulus.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.403-411
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• 2007

This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to experimentally induced masticatory muscle pain and muscular fatigue. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers (18 men and 11 women, aged $26.1{\pm}4.7$ years) without past history or present symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were participated in this study. All of the subjects were randomly assigned to experimental group and control group, after at least 3 days interval, two groups were reassigned conversely. Subjects assigned to experimental group were received TENS and others assigned to control group were received sham-TENS therapy for 45 minutes, respectively. The changes of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), and EMG power spectrum were measured on the masseter muscle both before and after sustained fatiguing contraction in each group. The major findings of this study are as follows : 1. PPTs and median frequencies of masseter muscles were significantly decreased after sustained isometric contraction resulting in muscular fatigue. 2. In experimental group received TENS therapy, PPTs measured both before and after occurrence of experimentally induced muscular fatigue were significantly increased. 3. In experimental group received TENS therapy, the changes of PPTs during sustained isometric contraction resulting in muscular fatigue were significantly decreased. 4. In experimental group received TENS therapy, VAS measured after occurrence of experimentally induced muscular fatigue was significantly decreased. 5. Although there were not statistical significances, endurance time was increased in experimental group received TENS therapy and decreased in control group received sham-TENS therapy. 6. In experimental group received TENS therapy, the changes of median frequencies were the less decreased and the slope of median frequency shift was the more increased during endurance time than in control group, however, there were not statistical significances.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 2001

Facial nerve paralysis(or Bell's palsy) which commonly occurs unilaterally, gives rise to paralysis of facial expression muscle. This condition is classified into symptomatic facial nerve paralysis due to intracranial tumor, post operative trauma, etc. and idiopathic facial nerve paralysis. To explain the etiology of idiopathic facial nerve paralysis, many hypothesis including ischemic theory, viral infection, exposure to cold, immune theory etc. were suggested, but there is no agreement at this point. The method to evaluate the facial nerve paralysis, when it occurs, consists of three stage scale method, image thechnics like CT and MRI, laboratory test to examine the antibody titers of viral infection, neurophysiologic test to evaluate the degree and prognosis of paralysis. Treatment includes medication, stellate ganglion block(SGB), surgery, physical therapy and other home care therapy. In medication, systemic steroids, vitamins, vasodilating-drug and ATP drugs were used. SGB was also used repeatedly to attempt the improvement of circulation and to stimulate the recovery of nerve function. Physical therapy including electric acupuncture stimulation therapy(EAST) and hot pack was used to prevent the muscle atrophy. When No response was showed to this conservative therapies, surgery was considered. After treating two patients complaining of Bell's palsy with medication(systemic steroids) and EAST, favorable result was obtained. so author report the case of facial nerve paralysis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.235-241
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the body temperature peripheral circulation with vibration shoes in healthy 10 adults. The magnetic vibration device with non-electric power was mounted in the midsole of the vibration shoes. The experiment was divided into two groups: vibration shoes and no vibration shoes. Subjects were randomly selected and measured body surface temperature by digital infrared thermal imaging (DITI) and non-invasive capillaries change by nailfold microscope (NFM). After walking in a treadmill for 15 minutes at 4.0 km/h speed wearing normal shoes or vibration shoes, DITI and NFM were measured. The walking with vibration shoes showed the body surface temperature shift from the proximal to the distal. In addition, the diameter of the nailfold capillary in the vibration shoes group was thicker and clearer due to the increased blood flow than that of the no vibration shoes group. The vibration shoes are easy to apply to anyone who can walk because it can give vibration stimulation by walking without additional time, cost, and effort in daily life. Further studies are needed to explain the physiological effects of vibration frequency and intensity on the long-term perspective of target subjects resulting from vascular dysfunction.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.145-155
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Korean medicine treatment of cervical vertigo. Three patients were diagnosed as cervical vertigo with correlating symptoms of imbalance and dizziness with neck pain. The diagnosis of cervical vertigo is also dependent on excluding other vestibular disorders on the basis of history, examination, and vestibular function tests. They were treated by acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound at acupoints and sympathetic ganglion chain of their cervical and upper thoracic region. The evaluation of clinical outcome was done by numeric rating scale (NRS), dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) and neck disability index (NDI), EuroQol-five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) index. After the treatment, the value of their NRS, NDI, DHI was significantly decreased and their EQ-5D index was significantly increased. The traditional Korean medicine treatment at cervical and upper thoracic region could be an effective way to treat cervical vertigo.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2010

Purpose: Nowadays spinal cord stimulator is frequently used for the patients diagnosed as complex regional pain syndrome. The lead is placed above the spinal cord and connected to the stimulation generator, which is mostly placed in the subcutaneous layer of the abdomen. When the complication occurs in the generator inserted site, such as infection or generator exposure, replacement of the new generator to another site or pocket of the abdomen would be the classical choice. The objective of our study is to present our experience of the effective replacement of the existing stimulation generator from subcutaneous layer to another layer in same site after the wound infection at inexpensive cost and avoidance of new scar formation. Methods: A 50-year-old man who was diagnosed as complex regional pain syndrome after traffic accident received spinal cord stimulator, Synergy$^{(R)}$ (Medtronic, Minneapolis, USA) insertion 1 month ago by anesthetist. The patient was referred to our department for wound infection management. The patient was presented with erythema, swelling, thick discharge and wound disruption in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. After surgical debridement of the capsule, the existing generator replacement beneath the anterior layer of rectus sheath was performed after sterilization by alcohol. Results: Patient's postoperative course was uneventful without any complication and had no evidence of infection for 3 months follow-up period. Conclusion: Replacement of existing spinal cord stimulation generator after sterilization between the anterior layer of rectus sheath and rectus abdominis muscle in the abdomen will be an alternative treatment in wound infection of stimulator generator.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.217-228
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in chronic low back pain and neuropathic pain. Methods: Seventy-four patients aged 18-65 with chronic low back pain were included in the study. Baseline measurements were performed, and patients were randomized into three groups. The first group received burst TENS (bTENS), the second group conventional TENS (cTENS), and the third group placebo TENS (pTENS), all over 15 sessions. Patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were evaluated before treatment (preT), immediately after treatment (postT), and in the third month after treatment (postT3). Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4), the Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (MOS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and sympathetic skin response (SSR) values were also evaluated preT and postT3. Results: A statistically significant improvement was observed in mean VAS scores postT compared to preT in all three groups. Intergroup comparison revealed a significant difference between preT and postT values, that difference being assessed in favor of bTENS at multiple comparison analysis. Although significant improvement was determined in neuropathic pain DN4 scores measured at postT3 compared to preT in all groups, there was no significant difference between the groups. No statistically significant difference was also observed between the groups in terms of MOS, BDI, or SSR values at postT3 (P > 0.05). Conclusions: bTENS therapy in patients with low back pain is an effective and safe method that can be employed in short-term pain control.