• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.13-29
• /
• 2023

Objectives To evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture for facet joint syndrome. Methods We conducted search across 9 electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL (CENTRAL), KoreaMed, Kmbase, Koreanstudies Information Service System (KISS), ScienceOn, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang) to find clinical trials that used acupuncture as treatment for facet joint syndrome. The methodological quality of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tool, while non-randomized controlled clinical trials (nRCTs) were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Study (RoBANS) tool. Results Nine RCTs and one nRCT met our inclusion criteria. Fire needle was more effective than medial branch block in terms of visual analogue scale (VAS) after 1 month (p=0.02). Also, Fire needle was more effective than Ibuprofen in terms of VAS and oswestry disability index (ODI) (p<0.05). However, in the rest of the study results, the intervention group did not show a statistically significant difference than the control group. Conclusions Although our review found encouraging but limited evidence of acupuncture for facet joint syndrome, most of the studies included in the analysis were evaluated as methodologically high risk of bias. From now on further well-designed RCTs should be encouraged.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.17-28
• /
• 2024

This study aimed to analyze whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the characteristics of first-visit patients with peripheral facial palsy (PFP) and observe changes in their characteristics. This study analyzed the electronic medical records of 2,310 first-visit patients with PFP who visited the Facial Palsy Center, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021, in terms of demographic characteristics, disease phase, residence locations, hospital visit route, and patient care. During COVID-19, the proportion of acute patients increased by 5.3%, the proportion of visits by residents in Seoul increased by 3.8%, and the proportion of patients receiving only outpatient treatments increased by 12.8%. Significant relationships were present between the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of patients by disease phase (p = 0.043), residence locations (p = 0.003), and patient care (p = 0.003). Thus, several differences in the characteristics of first-visit patients with PFP visiting a Korean medicine hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of demographic characteristics, disease phase, residence locations, and patient care.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.153-158
• /
• 2017

Background: Hominis placenta (HP) is used in Korean medicine to tonify qi and blood, and enrich yin and tonify yang. HP has been reported to have therapeutic effects. Methods: A survey of international and Korean electronic databases was conducted using the search terms "hominis placenta pharmacopuncture" and "hominis placenta extract". The search was limited to material published up to May 31, 2017. Results: A total of 83 studies were included in this systematic review: 50 were clinical studies, 25 were basic studies, and 8 were other types of study. Among clinical studies, the most frequently treated disease groups were musculoskeletal diseases and nervous system diseases. In vitro studies were conducted mainly on anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-cell necrosis models. Most of the in vivo studies were performed in rheumatoid arthritis or diabetic complications models. Conclusion: HP pharmacopuncture has effects in the treatment of various diseases. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to improve the level of evidence for HP pharmacopuncture. It would be helpful if future in vitro and in vivo studies could identify the mechanism of action of HP pharmacopuncture.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.25-30
• /
• 2009

The oriental medical treatment has many strong points when compared to the western medical treatment, but there are still problems when there is no scientific proof given concerning the effectiveness of a certain treatment. Moreover, experiments are being conducted where new medical treatments applied to patients suing both oriental and western techniques. Especially, in oriental acupuncture, there is no objective data on which an oriental medicine doctor can decide the injection time for acupuncture needle by considering a patients body condition, age and the condition of the diseases. From computer simulation results, it has been that the electronic needle is more efficient than the conventional method of acupuncture needle.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.3319-3325
• /
• 2013

In this paper, hand acupuncture used as a way of life medicine in everyday life, the influence of human organ will be investigated by applying IT techniques. For this, hand acupuncture is based on priority of the most important organ in the human body to target the cardiac associated with cardiac reflex point A16 acupuncture point before and after for 5 min to stimulation of facial images were collected and applied to the Lab color system associated with the cardiac, color value of cheonjung and lips region were measured for comparison and analysis. Finally, by measuring the change in bio-image signals A16 acupuncture point stimulation effects on cardiac function were performed to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture. Also, statistical significance tests from the experimental results were performed whether the experimental results is valid or not.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review laser acupuncture studies to find possibility for applying high intensity laser to acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. Methods : Searching papers was performed using search engines of five electronic databases, including Pubmed, Thomson ISI, EMBASE, Sciencedirect, and EBSCO, from inception to May 2011 without language limitation. Inclusion criteria were clinical studies with human, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case-control studies, and case reports. Selecting papers was performed with titles and abstracts in first step, scrutinize full text in second step, and then the extrated data was analyzed by two authors independently. The methodological quality for RCTs was evaluated using Jadad's scale. Results : Total 8 papers, (3 RCTs, 5 controlld studies, and 1 case reports), were finally selected. The study dealt with surgical laser, argon and $CO_2$ laser was one for each, with GaAs laser was two, and with new semiconductor laser, GaN, were four. The output range was from 110 mW to 15 W. The study diseases were alcohol addiction, knee osteoarthritis, bronchopneumonia and asthma for children, and circulation. All studies reported positive effect. The methodological quality in all RCTs was low because of below 3 points and all studies had few subject numbers. Conclusions : We suggest that high intensity laser can be applied to acupuncture and moxibustion. Further rigorous and well-designed study will be needed for various disease. The oriental medical society needs to take active measures to study and clinical application of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment with high intensity laser.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.280-287
• /
• 2014

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze clinical studies on electro-acupuncture therapies of post-stroke dysphagia to suggest the methods of the study about electro-acupuncture therapy. In this study, electronic searches were performed with searching sites. Searched words such as '중풍', '뇌졸중', '연하장애', '전침', 'stroke', 'dysphagia', 'deglutition disorders', 'electro-acupuncture' were used as a single keyword or in combinations. Through searching, 27 studies were selected and analyzed. In comparison of results before and after electro-acupuncture treatment, there were statistically significant improvement in 26 studies by using assessment such as video fluoroscopy swallowing study, swallowing water function test. The study of electro-acupuncture treatment for post-stroke dysphagia needs to be standardized and high-quality study models should be introduced.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.75-87
• /
• 2020

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of manual therapy for wrist pain. Methods : We searched electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, CAJ, KISS, RISS, NDSL, OASIS, and KMBASE) for randomized controlled trials for manual therapy as a treatment for wrist pain. Results : A total of 9 randomized controlled trials were selected and meta-analysis was conducted on 6 studies. Three studies with different design of the intervention/control group were excluded from the meta-analysis. A high risk of bias was observed for both performance bias and detection bias. Conclusions : Our systematic review verified the clinical effect of manual therapy on wrist pain. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that clinical studies on wrist diseases and high-level follow-up studies will be conducted.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.19-38
• /
• 2017

Objectives : This is a retrospective statistical analysis of the demographic and therapeutic characteristics influencing the continued improvement of symptoms in patients treated in 2014 for herniated lumbar discs at a Korean medicine hospital; thereby, providing clinical data to further improve medical services of Korean medicine. Methods : We investigated the demographic and therapeutic variables of all patients who were diagnosed with a herniated lumbar intervertebral disc and were hospitalized for more than 1 night at Dunsan Korean medicine hospital from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014. IBM SPSS 21.0 was used to conduct a logistic multiple regression analysis and a covariance analysis (ANCOVA) of the demographic and therapeutic variables collected from the electronic medical records and telephone surveys. Results : 1. A longer duration of hospitalization was significantly better for the maintenance of pain relief or a decrease in the pain after discharge. 2. Younger patients were significantly less likely to be treated with a Western medical treatment after discharge. 3. Most of the demographic and therapeutic variables were not statistically significant in regards to treatment for lower back pain since discharge. Conclusion : Some of the demographic and therapeutic variables had a positive effect on the prognosis at one year or greater in patients who received integrative Korean medical treatment for lumbar disc herniation. Continued and systematic research will be needed.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.661-689
• /
• 2000

We came to the conculsion after considering all of information from many kinds of books on the cause, pathogenesis and treatment of Flaccidity-syndrome. The results were as follows : 1. Flaccidity-syndrome means limb-relaxation due to muscle atony that isn't able to constraction. It's begun as mild degree from extremities, in some cases ended to quadriplegia or expire. 2. Cause factor and pathogenesis of Flaccidity-syndrome is various. After Lung fluid consuption caused by heat-evil was refered in The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine. They were refered as cause factor that Main channel asthenia, excess of sexual intercourse, wetness-evil, heat-evil gets into the interior, asthenia of the spleen and stomach. Since Ming Dynasty, It's classified to wetness-heat evil, wetness-phlegm, deficiency of vital energy, deficiency of blood, deficiency of yin, blood stasis and indygestion, etc. 3. In the view of treatment of Flaccidity-syndrome, Yangming was selected in The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine, and it's been mean to clear away wetness-heat evil located at Yangming. In the method of acupuncture it was same on the base, and many skills have been used that electronic acupuncture, point-injection theraphy, acupuncture point block, catgut implantaion at acupuncture point, cutaneous acupuncture, auriculo-acupuncture and head acupuncture by the through post generation. 4. Flaccidity-syndrome was defined to weak, disuse and non-pain. Beacause it was non-pain, so medicine to expel wind-evil was prevented to use. But through post generation Flaccidity-syndrome has been treated that is able to cause pain or numness as arthralgia-syndrome. Therefore there is tendency that medicine to expel wind-evil is capable within pathological basement of Flaccidity-syndrome in recent. 5. In the view of west-medicine, Flaccidity-syndrome is diplegia or quadriplegia with sensory disorder, muscle atropy in some cases. And there are spinal disease, peripheral nerve disease, muscular disease, nerve-muscle copula disease. The symptoms are able to amyotomia, numness, sensory disorder, pain.