• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.149-169
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was designed to statistically analyze patients hospitalized for thoracolumbar compression fractures at Daejeon University Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. Methods: A total of 62 patients were analyzed through electronic medical records in this study. The extracted data was analyzed using IBM SPSS ver.27.0. Results: 1. Traffic accident patients were more likely to reduce pain by more than half compared to falls and other patients. Patients without spinal disease were more likely to reduce pain by more than half compared to those without. The shorter the absolute bed rest and the longer the hospital stay, the higher the probability of pain reduction by more than half. 2. The duration of pain half-reduction was longer in patients with diabetes than in patients without diabetes. 3. The longer the hospitalization period and the shorter the absolute bed rest period, the less pain was reported upon discharge. Males complained of less pain at discharge than females, and patients without spinal disease complained less than those without. Patients who did not receive absolute bed rest complained of less pain upon discharge than those who did not. Conclusions: This study included patients hospitalized for thoracolumbar compression fractures and showed that etiology, absolute bed rest period, hospitalization period, gender, spinal disease, diabetes statistically affected the degree of pain reduction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.170-174
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• 2007

Although research efforts for brain waves have prospered in medicine and engineering, acupuncture still has a long way to go regarding researches on brain waves analysis. Thus this study set out to analyze brain waves stimulated by indirect mugwort moxibustion, which was part of acupuncture techniques, and to investigate their correlations with the automatic nervous system. For the experiments, stimulation was given to Jungwan, Shingwol and Gwanwon, which were some of the spots on the body suitable for acupuncture, through indirect mugwort moxibustion. The subjects' brain waves were measured before the stimulation, during the stimulation, and one hour and two hours after the stimulation. The measurements were analyzed with Matlab 7.0 for FFT and frequency power spectrum. Then the ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$, ${\delta}$, and ${\theta}$ waves were analyzed and examined for changes to the percentage of each frequency and to the amplitude of vibration according to the stages of stimulation. The EEG data of the entire brain were translated into FFT to analyze the percentage of the ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$, ${\delta}$, and ${\theta}$ waves. As a result, the ${\alpha}$ waves recorded a double increase after the stimulation. The power spectrum analysis results of the entire brain decreased the ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ waves dropping in the energy level, which suggested that the parasympathetic nerves were activated. When the results of the study were compared with those of the previous study, it's confirmed that indirect moxibustion stimulation could cause changes to the automatic nervous system and bring stability to those who were nervous or under stress due to the proportionate increase of the ${\alpha}$ waves.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.78-90
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• 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to review case reports about adverse events of acupuncture or moxibustion treatments in Korea. Methods: Electronic literature searches were performed for adverse events of acupuncture or moxibustion treatments in Korea up to October 2009. Results: Sixteen case reports or case series were retrieved in total. Among them, 10 were reporting about acupuncture, 5 about pharmaco-acupuncture (3 bee venom acupuncture and 2 others), and 1 was reporting about moxibustion treatment. The incidence of adverse effects couldn't be proven due to the lack of prospective studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment seems to be one of the safer forms of medical interventions, when performed by skilled Korean medical doctors. However, prospective studies are necessary to reach conclusions about safety. In addition, a system for collecting and managing adverse effects of Korean medical interventions as well as a reeducation system for clinicians is needed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.176-184
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand current situation of acupuncture and moxibustion for male infertility. Methods: We searched all relevant studies of male infertility patients treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. Electronic searches were conducted in Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and 4 Korean databases until October 2013. Results: A total of 10 reports were included in the review. Two case reports, one case series, three before and after studies, one cohort study, one non-randomized controlled study and two randomized controlled studies were reviewed. Although the majority of studies suggested a positive effect of acupuncture on male infertility, the quality of studies was low. Data on adverse effects were lacking. Conclusions: We found a benefit from acupuncture for poor semen quality in male infertility. These findings should be treated with caution as the evidence was low or very low quality. To further evaluate the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion in male infertility, well-designed randomized controlled studies are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.75-98
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics, validity, and reliability of non-radiological assessment tools of scoliosis that have been studied so far. Methods: Electronic databases including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Science On, RISS, OASIS were searched by keywords including 'scoliosis assessment', 'scoliosis screening', 'physical examination', 'functional measurement', 'photography', and 'smartphone'. Results: 32 articles using radiation-free assessments were identified from 1,011 records. The mostly used non-radiological methods were Surface topography, Scoliometer, Ultrasound, Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging, and Photography. The other methods were Gait analysis, 3D depth sensor imaging, and Low intensity electromagnetic scan. Conclusions: It was found that non-radiological assessment tools might reduce the number of radiographs taken in scoliosis patients. To increase the reliability and validity, further research on the measurement tools of scoliosis will be needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.110-121
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of various types of acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes (HF). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved from 8 electronic databases, and the risk of bias was evaluated for the included studies. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed using Review Manager and R software for indirect comparison and ranking, respectively. In total, 23 RCTs (2,302 patients) were eligible for systematic review, of which 10 were included in network meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis showed manual acupuncture (MA) had the highest probability of reducing HF frequency and severity, followed by sham acupuncture (SA), electroacupuncture, usual care, or no treatment; furthermore, warm acupuncture significantly improved menopause-specific quality of life compared with MA or electroacupuncture. Compared with hormone replacement therapy, acupuncture had less efficacy in reducing HF frequency but enhanced menopause-specific quality of life. There was no significant difference between MA and SA in mitigating HF. The existing evidence showed that MA could be used for alleviating menopausal HF. However, it is recommended that more high-quality RCTs should be performed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2019

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the use of Korean Medicine for treating cauda equina syndrome. Methods We searched for studies of the use of Korean Medicine for the treatment of cauda equina syndrome in 8 electronic databases and analyzed these studies. Results We found 297 studies on cauda equina syndrome from 8 electronic databases. We excluded 230 duplicate studies, 53 studies that did not involve the use of Korean Medicine and 1 review article. In addition, 13 case studies (13 patients) were included. Acupuncture, herbal medicine (13 times), moxibustion (9 times), pharmacopuncture (8 times), physical therapy (6 times), cupping therapy (5 times), and the bladder stimulation technique (4 times) were used. ST36 for acupuncture, Bojoongikgi-tang as a herbal medicine, CV4 for moxibustion, bee venom as a pharmacopuncture material and BL23 in pharmacopuncture point were the most frequently used. Conclusions Korean Medcine for cauda equina syndrome was effective. However, we found limited evidence regarding Korean Medicine for cauda equina syndrome. Thus, we think various type of studies including much more case reports, for cauda equina syndrome should be performed in the future.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.173-181
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• 2021

Objectives: The aim of this review was to appraise Korean studies published between 2010 and 2021 which examined the role of acupuncture in the treatment of obesity. Methods: We performed a search of the NDSL, KISS, RISS, OASIS, PubMed, EMBASE electronic databases for relevant animal researches, case reports, and clinical trials, using the following search terms: 'obesity', 'acupuncture', 'electroacupuncture', and 'pharmacopuncture'. We excluded previous reviews and meta-analyses, studies not related to obesity or acupuncture treatment, as well as studies conducted in countries other than Korea. We also excluded studies where relevant information on acupuncture treatment in obesity could not be obtained. Results: Most studies were conducted in animals, followed by case reports and clinical trials. In animal researches and case reports, pharmacopuncture was the most used intervention. In case studies, electroacupuncture, thread-embedding therapy, manual acupuncture, acupotomy, and auricular acupuncture were also used. In animal researches, pharmacopuncture treatment was associated with improvement in obesity indices. In the case of local obesity, specific acupuncture techniques such as thread-embedding therapy and pharmacopuncture were associated with significant improvements in local obesity, even when diet and exercise were not controlled for. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment showed significant benefit in the treatment of obesity, with a local effect evident for certain approaches, such thread-embedding therapy and acupotomy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2022

In order to secure clinical evidence for the treatment of cold accumulation (CA), this study reviewed and analyzed 91 records of literature and related records. To perform a classical literature search, the Oriental Medicine Classic databases and the Uibujeonrok electronic data were searched. Books on Immunopharmacopuncture (IP) were also reviewed. A common etiology for CA was attributed to the abdomen, while the detailed sites of the abdomen differed. In IP, CA had a more comprehensive list of symptoms of physiological and pathological significance. As for the treatment of CA, typically, herbal medicine was used until the end of the Korean Empire period, and moxibustion treatment on CV4, CV6, CV-12, ST36, EX-B4, and conduction exercise therapy were also reported. Since 1965, acupuncture needle-based invasive treatment such as acupuncture for CA, and IP have been described in IP theory. Consequently, the treatment of CA (as described in the IP theory), was considered to be a more advanced method of treatment compared with the existing classical treatment methods.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with storage, voiding, and post-micturition reduce quality of life and cause mental health problems. In traditional medicine, Baliao points have been empirically used to treat urinary system diseases. In this review, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using sacral acupuncture on Baliao points with sham treatment, other remedies, or other acupoints were retrieved from 8 electronic databases up to June 2021. Sixteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was assessed using a risk-of-bias (ROB) tool. Most of the evaluation indicators used in the included RCTs showed that sacral acupuncture had a significant therapeutic effect compared with the sham control intervention groups, and other remedies. However, all studies using acupoints (other than the Baliao points) as a control intervention had a "high" ROB and only reported secondary processed information, making it difficult to evaluate the efficacy of sacral acupuncture treatment for LUTS. No serious adverse effects were reported for sacral acupuncture, and only a low number of minor side effects were observed. These results suggest that sacral acupuncture could be considered as an alternative to existing treatments, with the added benefit of low cost. Large-scale, long-term RCTs are required in the future.