• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2022

This study examined the effectiveness of Korean-Western cooperative treatment for patients with plantar fasciitis. Fifty patients received Korean medicine treatments (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine) and Western medicine treatments (polydeoxyribonucleotide, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy). Evaluation methods used were comparison before and after ultrasound (P9), and numeric rating scale scores. Results revealed a significant improvement in the level of pain and evaluation of improvement using ultrasound. Moreover, it was suggested that Korean-Western cooperative medicine treatment may be effective for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2019

Arthritis of hip joints deteriorates the quality of life in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. Secondary to the articular inflammatory process, the shortened hip-girdle muscles contribute to the decreased joint mobility which may lead to the functional impairment. As the limitation of range of motion (ROM) usually progress slowly, clinicians regard it as a chronic condition and prescribe long-term therapy. However, by short-term intensive multimodal treatment, a 20-year-old man diagnosed as AS with severely limited hip joint ROM who relied on crutches doubled the joint angle and could walk independently only within 2 weeks. The combination included intra-articular steroid injection, electrical twitch obtaining intramuscular stimulation, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, heat, manual therapy, and stretching exercises. The management focused on the relaxation of hip-girdle muscles as well as the direct control of intra-articular inflammation. Hereby, we emphasize the effectiveness of intensive multimodal treatment in improving the function even within a short period.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasonography-guided combined multiple needling and high-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Materials and Methods: We included 42 calcific tendinitis patients who underwent ultrasonograpy-guided multiple needling followed by high-energy ESWT who visited the clinic from January 2010 to June 2013. The average follow up period was 45 weeks. Clinical evaluation was done before and after 12 weeks from treatment, in clinical terms using pain visual analogue scale (P-VAS), ASES, UCLA scores reflecting performance and symptom improvement, and in sonographic terms by studying the changes in size of the calcific nodules. Results: A statistically significant improvement was seen in P-VAS, ASES, UCLA scores and decreased calcification size on sonographic evaluation. Conclusion: Ultrasonography-guided combined multiple needling and high-energy ESWT is considered as a useful method which could provide clinical function improvement and reduction of calcification deposit.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1060-1067
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• 2017

Objectives: This case study examined the effects of treatment with traditional Korean medicine on a central post-stroke pain patient, who had impingement syndrome of the right shoulder. Methods: The patient received traditional Korean medical treatments, including acupuncture, warm-needling, moxibustion, and cupping, throughout the treatment period, and extracorporeal shock-wave therapy and physical therapy for part of the treatment period. The effects of treatments were measured with a manual muscle test (MMT), numerical rating scale (NRS), range of motion (ROM), and gait staging index (self-invented). Results: The clinical symptoms of the patient were improved considerably after the complete treatment. Conclusions: Traditional Korean medicine may be effective for treatment of central post-stroke pain in patients with impingement syndrome.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.31-42
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• 2023

Objectives This study aimed to conduct a systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of muscle energy technique(MET) in temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Methods Searches were conducted in 11 electronic databases until October 2023. Randomized controlled trials(RCT) comparing the effect of MET for TMD were included. All studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results Nine documents that fulfilled all the criteria were obtained for analysis. All studies showed some concerns in high risk of bias, but showed a significant improvement in pain and maximum mouth opening compared to baseline of MET or control group. MET was not better than extracorporeal shock wave therapy or myofascial release in some outcomes. Conclusions MET seems to be an effective treatment for TMD in some regards, however, can be considered as an adjunct therapy which has weak evidence. Further studies are required due to the inconclusive data and poor homogeneity found in this review.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 2023

Objective: This study reported the improved symptoms of integrative Korean medicine-based treatment in a patient diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) who persistently complained of fatigue and chest tightness. Methods: A 51-year-old female SLE patient persistently complaining of fatigue and chest tightness underwent an 18-day treatment with Kracie Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang, Cheongpajeon-H, Gwanjeol-go, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping therapy, deep tissue meridian hot pack therapy, manual therapy, Interferential Current Therapy, and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy. The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for each symptom were measured on admission, at one week, two weeks of hospitalization, and upon discharge. Clinical outcomes were assessed using these two figures. Results: After treatment, there was a reduction in the BFI score (7 to 3). The NRS score of chest tightness with hot flashes decreased from 8 to 5, neck pain lessened from 7 to 5, pain in both ankles diminished from 6 to 4, the cold hypersensitivity of both feet fell from 6 to 4, and heartburn decreased from 5 to 2. In order, the biggest clinical improvement was to heartburn, fatigue, and chest tightness with hot flashes. Conclusion: This case study shows that integrative Korean medicine-based treatment can improve symptoms of a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patient persistently complaining of fatigue and chest tightness with hot flashes and suggests that Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang may be an effective option for managing and treating SLE patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2012

Purpose: In this study, the effects of stability exercise, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, and taping on pain and function in patients with myofascial pain syndrome of upper trapezius were compared. Methods: The subjects were divided into the stability exercise, ESWT and the taping treatment group and the clinical outcomes were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT) and a constant-murley scale (CMS) at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Paired t-test and ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results: All groups were statistical significance in the change in visual analog scale (p<0.05). The difference between the ESWT group and taping group was statistical significance in the change in pressure pain threshold (p<0.05) except for the taping group. Using the constant-murley scale, the stability exercise group showed a significant decrease in pain, and a significant increase in ROM, ADL, strength, total score of shoulder (p<0.05); however, the ESWT group showed no difference on ADL. In addition, there was no difference in strength for the taping group. The comparison of the effect between the stability exercise group, ESWT group and taping group in CMS showed a statistical significant difference in pain, ADL and ROM (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that stability exercise, ESWT and taping could be considered an effective and efficient treatment modality for myofascial pain syndrome of upper trapezius.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.205-218
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• 2021

Background: Korean medicine treatment was assessed in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) according to subgroups of: sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 122 inpatients who were admitted to the Hospital of Korean Medicine for Korean medicine treatment of knee pain, and were diagnosed with knee OA based on magnetic resonance imaging findings. Analysis of patient subgroups (sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity) was carried out and treatments including acupuncture, cupping, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, chuna therapy, medicinal steaming therapy, manual therapy, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy were listed. The numeric rating scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and 5-level EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) scores were measured before and after treatment to assess the effects of treatment on pain and quality of life. Results: Seventeen males and 105 females were included in this study. Most patients were in their 60s. In the total study population, NRS, WOMAC, and EQ-5D-5L scores were improved statistically significant when comparing before and after treatment. The NRS and WOMAC scores improved statistically significant in the medial, patellofemoral, medial + patellofemoral, medial + lateral + patellofemoral compartment. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment significantly reduced pain, stiffness, and physical dysfunction, and improved the quality of life of patients with knee OA, suggesting that it may be an effective alternative to the current conservative treatments.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2012

Purpose: To compare the outcome of two methods of chronic calcific tendinitis (CCT) treatment, Multiple drilling alone versus combined drilling and extracorporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT). Furthermore, to analyze the clinical and radiologic results of different energy level configurations of ESWT. Materials and Methods: Among the patients complaining shoulder pain who visited the clinic from June 2010 to August 2011, 98 were diagnosed with CCT of the supraspinatus and were divided into the following three groups. Multiple drilling alone (n=31), Multiple drilling followed by high-energy ESWT (n=31), Multiple drilling followed by low-energy ESWT (n=36). The study was conducted only with patients with chronic pain persisting longer than six months despite prolonged conservative therapy. Clinical evaluation was done before and after 12 weeks from treatment, in clinical terms using the ASES, KSS, CSS system reflecting performance and symptom improvement, and in radiologic terms by studying the change in size of the calcific nodules. Results: All of three groups showed effects for improvement of clinical function and decrease of calcification and clinical improvement was significantly high in comparison between the group fulfilled by only multiple needling (the third group) and the group fulfilled by additional ESWT (the first and second groups) and in the radiological evaluation, calcification size and the rate of calcification decrease showed significant improvement statistically. For the comparison among the groups, degree of clinical function improvement and rate of calcification decrease showed significant difference between high energy group (the first group) and multiple needling group (the third group) as well as low energy group (the second group) and multiple needling group (the third group). But, in comparison between high energy group (the first group) and low energy group (the second group), there was no significant difference for the degree of clinical function improvement and rate of calcification decrease. Conclusion: For the treatment of chronic calcific tendinitis, additional ESWT showed more superior effects on clinical function improvement and radiological improvement regardless of the energy standard rather than the exclusive fulfillment of needling. But, as the result of ESWT by the energy standard, there was no significant difference for the decrease of calcification and degree of clinical function improvement.