• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.196-201
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• 2016

Objective: This study reports on the effects of HongYi (red ant, or Formica rufa Linne) pharmacopuncture through three cases involving female patients with voiding difficulty.Method: We treated the three patients with HongYi pharmacopuncture and evaluated them using the international prostate symptom score (IPSS), which is used for measuring the severity of voiding difficulty.Result: After treatment, the IPSS showed improvement in each patient. The symptoms of voiding difficulty and other complaints also improved.Conclusion: Based on the three cases, HongYi pharmacopuncture may be a viable option for treating voiding difficulty among women.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.930-943
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of HongYi pharmacopuncture monotherapy on female voiding dysfunction. Methods: Korean medical practitioners who used HongYi pharmacopuncture to treat female patients complaining of dysuria were surveyed. They performed a retrospective chart review of 31 female patients who visited their Korean medical clinic for dysuria. General characteristics, marital status, urologic medical history, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS), and related adverse events were examined. Results: Of 31 cases received, 29 were selected for analysis. Two cases were excluded because treatment was not continued through four weeks. In all cases, IPSS and ICIQ-FLUTS scores were significantly decreased after treatment. Adverse reactions occurred during treatment in four cases. Conclusions: These results suggest that treatment by HongYi pharmacopuncture is effective in improving lower urinary tract symptoms in women. Further studies will be needed for evaluation of clinical responses, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HongYi pharmacopuncture treatment for female patients complaining of dysuria.