• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.187-204
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• 2008

Objectives : To investigate how Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs) and pregnant women understand acupuncture treatment during pregnancy with a focus on safety. Methods : A survey was conducted in 163 KMDs and 157 women who were hospitalised in postnatal care clinics after childbirth. KMDs were asked regarding experience in acupuncture treatment for pregnant women and condition/disease for acupuncture treatment, intention to give acupuncture treatment to pregnant women and reason for yes/no, and consideration for acupuncture treatment for pregnant women. Patients were asked regarding their experience in acupuncture treatment before and during pregnancy and willingness to receive acupuncture treatment if necessary during future pregnancy. Results : 78% of KMDs have given acupuncture treatment to pregnant women if necessary, and it was mainly for pain. 63% of KMDs were willing to give acupuncture treatment for pregnant women with consideration of patient’s condition, specific acupuncture points, and stimulation methods. Pregnant women, however, were reluctant to receive acupuncture treatment during pregnancy (58%) in fear of miscarriage or needling itself. KMDs’ clinical experience, patients’ income level and level of education were not associated with greater use of acupuncture treatment during pregnancy (P>0.05). Conclusion : While many KMDs are willing to give acupuncture treatment to pregnant women if necessary, little evidence on its safety and effectiveness prevents patients from seeking acupuncture treatment during pregnancy. Further research on this issue is urgently needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2021

The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for patients with rotator cuff diseases. There were 12 electronic databases and 3 trial registries searched up to November 30th, 2019. All randomized trials were eligible, regardless of language, date of publication, or settings. The primary outcomes were pain, shoulder function, and proportion of improved participants assessed within 12 weeks of randomization of the trial. The Cochrane risk of bias for the studies was assessed. Effects sizes were presented as a risk ratio, mean difference, or standardized mean difference with a 95% confidence intervals. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was adopted to rate certainty of evidence. Of the 3,686 records screened, 28 randomized trials (2,216 participants) were included in this review. The types of acupuncture included manual acupuncture, dry needling, electroacupuncture, acupotomy, warm needle acupuncture, and fire needle acupuncture. All of the studies had an unclear or high risk of bias related to more than 1 domain. Significant benefits of acupuncture in terms of pain and shoulder function were observed in all comparisons, however, the proportion of improved participants was not described in 2 comparisons. There was substantial heterogeneity among meta-analyzed trials. No serious harm was observed. For primary outcomes, the overall certainty of evidence was very low. There was very low certainty of evidence for the benefits of acupuncture for patients with rotator cuff diseases. The safety of acupuncture remains unclear due to the incompleteness of reporting. Future well-designed randomized trials with transparent reporting are required.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2006

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.272-280
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• 2023

This report presents the clinical progress of a 50-year-old male diagnosed with a left acetabular fracture and left rib fracture after falling from a height of 3 m. The patient was treated nonsurgically and underwent complex traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatment and rehabilitation, including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, bee venom, herbal medicine, physiotherapy, and moxibustion. Patient progress was assessed using the numerical rating scale (NRS), manual muscle test (MMT), and modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS). During 113 days of hospitalization, the NRS score decreased from 7 to 3, and the MMT grade increased to normal in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The mHHS score increased from 26 to 99 points. Radiographs and computed tomography scans of the left acetabulum were obtained periodically, and fracture union was successfully achieved. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of complex TKM treatment and rehabilitation of acetabular fractures.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2024

This study presents a case of facial nerve injury that occurred after parotidectomy for a benign tumor of the parotid gland that improved with integrated Korean medicine (IKM). On June 24, 2023, the patient presented with facial nerve injury based on a facial nerve conduction study after parotidectomy, with a score of five on Yanagihara's unweighted grading system (Y-system) and a grade of five on the House-Brackmann facial grading scale (H-B scale). During the 15 days of admission, IKM treatments, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, herbal steam therapy, physiotherapy, herbal medicine, and thread embedding acupuncture treatment, were performed. After treatment, the strength of the orbicularis oculi, orbicularis oris, and masticatory muscles improved, with a Y-system score of 17 and an H-B scale of III. In conclusion, the findings of this study confirm the applicability and effectiveness of IKM in the treatment of facial paralysis following parotidectomy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.224-238
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• 2012

Objectives : From mechanism studies using animal models to high-level evidence based research such as randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews, various acupuncture studies have been performed. Nevertheless, the current research appears insufficient to satisfy clinicians' needs. We aimed at investigating clinicians' perception on the translational research and suggesting ways of symbiosis between basic research and clinical practice. Methods : Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire made available to Korean medicine doctors who were informed through social networking service or e-mail. The survey participants indicated their awareness of acupuncture research and their thoughts on the applicability of research in practice. Results : Forty-seven clinicians completed the survey. While most respondents agreed that acupuncture research is very important, only 40% of them answered that the results of acupuncture research are useful to their own practice. In more than half of those who responded to the survey, the current acupuncture research is not viewed as reflecting clinical practice very much. Respondents agreed that acupuncture research should be based on clinical practice, and they recognized the need to collect valid clinical data from real-world practice. Also, as many as 77% of clinicians had no scruple to participate in research programs. Conclusions : There is no doubt among practitioners that acupuncture research is necessary. More importantly, practice-based research remains essential in order to feed-back research outcomes to clinical practice. Communications and academic exchanges between clinicians and researchers can mutually benefit research and practice with better information, resulting in symbiosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1228-1231
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• 2004

There are little report on treatment of compression fracture with Traditional Korean Acupuncture Therapy. We suggest to treat Lumbar compression fracture with the SAAM(사암) Acunpture, Carthami-Flos Herbal Acupuncture Therapy. The Treatment methods of the SAAM(사암). Acnpucture, Eliminating extravasated Blood, was apllied at SP3, LU9, LI11 and Carthami-Flos Herbal Acupuncture at the waist. We treated the patient who was diagnosed as lumbar compression fracture by MRI. After 15 days of Treatment, SAAM Acupuncture and Carthami-Flos Herbal Acupuncture, a remarkable improvement was made for Lumbar compression fracture. There was reports about SAAM Acupuncture and Carthami-Flos Herbal Acupuncture of Patient with Lumbar Compression Fracture. It is very effective to reduce the pain and shortening the period of therapy.

• 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 Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.251-257
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• 2003

Background and Purpose : We were to investigate whether simple and electric acupuncture can affect the colonic transit time in both normal persons and chronic constipation patients. Methods: Twenty one volunteers were divided into two groups; first, normal control group(N=12) who had normal defecation habits, second, chronic constipation group(N=13). Before acupuncture, colonic transit time was checked using radio-opaque markers. Then simple acupuncture was done at four acupoints(both ST36, LI4) and maintained for 15 minutes during 4 days. Electric acupuncture was done using same methods except for applying 2Hz electrical stimulation. Result : In the normal group, after simple acupuncture, each transit time in the total, right, left was not changed statistic significance compared to pre-acupuncture(P>0.05), but which of rectosigmoid colon shortened statistic significance(P<0.05). After Electric acupuncture, transit time of right colon was shortened(P<0.05), and extended(P>0.05) in rectosigmoid colon compared to pre-acupuncture and simple acupuncture. In constipation group, after simple acupuncture, only rectosigmoid colonic transit time shortened statistic significance compared to pre-acupuncture(P<0.05). After electric acupuncture, also the transit time of rectosigmoid colon was shortened statistic significance compared to pre-acupuncture(P<0.05), but not to simple acupuncture(P>0.05). Conclusion : In normal persons without constipation, acupuncture affect the colonic transit time differently to the methods of it. In chronic constipation group, simple and electric acupuncture only reduces the rectosigmoid colonic transit time statistically significant(P<0.05).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.129-129
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• 2006