• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2018

Objectives: We investigated the efficacy and safety of miniscalpel acupuncture (MA) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in an assessor-blinded randomized controlled pilot trial; this would provide information for a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Methods: Participants (n = 24) were recruited and randomly allocated to the MA group (experimental) or acupuncture group (control). The MA group received treatment once a week for 3 weeks (total of 3 treatments), while the acupuncture group received treatment two times per week for 3 weeks (total of 6 treatments). The primary outcome was pain as assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes (intensity of current pain, stiffness, and physical function) were assessed using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Assessments were performed at baseline, 1, 2, and 3 during treatment and at week 5 (2 weeks after the end of treatment). Results: Of the 24 participants, 23 completed the study. Both groups showed significant improvements in VAS, SF-MPQ, and WOMAC. However, there were no significant differences between the MA and acupuncture groups. No serious adverse event occurred and blood test results were within normal limits. Conclusion: Our results suggest that although both MA and acupuncture provide similar effects with regard to pain control in patients with KOA, MA may be more effective in providing pain relief because the same relief was obtained with fewer treatments. A large-scale clinical study is warranted to further clarify these findings.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.95-115
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• 2013

Objectives The aim of this review is to provide fundamental data for low back pain scales which can be used in clinical trial. Methods We investigated the latest studies on chronic low back pain via PubMed. And we also investigated domestic studies through "http://oasis.kiom.re.kr". 95 research papers were analyzed. Scales were classified into pain scale, function scale, generic health status scale and psychological scale. Results 1) According to foreign clinical studies, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) were used 18 times as pain scale. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used 20 times as function scale, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) was 17, and Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire (HFAQ) was used 3 times. 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used 13 times as generic health status scale, Euroqol-5 Dimentions Questionnaire (EQ-5D) was 11, and 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) was used 3 times. Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) was used 9 times as psychological scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-R) both were used 3 times. 2) According to domestic clinical studies, VAS was used 37 times as pain scale, NRS was 11, and Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was used 6 times. ODI was used 30 times as function scale, RMDQ was 2 times only. SF-36 was used once as generic health status scale and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) was used 3 times as psychological scale. Conclusions We recommend VAS or NRS as a measure to evaluate pain, and ODI as a measure to evaluate functional disability. And we also recommend SF-36 or SF-12 and EQ-5D as a measure to evaluate generic health status. Finally, we recommend FABQ for use in measuring psychological scale.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2006

Objectives: To explore the quality of life in patients with temporomandibular disorders and to evaluate it in terms of source and duration of the pain. Methods: A total of 61 patients with temporomandibular disorders participated in this study. According to pain source, they were divided into 2 groups, masticatory muscle pain (MMP) group and intracapsular pain (ICP) group. And each group was divided into acute phase group (pain duration <6 months) and chronic phase group (pain duration=6 months). The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to measure patients' quality of life. The scores for eight-scale profile and the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the SF-36 were compared between groups (MMP vs. ICP and acute vs. chronic). Student t-test was used to analyze the difference of the scores of the SF-36 between MMP and ICP groups. Results: MMP group showed significantly lower score in the 3 scales of the SF-36 (Role limitations due to emotional problems, Vitality, Bodily pain) when compared to ICP group. In acute phase there was no significant difference between MMP and ICP group in PCS as well as MCS scores, but in chronic phase MMP group showed significantly lower MCS score than ICP group. Conclusions: The masticatory muscle pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders,negatively influences the quality of life especially in chronic phase, and the mental components of quality of life are significantly interfered in the TMD patients with chronic masticatory muscle pain.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.411-416
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of conscious sedation on pain and anxiety of patients in implant surgery. A total of 95 patients who underwent implant surgery were included in the study. In this study, the patient's anxiety and pain to evaluate the pre-operative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), during-operative Pain Question (PQ), post-operative (Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire [SF-MPQ], VAS) was used for tools such as questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the chi-squire, independent-samples t-test, multiple linear regression analysis. As a result, the pain reduction was significantly different between the sedative dental treatment and non-sedative dental treatment (p<0.05). The finding of the study multiple linear regression analysis showed that operation time, implant surgery experience, gender, age, operation form and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) with factors that affect the pain and anxiety (p<0.05). According to the results of the study, considered to be necessary to develop intervention strategies effective using the PCS when managing pain and anxiety of behavior management of this implant patient. Thus, it is advised to provide necessary practical guidelines and dental utilization behaviors on patients with conscious sedation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2016

Objectives : The Knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients are not satisfied with the conventional therapies of KDOA, which results in the use of alternative therapies. The miniscalpel acupuncture is effective in treating chronic soft tissue, releasing contractures. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis. This study was designed to obtain basic data for a further large-scale trial as well as provide information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients. Methods : We describe the protocol for a randomized controlled pilot clinical trial of 5 weeks duration. Twenty patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to two treatment groups: miniscalpel acupuncture treatment(experimental group); and acupuncture and electro-acupuncture treatment(control group). Miniscalpel acupuncture will be performed once with a 1-week interval for 3 weeks. Electro-acupuncture will be administered twice per week for a period of 3 weeks. The primary outcomes will be measured by visual analogue scale and range of motion. The secondary outcomes will be short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Both primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 1, 2, 3 and 5 weeks(i.e. 2 weeks after treatment completion). Conclusions : This pilot study will provide a basic foundation for a future large-scale trial as well as information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis.

• Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.957-963
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• 2015

Objective To compare the pain-reducing effect of forest bathing alone versus forest bathing in combination with stretching and strengthening exercises in patients with chronic posterior neck pain. Methods Sixty-four subjects with posterior neck pain that had lasted more than 3 months were enrolled. They were randomly divided into a forest bathing alone (FBA) group and a forest bathing with exercise (FBE) group; each group included 32 subjects. All subjects from both groups walked every morning in the forest for about 2 hours for 5 days. In the afternoon, the FBE group did a stretching and strengthening exercise for about 4 hours; the FBA group had free time in the woods. Visual analog scale (VAS) on one day, VAS over the previous week, neck disability index (NDI), EuroQol 5D-3L VAS (EQ VAS) and index (EQ index), McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), the number of trigger points in the posterior neck region (TRPs), and the range of motion of the cervical spine were evaluated on the first and last day of the program and compared between the two groups. Results The number of TRPs were significantly reduced in the FBE group compared with the FBA group (p=0.013). However, the other scales showed no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion When patients with chronic posterior neck pain underwent a short-term forest bathing (less than 7 days) program, FBE was more effective in the reduction of the number of TRPs than FBA. However, all other pain measurement scales we evaluated showed no statistically significant difference between the two protocols.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.194-200
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• 2021

Recently, incorrect and unhealthy postures have become increasingly prevalent due to reasons such as smartphone use. Consequently, imbalanced muscle contraction occurs. In particular, if the oblique muscle is contracted, the accessory nerve will be compressed, causing ischemic pain in the upper trapezius muscle. To investigate the effect on pain in the upper trapezius muscle, this study applied the ischemic compression method to the accessory nerve capture point at the 1/3-point of the oblique cervical muscle. In this study, the ischemic compression method was applied to eight women twice a week for four weeks, and pain was evaluated before, immediately after, and three weeks after application. The visual analogue scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and pressure dynamometer were used to evaluate subjects' pain. As a result of this study, it was confirmed that the pain was significantly reduced after treatment, and that the pain reduction was still effective three weeks after completion of the intervention, indicating that the intervention on the accessory nerve compression point on the oblique cervical muscle was both effective and long-lasting for pain reduction in the upper trapezius muscle. Future studies should increase the number of subjects to check not only pain reduction in the upper trapezius muscle, but also improvement of neck function.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2015

Objectives: A vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is characterized by back pain and fracture of a vertebral body on spinal radiography. VCFs of the thoraco lumbar spine are common in the elderly. In general, appropriate analgesics should be prescribed to reduce pain and, thus, promote early mobilization. The ideal treatment approach for VCFs has not been determined. In Korea, acupuncture and herbal medication have been used to treat VCFs for many years. There is empirical evidence that acupuncture might benefit patients with a VCF. However, no randomized, controlled, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and the safety of acupuncture for treating a VCF have been published. Therefore, we designed a randomized, controlled, pilot, clinical trial to obtain information for the design of a further full scale trial. Methods: A five week protocol for a randomized, controlled, pilot, clinical trial is presented. Fourteen patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to two groups: a control group receiving interlaminar epidural steroid injections once a week for three weeks, and an experimental group receiving interlaminar epidural steroid injections plus acupuncture treatment (three acupuncture sessions per week for three weeks, nine sessions in total). The primary outcomes will be the pain intensity (visual analogue scale and PainVision$^{TM}$ system). The secondary outcome measurements will be the answers on the short form McGill pain questionnaire and the oswestry disability index. Assessments will be made at baseline and at one, three, and five weeks. The last assessment (week five) will take place two weeks after treatment cessation. This study will provide both an indication of feasibility and a clinical foundation for a future large scale trial. The outcomes will provide additional resources for incorporating acupuncture into existing treatments, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, narcotics and vertebral augmentation. This article describes the protocol.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.135-148
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• 2023

Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of post-disaster musculoskeletal pain by reviewing relevant clinical studies. Methods A systematic search was conducted across 10 electronic databases to identify relevant clinical studies on acupuncture treatment for post-disaster musculoskeletal pain until May 2023. The methodological quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non-randomized studies tools. Results Six articles were analyzed, including two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), two before-after studies, one qualitative research, and one case series. Overall, acupuncture therapy showed some improvement in pain scale among musculoskeletal pain survivors. However, no significant improvement was observed in the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2). Subgroup analysis of participants who completed at least four acupuncture sessions revealed a significant effect on the SFMPQ-2. Additionally, a significant improvement in 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF36P) was observed after 6 months of treatment, but the 2-month treatment period did not show statistically significant effects on SF-36P improvement. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the RCTs identified some concerns of bias. Conclusions The results suggest that acupuncture is effective in alleviating post-disaster musculoskeletal pain. However, considering the limited number of selected studies and the inclusion of subjective evaluation measures, caution should be exercised in interpreting the results. Further large-scale follow-up studies are needed to determine the optimal frequency and duration of acupuncture treatment. Well-designed controlled trials should be conducted to provide more robust evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture for post-disaster musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2006

Purpose : The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of muscle strengthening exercise on balance ability of knee osteoarthritis. The subject were consisted of 30 women patients with knee osteoarthritis. Method : The strengthening exercise group with modality treatment. The strengthening exercise for 40 minutes per day and three times a week during 6 weeks period. Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire(SFMPQ) was used to measure patient's pain level. Patient Specific Functional Scale(PSFS) was used to measure patient's functional disability level. BPM was used to measure sway area. Global Perceived Effect Scale(GPES) was used to measure recovery or worse of patient's condition. Results : 1. SFMPQ was muscle strengthening exercise showed significantly decreased more than before treatment(p<.05). 2. PSFS was muscle strengthening exercise showed significantly increased more than before treatment (p<.05). 3. Sway area was muscle strengthening exercise showed significantly limited area more than before treatment(p<.05). 4. GPES was muscle strengthening exercise showed significantly increased more than before treatment(p<.05). Conclusion : This study will be used as exercise method of patient with osteoarhtritis.