• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2014

Background: Epiduroscopic laser neural decompression (ELND) has been performed as a treatment tool for chronic refractory low back pain and/or radicular pain. There are some studies about the usefulness of epiduroscopy for post lumbar surgery syndrome, however, few studies about the effectiveness of epiduroscopy for patients without back surgery. We compared the satisfaction of patients who underwent ELND for chronic low back pain and/or radicular pain after back surgery and for the same symptoms without surgery. Methods: We compared the degree of satisfaction of patients after ELND between who had underwent the lumbar spine surgery and who had not retrospectively by chart reviewing. We divided 39 patients who had received ELND into two groups, one is the group of patients who got the lumbar surgery (group 1), and the other is the group of patients who did not (group 2). Their medical records including age, sex, previous treatment, duration of illness, degree of symptom relief were investigated. We compared each items between two groups. Results: The number of patients in group 1 was 17, and group 2 was 22. In group 1, 16 patients (94.1%) showed more than 'Acceptable', and 19 patients (86.4%) showed more than 'Acceptable' in group 2. There is no significant differences statistically in percentage of patients who showed more than 'Acceptable' in the satisfaction after ELND between two groups. Conclusions: ELND provided satisfaction (more than 85%) for patients with chronic low back pain and/or leg pain regardless of previous back surgery history.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2016

Phantom limb pain is a phenomenon in which patients experience pain in a part of the body that no longer exists. In several treatment modalities, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been introduced for the management of intractable post-amputation pain. A 46-year-old male patient complained of severe ankle and foot pain, following above-the-knee amputation surgery on the right side amputation surgery three years earlier. Despite undergoing treatment with multiple modalities for pain management involving numerous oral and intravenous medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency (RF) treatment, the effect duration was temporary and the decreases in the patient's pain score were not acceptable. Even the use of SCS did not provide completely satisfactory pain management. However, the trial lead positioning in the cauda equina was able to stimulate the site of the severe pain, and the patient's pain score was dramatically decreased. We report a case of successful pain management with spinal cauda equina stimulation following the failure of SCS in the treatment of intractable phantom limb pain.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.31-47
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to report the effectiveness and outcome on the prognosis of pregnancy of traditional Korean medicine treatment for inpatients who had a traffic accident during pregnancy. Methods: The study is conducted by analyzing the medical records of hospitalized patients in a Korean medicine hospital. Seventy-six pregnant patients who got into car accidents from March 2015 to February 2020 were included. We performed statistical analysis by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences(SPSS) ver. 25.0. To verify the effect of traditional Korean medicine treatment for traffic accidents during pregnancy, we analyzed improvement of symptoms. Also, we analyzed the prognosis of pregnancy and signs of premature birth or miscarriage during treatment to verify the applicability of traditional Korean medicine treatment for traffic accidents during pregnancy. Results: Among the symptoms of pain, there was a statistically significant decrease in lower back pain, post neck pain, headache, pelvic pain, knee pain, lower limb pain, wrist pain, and upper limb pain. Other systemic symptoms showed statistically significant improvement in nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, and lower limb numbness. All confirmed cases reported normal pregnancy maintenance and delivery, and no miscarriage was reported. Two cases that showed signs of premature birth or miscarriage during treatment were unrelated or unclear with traditional Korean medicine treatment. Conclusions: Traditional Korean medicine treatment is effective and applicable for pregnant women injured by traffic accidents. Further studies are needed to identify the effectiveness and safety of traditional Korean medicine treatment for the sequelae of traffic accidents during pregnancy.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2004

The purpose of this study were to examine the effect of high intensity, low frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at auricular acupuncture points on experimental pain threshold measured at the wrist and to determine the changes in effect over time. Forty-two healthy adult men and women were assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups. Group 1(n=15) received TENS to appropriate auricular points for wrist, Group 2(n=12) received TENS to wrist, and Group 3(n=15) received no TENS. We measured experimental pain threshold at the wrist after an electrical stimulus during one pre-treatment and three post-treatment time periods. Group 1 and 2 showed stastically significant increase(p<0.05) in pain threshold after treatment whereas the Group 3 did not. Group 1 showed a significant increase in pain threshold than Group 2. These results suggest that high intensity, low frequency TENS applied to appropriate auricular acupuncture points can increase pain threshold.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.67-75
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• 2016

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical usefulness of M-test (Meridian test) as an adjunctive evaluation and treatment in patients with chronic neck pain. Methods This study was a single arm pre-post comparison study. Thirty-six eligible subjects with chronic neck pain were recruited from August to September, 2015. M-test was used for evaluating the condition of meridian, which can induce the limitation of ROM and body discomfort. Subjects were offered intradermal acupuncture treatment on one-acupoint for 48 hours. Cervical numeric rating scale (NRS), cervical range of motion (ROM), neck disability index (NDI) and surface electromyography (SEMG) were measured before and after the treatment. Total NRS and the number of movement limitation of M-test were also measured before and after the treatment. Results Among the 36 participating subjects, 4 subjects were lost to follow-up or excluded in accordance with the criteria. Significant differences on Cervical NRS and NDI were found after the treatment (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the range of left cervical rotation (p<0.05). Root mean square (RMS) of SEMG significantly decreased on the right sternocleidomastoid muscle (p<0.05), but significantly increased on the right trapezius muscle (p<0.05). Median frequency (MdF) of SEMG significantly increased on both sternocleidomastoid muscles. There appears to be significant differences after the treatment in total NRS and the number of movement limitation of M-test (p<0.05). Conclusions These results suggest that the evaluation and treatment of M-test based on the meridian and collateral theory were effective on cervical NRS and NDI, and also improved the movability of human body.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate differences between traffic accident and non-traffic accident patients in the early stage, by analysis of the heart rate variability(HRV) and visual analogue scale(VAS). Methods : This study carried out on 38 patients who complained of nuchal or lower back pain. They have received hospital treatment in Dae-Jeon Univ. Cheonan Oriental Hospital. In the TA(Traffic accident) group, the pain caused by TA and in non-TA group, the pain caused by other reasons. We measured HRV and VAS twice(pre-treatment(Tx.) and post-Tx.). Then we analyzed the data. Results : As time goes by, patients who complained of pain showed the inclination to improve ability to balance autonomic nerve system. And fatigue and pain were improved. But they showed the inclination to increase stress index. At pre-Tx., TA group had more stress and worse ability to balance autonomic nerve system, but showed lower fatigue index than non-TA group. But, as time goes by, in TA group the fatigue and autonomic balance got worse. At pre-Tx., non-TA group complained of more severe pain than TA group, but at post-Tx., TA group complained of more severe pain than non-TA group. In other words, in TA group, the decreasing rate of pain was lower than non-TA group. Conclusions : Results from this investigation showed that TA have a negative effect on stress index, ability to balance autonomic nerve system, fatigue index and decreasing rate of pain. These results are expected to consider characteristics of patients who complained of pain caused by TA.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4561-4565
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• 2012

The aim of the present study is to find out the influence of rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) on pain intensity among cancer patients in India and Iran. The study followed a quasi-experimental, pre-post test, carried out with a sample of 88 cancer patients, aged 21-52 years, referred to the Baharat cancer hospital of Mysore in India and Shahidzade hospital of Behbahan in Iran. They were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=India 21; Iran 22) and control (n=India 22; Iran 23) groups. Pain was measured with the McGill Pain Questionnaire-MPQ (1975), the intervention by REBT has given to the experimental group for 45 days (ten sessions) and at the end of intervention, the pain of patients was again evaluated. Concerning to hypothesis of the study, two independent sample T test and three ways mixed ANOVA is used to analyze the data. Results showed that the experimental group in post test had less pain than the control group, but there were no statistically significant differences between Indian and Iranian patients in pain perception. With respect the outcome of study, it has realized that REBT can be used in hospitals and other psychological clinics to reduce the pain of cancer patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2015

Objective : To report a minimally invasive treatment option using percutaneous pedicle screw fixation with adjuvant treatment for metastatic thoraco-lumbar and lumbar spinal tumors. Methods : This is a retrospective study of charts of patients with spinal metastases. All were older than 18 years of age and were considered to have more than 3 months of life expectancy. The patients had single or two level lesions, and compression fracture or impending fracture. Exclusion criterion was metastasis showing severe epidural compression with definite neurological symptoms. Usually spinal segments from one level above to below pathology were stabilized. Visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain assessment and Frankel scale for neurological deficit were used, while pre- and post-operative performance status was evaluated using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Results : Twelve patients (nine men, three women; median age 54.29 years) underwent surgery. All patients presented with back pain with/without radicular pain. There were no early complications and perioperative mortalities. Following surgery, a significant difference between average pre- and post-operative VAS scores was found (p=0.003). Overall, 91.8% of patients (11/12) experienced improvement in their ECOG score post-operatively. The mean ambulation time was 196.9 days [95% confidence interval (CI), 86.2-307.6 days; median, 97 days]. During follow-up, nine patients died and the mean overall survival time in enrolled twelve patients was 249.9 days (95% CI, 145.3-354.4 days; median, 176 days). Conclusion : Minimally invasive treatment using percutaneous pedicle screw fixation with adjuvant treatment is a good alternative treatment option for potential instability of the thoraco-lumbar and lumbar spinal metastasis.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2006

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful, disabling disorder for which no proven treatment has been established. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the evidence of the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the management of pain in CRPS patients. Methods: Between March 2004 and June 2006, 11 patients with CRPS were treated with SCS. The visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain (0⁣-10) and pain disability index (PDI) were obtained in all patients prior to treatment, and 1, 3 and 6 months post-implantation. Results: All 11 patients, 5 men and 6 women, with a median age and duration of CRPS of 44 years and 48.8 months, respectively, successfully received a lead implantation for SCS. The mean VAS pain score prior to the treatment was 85.5 out of 100 mm. After SCS implantation, the mean VAS pain scores were 49.5, 57.0 and 56.0 at 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure, respectively. The mean pain score for allodynia was decreased by 50%, with a significant reduction of the PDI also observed after the treatment. Conclusions: Our current study suggests that SCS implantation is a safe and effective method in the management of CRPS patients.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1071-1076
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to determine if a gentle form of manual lumbar traction could reduce painful lumbar motions associated with lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). This clinical trial incorporated 134 participants with painful active lumbar motion. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental treatment or sham group. 67 participants received sidelying manual lumbar traction while the other 67 participants received a sham treatment. Pre and post treatment NPRS values for the painful active lumbar motion were recorded for each group. There was a statistically significant improvement (P=0.00) for decreased pain intensity during active lumbar motion in the experimental group as compared to the sham treatment group. The average percent decrease in numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) values was 52.1% for the experimental treatment group and 8.1% for the sham group. The results of the study suggest that side-lying manual lumbar traction can improve painful lumbar motion in patients with LDD.