• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this review is to investigate the trends of Traditional Korean Medicine treatments on degenerative knee arthritis. Methods : We investigated the studies on traditional Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) treatments for degenerative knee arthritis via searching 5 Korean web databases. Results : 31 research papers were found to be analyzed according to their published year, the titles of journals, published institution, the types of study, the number of cases, the types of treatments. 31 papers were published since 1992. The studies on TKM treatments about degenerative knee arthritis were mainly published in The journal of korean acupuncture & moxibustion medicine. 13 Randomized Controlled Trials, 10 Case series, 4 Reviews, 3 Non RCTs, and 1 Case Report had been under research. In 22 cases of the studies, one method was used to treat the symptoms. Whereas in 5 cases of the studies, various TKM treatments were used to treat the symptoms. Visual analogue score(VAS) and patient's subjective complaints were used as primary assessments. Conclusion : In this study, we analyzed the trends of TKM treatments on degenerative knee arthritis. Reviewing the domestic trends of studies on Traditional Korean Medicine treatments on degenerative knee arthritis and examining the strong and weak points of those treatments are essential for the further studies.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.125-132
• /
• 2018

Objectives : This survey assessed Korean medical doctors' (KMDs') use and perception of smoking cessation therapies in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) and their drawbacks. Methods : A total of 14,485 KMDs affiliated with the Association of Korean Medicine were sent surveys via email. They were asked the use and perception of smoking cessation therapies in TKM and their drawbacks: Present use of Korean medicine treatment for smoking cessation, ideal treatment for smoking withdrawal symptoms, advantages and disadvantages of smoking cessation treatments in Korean medicine were asked with closed-ended questionnaire. Results : Two hundred fifty-three KMDs (1.75%) responded to the questionnaire. According to the results of the study, more than half of KMDs (51.4%) answered that they have practiced smoking cessation therapy. The most frequently used treatments for smoking cessation were ear acupuncture (EA) (74.6%) and acupuncture (15.4%), and the most of TKM doctors said that they were the most effective treatments. The advantages of smoking cessation treatment in TKM were the fewer adverse events (53.4%), availability to stimulate acupoints continuously in everyday life (48.2%), and the possibility of controlling withdrawal symptoms. Disadvantages included the long treatment duration and the necessity of frequent visits to the doctor. The greatest disadvantage was the lack of sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of TKM smoking cessation protocols. Conclusions : Despite of the low response rate, the survey results show that the main treatment modalities for smoking cessation are acupuncture, and this was also estimated effective for stop smoking. However, to improve smoking cessation rate, the more various smoking cessation treatments should be developed.

• Journal of TMJ Balancing Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.21-25
• /
• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report the effectiveness of TMJ balancing therapy and Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) treatments on a thalamus cerebral infarction patient with hemiparesis and gait disturbance. Methods: The patient was treated with TMJ balancing therapy, along with korean herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping and physical therapy. The motor function was evaluated through the Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Grasp power and Functional Ambulatory Category (FAC). And the daily life ability was evaluated by the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) and Korean National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (K-NIHSS). Results: After 17 days of TMJ balancing therapy and TKM treatments, the score of MMT did not improved, but the score of FAC, K-MBI, K-NIHSS improved. Conclusions: This study suggested that TMJ balancing therapy and TKM treatments could be effective for hemiparesis and gait disturbance in patients with thalamus cerebral infarction.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.29-44
• /
• 2018

Objectives : This study was conducted to survey on the research trends of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) intervention with woman menopausal symptoms in Korea. Method : We searched Korean research database by using keyword 'Menopause'. Korean research databases were Korean Studies Information Service System(KISS), Research Information Service System(RISS) and Korean Medicine Information System(OASIS). We classified articles identified by TKM treatments. Results : We analyzed 63 studies by classifying 4 interventions that consist of acupuncture treatment, herbal medicine, lifestyle modification, complex therapy. According to studies using acupuncture, Sameumgyo(三陰交, SP6) was the most treated. Soyosan(逍遙散) was most treated in herbal medicine studies, and massage was most used in lifestyle modification. Conclusion : A variety of treatment using TKM have been used for menopausal women. It is necessary to increase the level of evidence of TKM intervention through additional studies in the future.

• Integrative Medicine Research
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.333-340
• /
• 2018

Background: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) is widely used to treat children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Korea; however, studies investigating factors that influence the use of TKM are scarce. Thus, we investigated the clinical factors that might influence the use of TKM. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional, multicenter survey was performed from August 2014 to May 2016. The history of TKM use, type and severity of CP, current treatment characteristics, presence of accompanying disabilities or other health problems not directly related to CP, and monthly cost for the treatment of CP were surveyed. Results: In total, 182 children were recruited, and 78 children (42.9%) had used TKM. Among these 78 children, 50 (64.1% of the TKM-use group) had used both acupuncture and herbal medication, 15 (19.2%) had used acupuncture only, and 13 (16.7%) had used herbal medication only. Children with non-typical CP, accompanying disabilities and general health problems tended to use TKM. The monthly cost of treatment for CP was significantly higher in the TKM-use group than that in the no-TKM-use group, suggesting that economically disadvantaged children may have difficulty in accessing TKM. Dietary supplements, conventional pharmacological treatments, and rehabilitation therapies did not affect TKM use. Conclusion: Children with non-typical symptoms or those with poor overall health status are likely to use TKM. Additionally, TKM use leads to increased treatment costs. Studies investigating the motivation for starting or ceasing TKM therapy, socioeconomic factors and the attitude of parents towards complementary and alternative medicine should be performed.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.159-171
• /
• 2020

Objectives : This study aimed to understand the characteristics of the cases covered in the case studies on traditional Korean medicine (TKM) and furthermore, to provide basic information that can lead the discussion on 'what cases are worth reporting' in future case reports. Methods : Case reports on TKM were searched using the OASIS. The searched researches were analyzed according to the type of case, including information on disease/symptoms and intervention. Results : A total of 940 researches were searched. The most frequently reported type of case study was the report on the effectiveness of intervention. Case reports, which were only two cases in the 1970s, increased rapidly in the 2000s, and in particular, 314 cases within the last five years accounted for about 33% of the total literature. As for the number of studies by disease, the cases dealing with musculoskeletal diseases such as spine, shoulder and knee joint disorders were the most prevalent. Besides, there were many case reports related to cardiovascular, gynecological, cancer, psychiatric, and dermatological diseases. In a total of 51.9% of the included case reports, a combination of two or more Korean medical treatments such as acupuncture and herbal medicine was used at once, and western treatment was used with Korean medical treatment in 28.2% of the studies. The types of Korean medical treatments were varied, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, Chuna, acupotomy, herbal medicine, external preparation, and psychotherapy. The main purpose of the publication of the included case reports was analyzed as a report of TKM treatment for rare diseases, or the application of TKM treatment to diseases or symptoms that are "uncommon in TKM treatment" even if it is not a rare disease. Conclusions : Case reports have the strength of generating new scientific hypotheses by detecting the basic needs and novelty of medicine. The current case studies of TKM do not seem to be sufficient to highlight these strengths. It is necessary to discuss which cases are reported as cases of patients worth publishing, and based on this, it is necessary to activate case studies of TKM by utilizing diagnostic tools and science technology.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.268-276
• /
• 2018

Although patients with breast cancer receive standard treatments, they often experience recurrence or metastasis of tumors. Therefore, patients seeking treatment with traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in addition to conventional treatment have increased. We present a case of 46-year-old female with recurring breast cancer. She underwent surgeries and various hormone therapies since being diagnosed in 2007. Upon follow-up examination, she had metastatic lesions on the lung and multiple bones in 2015 and 2016. She received TKM treatments from May 2017 with Aromasin and Afinitor. However, hepatic metastasis was found after two months, so she started Capecitabine with TKM. After about two months, the liver nodules disappeared and a seeding nodule in the right paracolic gutter was decreased. After two months, the tumor response was stable disease. Back pain due to bone metastasis was improved. We suggest that combination treatment of TKM and chemotherapy is a promising method for treating breast cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.16-26
• /
• 2022

Objectives: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) has been supplied as part of a national health care system in South Korea under a dual medical system, however it has been difficult to mix western medicine and TKM medical practices in existing hospitals. For the objective of innovative integration between them, Comprehensive and Integrative Medicine Hospital were founded in Daegu, South Korea. Here, we discussed the clinical outcomes of cancer patients who received integrative cancer treatment (ICT). Methods: A total of 678 patients previously diagnosed with cancer were retrospectively checked in our institution for 2 years. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 573 patients were eligible for the final analysis. The overall survival (OS) of these patients in the aftercare period were determined. We looked at how clinical factors and treatments including chemotherapy, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and TKM affected the OS. Results: At the first visit, 212 subjects had no evidence of disease after tumor resection and 355 ones with advanced cancer, who receiving ICT including chemotherapy, CAM, and TKM showed better OS compared to the CAM including TKM or the best supportive care (median OS = 216, 78, and 46 days, respectively). The median OS was not reached in TKM only, even though the sample size was small (N=12). Even after adjusting for clinical factors associated to liver, renal, and hematologic manifestation, ICT still remained significant. Conclusions: We demonstrated that ICT might be beneficial for advanced cancer regardless of the performance status, liver and renal function, since it positively affected the OS.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.820-827
• /
• 2017

The prevalence of breast cancer is very high in Korea. Although the patients receive standard treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, they frequently experience recurrence or metastasis of their tumors. In addition, many patients with breast cancer also suffer from side effect symptoms induced by these standard treatments. Therefore, increasing numbers of patients now want to undergo treatment with traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in addition to conventional treatment. We present a case of 46-year-old female with recurred breast cancer. She first received two kinds of chemotherapy and then underwent surgery. She then also received 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. At a follow-up examination, she was informed of recurrent lesions on the right anterior chest wall. She started to receive TKM treatments together with a new chemotherapy. After about one month, the size of the recurred tumor in right chest wall had decreased. Her symptoms, such as shoulder pain, chest pain, and nausea induced by conventional therapy, were also improved. We suggest that a combination of TKM and chemotherapy is a promising treatment for breast cancer.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.149-154
• /
• 2008

With sophisticated clinical skills and the effectiveness of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM), many TKM doctors look forward to over seas expansion. About 450 TKM doctors had NCCAOM certificate, but only 40 TKM doctors arc in US now. Because The status of NCCAOM certificate in USA is not adequate enough for TKM doctors to perform medical treatments. In case of US, State medical boards depend to a large extent on the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates(ECFMG) for certification of international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking licensure in the United States. In addition to receiving certification that includes verification of education credentials, IMGs must pass Steps I and II of the USMLE. In order to obtain a license to practice in the United States, IMGs must successfully complete a residency in a program approved by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education(ACGME) and the complete Step III, the final step in the USMLE. TKM doctors, in the prospective of overseas expansion, applied to ECFMG and their applications have been rejected. This circumstance happened because Korea is unique country in the world with two different medical licensing system, Oriental and Western, both being physician workforce. Rejection by ECFMG occurred because of their minimal understanding of Korea's situation, while the responsibility to inform, propagate and protect TKM doctors own rights depend exclusively to Korean government, TKM doctor oneself and its related organizations, all the members should endeavor on it.