• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2022

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a skin-sensitive condition/disease that causes severe pain in the facial area predominantly innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve. A 51-year-old man diagnosed with glossopharyngeal neuralgia who was hospitalized with severe pain that limited his daily life activities. From November 18, 2021, to March 4, 2022, he received inpatient (10 days) and outpatient treatment (35 times) using acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. His symptoms were assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale, Neuropathic Pain Scale, and the Self-report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptom and Signs. The pain reduced after 4 days of initiating Korean medicine treatment and was completely resolved within 4 months of treatment (Numerical Rating Scale score 4 to 0; Neuropathic Pain Scale score 49 to 8; Self-report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs score 18 to 0). Korean medicine treatment could be an option for treating patients with neuropathy who rely on analgesics.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the recent research trends of evidence based medicine, especially human randomized controlled trials on acupuncture. Methods : The articles were collected by retrieving the database of Pubmed and Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society. The retrieving period was from October 2003 to September 2008, and the search term was 'acupuncture'. The articles were classified according to their publication journals, countries, publication years, targeted diseases, types of acupuncture and types of control. Results : In total, 558 articles in Pubmed and 35 articles in Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society were searched. The number of articles on acupuncture research has increased with higher rate since 2000, but the Qualitative development has not achieved the same amplitude. Studies in Korea were insufficient both in Qualitative and Quantitative aspects. In countries, China had the most papers, and in targeted diseases, pain diseases were most dominant. In the types of acupuncture, classical acupuncture, and in the types of control, conventional western treatment showed the highest frequency. Conclusions: We need to do many-sided and more high Quality researches on acupuncture. For that, well-designed randornized trials are absolutely necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.16-34
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• 2023

Herpes zoster (HZ) results from the reactivation of a varicella-zoster virus infection and is accompanied by moderate-to-severe pain in most patients. The most common treatment is medication; however, there are still limitations. Acupuncture reportedly has meaningful therapeutic effects and is a possible alternative option in HZ. However, no systematic reviews examining the use of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (EA) alone have been published; in this study, we therefore aimed to systematically review those techniques. We searched for clinical trials of acupuncture and EA treatment for HZ up to October 2022. Trials that used acupuncture were included. Outcomes were visual analog scale (VAS) and effective rate. Secondary outcomes were time to pain relief, time to pain elimination, incrustation, decrustation, lastly incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). In total, 22 randomized controlled trials were included in this research. Compared with conventional medication therapy, acupuncture was associated with a significant improvement in VAS, effective rate, and times to pain relief and elimination. Times to new blister cessation, incrustation, and decrustation (days) were significantly improved. Furthermore, the incidence rate of PHN was lower in acupuncture groups. The results suggest that acupuncture could be a reasonable treatment option for patients with HZ who suffer from pain and accompanying symptoms.

• 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.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2023

Recently, acupuncture has demonstrated extraordinary clinical results in the treatment of several categories of health conditions worldwide. The mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune mechanisms) have been investigated by biomedical studies over the last few decades. The immune mechanisms of representative clinical conditions and their clinical effects were thoroughly assessed, with a comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms of action of acupuncture (including immune responses) in this study. Conditions such as stroke, migraine, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, lower back pain, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, sepsis, and allergic diseases were meticulously examined. This in-depth analysis aims to ensure a foundational understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in acupuncture, thereby serving as an initial step toward integrating the impact of acupuncture on the immune system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.227-236
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• 1998

This study dealed with the effects of the blood pressure and regional cerebral blood fIow(rCBF) on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment to the acu-point equivalent to K 1 of sprague dawley rats(SDR). Acupuncture treatment of K 1 significantly decreased BP in SDR. 2. Acupuncture treatment of K 1 significantly increased rCBF in SDR. 3. Moxibustion treatment of K 1 significantly increased BP in SDR. 4. Moxibustion treatment of K 1 significantly increased rCBF in SDR. These results suggest that acupuncture and moxibustion causes a diverse response of blood pressure and reginal cerebral blood flow. During the moxibustion treatment of K 1 increased BP and rCBF, but after moxibustion recorved BP and rCBF. During the acupunture tretment of K 1 decreased BP and then recorved, rCBF was significantly increased.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.178-187
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• 2001

Objective ; This Study was carried out to review the history of acupuncture & moxibustion in Korea under the control of imperialized Japan and to compare the history among Korea, China and Japan. Results ; Under the control of imperialized Japan the science of acupuncture & moxibustion in Korea has experienced the dark ages because of the momentary disordered medical laws made by Japan. As we compare the history of acupuncture & moxibustion among Korea, China and Japan, Korea was simple but systemic, China was complicate but complex and Japan was nearly surgical. Conclusion ; The science of acupuncture & moxibustion of Korea was mostly advanced in the late Chosun and did not just imitate that of China and has advanced uniquely.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to describe the treatment of the clinical symptoms of syringomyelia using Korean medicine. A patient with syringomyelia complained of back and shoulder pain, numbness of the upper right limb, headaches and dyspnea. He was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and physical therapy. The Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to score sensory symptoms (pain, numbness) and Modified Borg scale (mBorg) was used to score dyspnea. After the treatment, his symptoms were relieved. The patient's chief complaint was back and shoulder pain which was reduced greatly from a VAS score of 6 between 1-2. The results in this study may contribute to the development of the Korean medicine field of syringomyelia in the future.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

This review examined and analyzed clinical research trends in the treatment of compression fractures in traditional Korean medicine using case studies. Accordingly, 5 web databases were searched using relevant Korean and English terms. Based on predefined exclusion and inclusion criteria, 16 case studies were selected, analyzed, and classified according to the journal, publication year, participants, chief complaints, affected vertebrae, treatment and evaluation methods, and improvement. The case studies reported various treatment methods, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, physical therapy, cupping, moxibustion, and band training. All 16 case studies reported the use of combination therapy. All 23 cases reported in these case studies demonstrated improvement in chief complaints, and none reported any side effects.