• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.205-218
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• 2021

Background: Korean medicine treatment was assessed in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) according to subgroups of: sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 122 inpatients who were admitted to the Hospital of Korean Medicine for Korean medicine treatment of knee pain, and were diagnosed with knee OA based on magnetic resonance imaging findings. Analysis of patient subgroups (sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity) was carried out and treatments including acupuncture, cupping, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, chuna therapy, medicinal steaming therapy, manual therapy, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy were listed. The numeric rating scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and 5-level EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) scores were measured before and after treatment to assess the effects of treatment on pain and quality of life. Results: Seventeen males and 105 females were included in this study. Most patients were in their 60s. In the total study population, NRS, WOMAC, and EQ-5D-5L scores were improved statistically significant when comparing before and after treatment. The NRS and WOMAC scores improved statistically significant in the medial, patellofemoral, medial + patellofemoral, medial + lateral + patellofemoral compartment. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment significantly reduced pain, stiffness, and physical dysfunction, and improved the quality of life of patients with knee OA, suggesting that it may be an effective alternative to the current conservative treatments.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 2019

Objective : Peripheral neuropathy refers to the symptoms caused by damage to peripheral fibers, inflammation and degeneration. This study reports the effects of moxibustion, electric moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture including GeonChil(Rhus verniciflua stokes, 乾漆)and Whalhyul(活血) pharmacopuncture on patients with peripheral neuropathy induced by anti-cancer drugs and chemotherapy. Method : We administered moxibustion, electric moxibustion, GeonChil and Whalhyul pharmacopuncture to two patients who showed peripheral neuropathy induced by anti-cancer drugs and chemotherapy. The symtoms were evaluated using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy assessment tool (CIPNAT). Results : Following observations were made after treatments. Case 1 : After nine procedures, the score of VAS was decreased. Feeling of cold and numbness were improved, and as rotation movement of ankle was also possible, gait disturbance were improved. Case 2 : After, seven procedures symptoms of both shoulder pain were improved, and the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy were eliminated. Conclusion : We found the possibility of symptom improvement after moxibustion, electric moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture treatment on peripheral neuropathy caused by anti-cancer drugs. Clinical studies of pilot study and control settings will need to be carried out later.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2022

While the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is gradually turning into an endemic disease, concerns about post COVID-19 conditions (Long COVID) are emerging. Obesity is a major risk factor for severe complications of COVID-19, and COVID-19 has a wide range of effects on obesity and metabolic function. This paper aims to examine the interaction between COVID-19 and obesity, the effects and mechanisms of long COVID on obesity, and the role of Korean medicine on long COVID-related obesity. Obesity may worsen with cardiometabolic damage and psychosocial insecurity during COVID-19 and long COVID-induced neuroinflammation, systemic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and hypoxia also may aggravate obesity. Korean Medicine treatments, which have been widely used to treat obesity, have the potential to improve obesity in the era of long COVID by intervening in these mechanisms.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.438-449
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• 2013

During the Joseon Dynasty, medicinal foods derived from herbs were often more effective than traditional medicines. In addition, the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty believed that foods could be used as various disease treatments. Grain-based foods, especially medicinal porridges (藥粥), were most frequently used for diet therapy. We investigated various types of diet-related diseases suffered by King Injo (仁祖) as well as how the diseases were treated using medicinal porridges based on information in the SeungjeongwonIlgi (承政院日記), which is the daily record of the Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty. This study examined the SeungjeongwonIlgi of King Injo from his1st year (1623) to 27th year (1649) on a website database maintained by the National Institute of Korean History. According to the records, King Injo suffered from severe diarrhea several times due mainly to febrile disease (煩熱症) as well as abdominal dropsy (脹滿) throughout his entire life. Major diseases affecting King Injo were due to his unhealthy eating habits and psychological factors. For treatment, royal doctors prescribed around 15 medicinal porridges, including nelumbo (seed) porridge (Yeonja-juk), milk porridge (Tarak-juk), Chinese dioscorea porridge (Sanyak-juk), mungbean porridge (Nokdu-juk), perilla seed porridge (Imja-juk), adzuki-bean porridge (Pat-juk), soybean porridge (Kong-juk), Korean-leek porridge (Buchu-juk), and so on, in addition to other medical treatments. Diet therapy using medicinal porridges has been used throughout history since the Joseon Dynasty period. However, knowledge of traditional diet therapy and medicinal porridges used by monarchs in the Joseon Dynasty is insufficient. Therefore, in-depth study is needed to understand the theory of traditional medicinal foods as well as explore their application to patients in the context of modern medicine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2020

This study investigated the clinical effect of Korean medicine treatments on two patients who experienced gastrointestinal symptoms with anxiety disorder. The patients were treated with herbal medicine (Yukgunja-tang, Banhabakchulchunma-tang) and acupuncture for 11 days and 26 days, respectively. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores on the day of hospital admission and after treatment were compared; both the BAI and GSRS scores decreased after treatment. Moreover, the grade of the gastrointestinal symptoms changed from severe to mild or none. Therefore, these cases are useful for describing Korean medicine treatments for anxiety disorders in patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms. However, additional case reports and studies are be needed in the future to confirm these findings.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.230-237
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of Korean medicine combination treatments for recurring back pain after medical procedures. Methods: This was a retrospective study performed on 311 patients admitted to Daejoen Jaseng hospital who were diagnosed with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral discs. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether or not they had undergone at least one medical procedure on the lumbar spine. They were assessed with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol-5 Dimensions Index (EQ-5D) before and after treatment. Results: Patients who experienced a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group A), statistically significantly improved EQ-5D and ODI scores. The NRS scores also decreased however it was not statistically significant. Patients who had not undergone a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group B) had statistically significantly improved ODI and NRS scores. The average EQ-5D score decreased however, there was no statistically significant difference before and after scores in Group B. There was no statistically significant difference in variation in EQ-5D, ODI, and NRS scores before and after treatment between the groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that even after a bilateral procedure and surgery, when pain in patients with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral disc did not decrease, (as in failed back surgery syndrome), Korean medicine combination treatment of postoperative pain was helpful and there was improvement in daily life.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2014

The prevalence rate of plant poisoning is growing up gradually. However, it could be difficult to get proper treatment without detail medical history taking due to the diversity of poisonous plants and their various symptoms. Scopolia Japonica, which grows naturally in Korea, is reported to cause severe toxicity which could be lethal. A few therapeutic measures have been reported in Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), but it has not been reported yet that those measures have been successfully proven in the clinical practice in modern times. This is a case report of toxicity caused by scopolia japonica ingestion. A 65years-old male patient with cognitive impairment, behavioral disorder, gait difficulty, dysarthria, dysphagia and abnormal pupil reflex recovered from those symptoms during taking Gamigamdu-tang and getting acupuncture. This study shows the clinical aspects of Scopolia Japonica toxicity and the possibility of TKM treatments as one of plant poisoning treatments.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

Objectives This research aimed to investigate recent clinical treatment of herbal medicine fumigation for plantar fasciitis. Methods We searched recent clinical studies regarding herbal medicine fumigation in traditional Chinese medical journals on plantar fasciitis through the China Academic Journal (CAJ). Clinical articles published from 2012 to July 2022 were analyzed. This study examined the types of study, periods, herbal medicine, assessment, and risk of bias and conducted a comparative evaluation of herbal medicine fumigation added to other treatments. Results Ten studies were selected from 52 studies. Eight studies were classified as randomized controlled trial. Various assessment scales were used. Most treatments were administered for approximately 20 to 30 min once daily. Most studies revealed that herbal medicine fumigation is effective for plantar fasciitis. Conclusions Most studies showed that herbal medicine fumigation is effective for plantar fasciitis. More studies are needed for Korean medicine development.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.47-60
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• 2019

Objectives This study reviewed recent clinical research trends regarding the effectiveness of herbal medicine treatments for knee osteoarthritis. Methods We reviewed 4 different online databases (PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], National Digital Science Library [NDSL], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS]) from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2019. Results Thirty-two randomized controlled trial papers were selected in this review. Most of them were conducted during 12 weeks, used Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities Arthritis Index. In 22 of the papers, the effectiveness in the intervention groups was significantly higher than that in the control groups statistically (p<0.05). 5 studies reported intervention group was not inferior to the control group. Conclusions Most of studies showed herbal medicine treatments were statistically effective to knee osteoarthritis. More scientific and systematic clinical studies should be actively conducted in the future, and the results of this study could be used as basic data in the future clinical studies on herbal medicine treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

Objectives: This research was aimed 1) to find out various subjective symptoms cancer patients had, 2) to find out the quantitative difference of symptoms occurring according to the area of cancer, current treatment methods, and relapse of the cancer and 3) to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. Methods: This study was a survey about the various subjective symptoms cancer patients had. The subjects were 48 cancer patients in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial about the effectiveness of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. Surveys were examined before Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. The questionnaire consisted of demographic research, patient history and accompanying symptoms. The symptoms part consisted of 4 questions on general symptoms (vertigo, hot flush, rash, insomnia), 2 questions on digestion symptoms (anorexia, dyspepsia), 2 questions on excretions (diarrhea, constipation), and 5 questions on symptoms in different body parts (headache, dryness of lips, chest pain, aphthous ulcer, nose bleeding). The questionnaire was used to research presence of symptoms and relationships between the occurrence of symptoms. Results: A total of 48 patients took part in this survey. Dizziness was the most frequent subjective symptom patients had (64.58%), followed by dry mouth (43.75%), headache (43.75%), insomnia (41.67%), anorexia (37.5%) and chest discomfort (37.5%). The presence of these subjective symptoms was partially related to the patient's history details - type of cancer, method of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy), termination of treatment, presence of pain, fatigue and recurrence, etc. Factor analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. It suggested 5 factors as a result, but there was a limitation that only a low level of correlation was shown among them. Conclusions: We were able to analyze the occurrences and the relationships among them for accompanying subjective symptoms in cancer patients. However the results of the study are limited in that only 48 patients participated. The symptoms in cancer patients showed a tendency for clustering, occurring simultaneously or continuously rather than occurring alone. The study of these symptom clusters is worth further study, for it is similar to the Symptom Differentiation System in Traditional Korean Medicine. For effective approach to the treatment of cancer in Traditional Korean Medicine, further research on the Korean traditional view of cancer patients should be done based on this research, regarding various symptoms and those relationships on a larger scale.