Chronic Cough after COVID-19 Improved by Korean Medicine Treatment Including <i>Chungsangboha-tang</i>: A Case Report

Background: Chronic cough, defined as cough persisting for more than eight weeks, is a common clinical problem that significantly impairs quality of life. Post-infectious cough, particularly after COVID-19, may involve neuropathic mechanisms such as vagal hypersensitivity and central nervous system dysregulation. Conventional treatment options are often limited, underscoring the need for complementary approaches such as Korean medicine.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment, including <i>Chungsangboha-tang</i>, in a patient with post-COVID-19 chronic cough accompanied by mononeuropathy.Methods: A female patient with chronic cough and right lower-limb neuropathic pain following COVID-19 was hospitalized and treated with herbal medicine (<i>Chungsangboha-tang</i>), acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, and physical therapy. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Cough Symptom Score (CSS) and Cough Assessment Test (COAT) for cough severity, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, and the European Quality of Life Five Dimensions (EQ-5D) for general health status. Assessments were conducted at baseline, during hospitalization, and at discharge.Results: NRS scores decreased, indicating reduced neuropathic pain. The EQ-5D score improved, reflecting better quality of life. CSS and COAT scores showed alleviation of cough symptoms with reduced frequency and intensity of both daytime and nighttime cough. Laboratory markers (ESR and CRP) also decreased. No adverse events were observed.Conclusions: Comprehensive Korean medicine treatment, including <i>Chungsangboha-tang</i>, may be effective in managing post-COVID-19 chronic cough with neuropathic features. This case highlights the potential role of Korean medicine in addressing post-COVID-19 chronic cough and supports further clinical studies.

Pediatricians Are Not Just Small Internists

Objectives: This study reports the effect of Korean medicine treatment on a patient with abdominal and lower back pain after a laparoscopic hysterectomy.Methods: The patient received Korean herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture treatment, and acupuncture treatment for six days. We measured the numeric rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Range of Motion (ROM), and Life-5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D) to assess symptom changes.Results: After treatment, the patient showed decreased numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as augmented Range of Motion (ROM) and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D).Conclusion: The results indicate that Korean medicine treatment is effective management for patients with abdominal and lower back pain after a laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Objective: To observe the effect of Kechuanting acupoint application on symptom control and quality of life in patients with chronic cough caused by different etiologies. Methods: Between June and August 2023, 85 patients with chronic cough were enrolled, including 27 cases of cough due to chronic bronchitis, 30 cases of upper airway cough syndrome, and 28 cases of post-infectious chronic cough. All patients were treated with Kechuanting acupoint application. VAS scores, cough symptom scores, simple cough scores, and quality of life scores were assessed before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, VAS scores, cough symptom scores, and simple cough scores were significantly lower than before treatment in all three groups (P < 0.01), while Leicester Cough Questionnaire scores were significantly higher than before treatment (P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in VAS scores, cough symptom scores, simple cough scores, or Leicester Cough Questionnaire scores among the three groups either before or after treatment (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Kechuanting acupoint application is effective in controlling chronic cough caused by different reasons and can improve patients’ quality of life.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the efficacy of using Korean medicine to treat chronic cough.Methods: We utilized Korean medicine (herbal medicines, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and chuna) to treat a hospitalized patient with chronic cough and herniated intervertebral lumbar disc. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated using the numerical rating scale (NRS), cough symptom score (CSS), and cough assessment test (COAT).Results: After treatment, the NRS scores for cough, lower back pain, and leg pain improved. Additionally, the changes in CSS, and COAT indicated that the patient’s cough symptoms were alleviated.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Korean medicine may be effective for treating chronic cough and herniated intervertebral lumbar disc.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the efficacy and safety of Korean medicine treatment.Methods: This study was conducted on 15 patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome who visited the outpatient Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from January 10, 2021 to April 10, 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 15 patients and collected clinical characteristics, Korean medicine treatments, outcome variables (Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Quality of Life Visual Analog Scale (QOL-VAS), The Post-COVID-19 Functional Status (PCFS)), adverse events, etc.Results: Of the 15 patients, seven (46.7%) were men, and the average age of all patients was 49.7±13 years. The most common symptom was cough (n=9, 60%), and it was followed by dyspnea or increased respiratory effort, fatigue, insomnia, anosmia, etc. The herbal medicine was prescribed for all 15 patients, and <i>Saengmaek-san</i> (n=8, 53.5%) was the most prescribed. Additionally, acupuncture and cupping were performed in four patients (26.7%) each, and electroacupuncture was applied to one patient (6.7%). As a result of Korean medicine treatment, NRS, mMRC, LCQ, QOL-VAS, and PCFS showed improvement, and adverse events were mild.Conclusions: This study presented the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and suggested that Korean medicine treatment may be effective in alleviating related symptoms and enhancing quality of life.

With the rapid aging of its population, Korea is becoming a super-aged society, and the proportion of older individuals among traffic accident patients continues to rise. Older adults often exhibit delayed recovery after trauma, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy, necessitating a tailored treatment approach. Integrative Korean medicine (IKM) treatment may serve as a suitable alternative, and its effectiveness and safety in older adults involved in traffic accidents warrant further evaluation. This retrospective chart review assessed the therapeutic efficacy and safety of IKM in hospitalized traffic accident patients aged 65 years or older, using electronic medical records from 4 branches of Korean medicine hospitals between 2021 and 2023. A total of 1788 patients were included in the analysis. Descriptive analyses were performed to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics, and within-group comparisons between admission and discharge were conducted for primary outcomes, including pain, quality of life, functional disability, and range of motion. Safety was assessed based on adverse events (AEs). A total of 1788 older inpatients with traffic-related injuries showed significant improvements (P < .001) in pain numeric rating scale (NRS), quality of life (European quality of life – 5 dimensions), functional disability indicators (neck disability index, Oswestry disability index, shoulder pain and disability index, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index), and range of motion after receiving IKM treatment. Specifically, the mean neck NRS score showed a reduction from 5.17 ± 0.93 at admission to 3.49 ± 1.24 at discharge, and the mean lower back NRS score improved from 5.19 ± 0.91 to 3.55 ± 1.21. Most AEs were mild, and there were no reports of serious AEs. IKM may be a viable and safe therapeutic approach to improving pain, function, and quality of life in older patients hospitalized after traffic accidents.

Objectives: The aim of this case report was to present the effects of Korean medicine treatment on a patient with dyspepsia symptoms like those of gastroesophageal reflux disease.Methods: A 64-year-old male patient with dyspepsia was treated with &lt;i&gt;Sosiho-tang&lt;/i&gt; decoction, &lt;i&gt;Banhasasim-tang&lt;/i&gt; soft extract, &lt;i&gt;Gamihyangsayukgunja-tang&lt;/i&gt; decoction, and Kracie &lt;i&gt;Sihogayonggolmoryu-tang&lt;/i&gt; extract, along with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and deep tissue meridian hot pack therapy for five days of hospitalization. Pain from the dyspepsia was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale and the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions Scale.Results: Within five days of treatment, dyspepsia was relieved from a Numerical Rating Scale score of 7 to a score of 3. The European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions Scale score increased from 0.455 to 0.816.Conclusion: These results show that dyspepsia can be relieved with Korean medicine treatment. However, further well-designed studies are required to confirm these findings.

Updated guidelines on cough launched

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the effectiveness and safety of Korean medicine treatment at the Public health center.Methods: The study was conducted among 11 patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome who attended a single public health center from January to December 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 11 patients and collected clinical characteristics, previous treatments, Korean medicine treatments, outcome variables (Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Visual Analog Scale (VAS)), adverse events, etc.Results: Of the 11 patients, six were women, and the average age of all patients was 68.27±12.31 years. The most common symptom were cough(n=9, 81.82%) and sore throat(n=9, 81.82%), followed by sputum, fatigue, rhinorrhea, and loss of appetite, etc. All 11 patients were treated with herbal medicine, with Samso-eum(n=6, 54.55%), Yeonkyopaedok-san(n=5, 45.45%), and Haengso-tang(n=3, 27.27%) being the most commonly used. After herbal medicine treatment, the median cough NRS decreased from 5 to 1, and the median sore throat NRS decreased from 4 to 1, both of which were statistically significant. One patient reported adverse event of dyspepsia and heartburn, but it was mild.Conclusions: The study presented the clinical features of the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and suggested that Korean medicine treatment at public health centers may be effective and safe in alleviating associated symptoms.

Objective To evaluate the values of fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO) in assessing the severity of chronic cough. Methods Totally 68 patients with chronic cough were recruited from Department of Respiratory Medicine from June 2014 to February 2015.All patients are grouped according to the FeNO levels, the differences of leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ) and cough symptom scores among groups are evaluated, FeNO tests, LCQ and cough symptom scores before and after treatment for 4 weeks are recorded. Results LCQ and daytime cough symptom score showed significant differences among groups according to FeNO levels (P<0.01). There was significant difference in FeNO levels among 3 groups[cough variant asthma (CVA), eosinophilic bronchitis (EB), other causes], those with CVA [(67.5±17.1) ppb]or EB[(34.6±9) ppb]had a significantly higher median FeNO level than those with other etiology [(23.4±8.9) ppb], and CVA were also higher than EB (Z=-4.9, P<0.01), FeNO levels, LCQ scores and cough symptom scores all showed significant improvements After 4 weeks treatment (Z=-3.975, P<0.01), significant differences in the improvements rates were noticed among three groups in which CVA group showed the highest rate (33.2±3.9)%.On the whole, there were significant correlations between the change of FeNO decrease and the increase of LCQ (r=0.48, P<0.01) especially in CVA(r=0.55, P<0.01) and EB (r=0.66, P<0.01) groups. Conclusions FeNO showed a important value in the evaluation of chronic cough symptom severity base on our finding that FeNO decrease is correlated with the improvement of life quality score and cough symptom score. Key words: Chronic cough; Exhaled nitric oxide; Life quality score

Evidence regarding Korean medicine treatment (KMT) for neuropathic pain is lacking. We aimed to identify the effects of integrative KMT in patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). We retrospectively analyzed the electronic medical records of patients with PHN who received KMT at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital between August 2021 and July 2022. We evaluated the effects of KMT-comprising acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, and moxibustion-on pain intensity using the numerical rating scale (NRS), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D), Daily Sleep Interference Scale (DSIS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and EuroQol-5D. Among 53 patients with PHN, 13 were included. The NRS score for worst pain over 1 week decreased from 6.54 ± 0.64 at baseline to 3.85 ± 0.63 at 8 weeks (41% reduction, p < 0.01), while that for average pain over 1 week decreased from 4.93 ± 0.67 at baseline to 3.08 ± 0.46 at 8 weeks (37% reduction, p < 0.01). From baseline to 8 weeks, there were significant reductions in the SF-MPQ, HADS-A, FSS, and EuroQol-5D scores. No adverse events were reported after KMT. Therefore, KMT may be an effective treatment option for patients with PHN.

BackgroundChronic cough is the main reason why parents seek medical treatment for their children. This study aimed to evaluate changes in airway function and inflammation levels and associated values in diagnosing and treating chronic cough.Material/MethodsThis study involved 118 children with chronic cough, including 45 cough-variant asthma (CVA) patients, 53 upper-airway cough syndrome (UACS) patients, and 20 post-infection cough (PIC) patients. Chronic cough was diagnosed as described by guidelines of the American College of Chest Physicians for evaluating chronic cough. Pulmonary ventilation function and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) were evaluated. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels and eosinophilic airway inflammation were measured. Eosinophil (EOS) count in sputum was also examined. CVA patients were treated with inhaled glucocorticoids, which have anti-inflammatory effects.ResultsFeNO and sputum EOS levels were higher in CVA patients compared with UACS and PIC patients (P<0.05). CVA patients demonstrated significantly higher small airway indexes, including 25% forced expiratory flow (FEF), 50% FEF, and 75% FEF, compared with UACS and PIC patients (P<0.05). FeNO level was positively correlated with EOS in sputum (r=0.468, P=0.0001) and cough symptom scores (r=0.402, P<0.05). FeNO, EOS, and cough symptoms were significantly improved in CVA patients after glucocorticoid treatment. AHR was improved in all chronic cough patients after treatment. Cough-relief CVA patients demonstrated significantly higher FeNO levels compared with those without cough relief (P<0.05).ConclusionsFeNO integrating pulmonary function and AHR examination can improve etiologic diagnosis and treatment for chronic cough in children.

Objectives The purpose of this case report was to show the effects of Korean medicine treatment (KMT) with Gami- banhabakchulchunma-tang (GBBCT) on dizziness. Methods This case report describes four patients with dizziness. The patients were treated with KMT, including GBBCT and acupuncture, while continuing to take the same medications they were already taking to treat underlying diseases. A numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for dizziness. Results After the treatment, the NRS score for dizziness decreased in all cases. Conclusions These four cases showed that KMT with GBBCT may be effective for the treatment of dizziness. GBBCT can be used to treat dizziness, regardless of diagnosis. Keywords: dizziness, herbal medicine, Korean medicine, Gami-banhabakchulchunma-tang (åŠ å‘³åŠå¤ç™½æœ®å¤©éº»æ¹¯), case report

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the efficacy of using Korean medicine treatment with cervicogenic dizziness and headache.Methods: We used Korean medicine treatments (herbal medicines, acupuncture, pharmaco-acupuncture, and Chuna) to treat a hospitalized patient with cervicogenic dizziness and headache. The treatments were assessed using the Korean Dizziness Handicap Inventory (K-DHI) to evaluate the degree of dizziness. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to evaluate headaches and post-traumatic neck pain. General health status was evaluated using the European Quality of Life Five Dimensions (EQ-5d) scale.Results: The patient’s NRS and EQ-5d scores improved after treatment. The change in the K-DHI scores showed that the patient’s cervicogenic dizziness symptoms were relieved.Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that Korean medicine therapies may be effective for treating cervicogenic dizziness and headaches.