Korean Medical Treatment Research Articles

A Case Report on Sojaganggi-tang Treatment for a Patient with Asthma

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the effects of traditional Korean medical treatment on a patient with asthma.Methods: The patient (female, 88) was treated with herbal medicine (<i>Sojaganggi-tang</i>), acupuncture, and moxibustion. The effects of these treatments were evaluated using the Modified Borg Scale (MBS) and Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adult Korean Asthmatics (QLQAKA).Results: Following treatment, the MBS score decreased from 7 to 4, and the QLQAKA score increased from 45 to 57.Conclusion: The results suggest that traditional Korean medicine can effectively treat patients with asthma.

Literature Review on Korean Medicine Treatment for Alopecia.

This study aimed to analyze the use of Korean medicine treatments for alopecia in among clinical studies. We identified and analyzed 22 studies from Korean databases; Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Science ON, Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS), and Research Information Sharing Service (RISS) and international database; PubMed. We analyzed the Korean medical treatment in each case and determined the tendency to use each intervention. We analyzed 1,464 patients from 22 selected studies. Herbal medicine, acupuncture, external medicine or products, pharmacopuncture, and phototherapy were used for alopecia treatment. The herbal medicines mainly used to treat alopecia were Gagam Cheongyoung-tang, Gagam Hwajung-hwan, and Yukmijihwang-tang·hwan. The acupoints primarily used were GV20, EX-HN1, GB5, KI3, PC6, ST36, GV22, and A-shi. The most commonly used pharmacopuncture therapies were Hwangryunhaedoktang (HH), Carthami Fructus (CF), Bee Venom (BV), and Hominis placenta (HP). The Korean medical treatment for alopecia improved the condition of patients. However, seven studies reported the occurrence of side effects such as pruritus, dazed, drowsiness, headache, pain, and diarrhea. This study shows the potential of Korean medicine for the treatment of alopecia. Further studies with a large sample size and long-term follow-up are warranted to establish the primary treatment guidelines and objective outcome measures for alopecia.

A Case Report of Add-On Traditional Korean Medical Treatments in a Patient with Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Conventional Oral Hypoglycemic Agents

This study presents a case of add-on traditional Korean medical treatments in a 77-year-old male patient with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus with conventional oral hypoglycemic agents. Chief complaints were uncontrolled glucose level and weight loss. The patient was treated with electroacupuncture (on ST36, CV4, and CV12), herbal medication, and lifestyle advice. The conventional oral hypoglycemic medications were maintained. After 12 weeks, the glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) decreased from 11.0% to 8.4%. There were significant abnormalities in the liver function and renal function tests, but no adverse event was reported. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings of this case.

A Retrospective Study of Traffic Accident Inpatients in a Korean Medicine Hospital: Correlation of STAI-Ⅰ, STAI-Ⅱ, BDI, and CSEI-s scores with Pain Improvement

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation of the scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Ⅰ (STAI-Ⅰ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Ⅱ (STAI-Ⅱ), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and Core Seven Emotions Inventory-short form (CSEI-s) scales with pain improvement. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the medical records of 66 traffic accident inpatients who satisfy the selection criteria. They had received Korean medical treatment including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and Chuna during hospitalization. STAI-Ⅱ, BDI, and CSEI-s scores on hospital day 1, and STAI-Ⅰ and numerical rating scale(NRS) scores on hospital day 1, 4, 7, and 10 were used for analysis. Pain improvement was evaluated by difference in NRS scores between hospital day 1 and hospital day 4, 7, 10. Results: The STAI-Ⅰ, BDI, and CSEI-s scores showed significant correlations with pain or pain improvement. Conclusions: This study may be used in the research on psychological state and pain management of traffic accident patients and for patient education. Large-scale, well-designed studies need to be conducted in future to strengthen the results in this regard.

A Study on the Development and Application of Korean Medical Critical Pathway of Lumbar Disc Herniation in Four Different Medical Associations

Objectives: A critical pathway defines the optimal care process, sequencing and timing of intervention by multi-disciplinary health care teams for a particular diagnosis and procedure. It plays an important role as a cost-effective health care delivery system and a tool for quality control of medical and dental services by means of standardizing medical practices. The aim of this study is to investigate the satisfaction of patients and medical staff after implementation of a critical pathway for Korean medical treatment of lumbar disc herniation in integrative medical. Methods and Results: The pre-critical pathway group included 3 patients who underwent the implementation procedure from October 2020. All three patients have successfully been applied critical pathways during inpatient and outpatient treatment. Additionally, medical staff members were satisfied with the usefulness of the critical pathway. Conclusions: The implementation of critical pathway for the Korean medical treatment with lumbar disc herniation in integrative medical hospital can appraise possible applicability in actual clinical field.

Establishing a critical pathway for Korean medical management of lumbar disc herniation: A modified Delphi consensus process.

A modified Delphi method was used to establish a consensus. Stakeholders and experts were invited to participate in the expert panel. Best practice statements and decision-making questionnaires were distributed to the panel. Panel members were asked to mark “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree” after a series of statements over several rounds until either a consensus was reached or the decision-making method was deemed unsuitable for reaching a consensus.The most common cause of lumbar pain is intervertebral degeneration, which leads to degenerative disc disease and lumbar disc herniation. There is a lack of unanimity regarding appropriate patient protocols and rehabilitation expectations for Korean medical care. The long-term viability of Korean medical treatment, further adoption in the institutional setting, and specific patient outcomes are contingent on the existence of appropriate Korean medical programs.A Korean medical expert panel of 17 practitioners employed a modified Delphi method to achieve consensus on Korean medical care for lumbar disc herniation. The panel first reviewed the literature and guidelines relevant to Korean medical treatment for lumbar disc herniation. The panel members considered questionnaires intended to determine “standardized” Korean medical care recommendations for patients with a wide range of symptoms of lumbar disc herniation. Each panel member participated in a round of voting, which was followed by an opinion-collecting session online. Consensus was defined as a ≥75% agreement among the respondents.In the first round, 144 questionnaires across 5 domains were administered to the expert panels. After reviewing the responses and open-ended comments collected in the first round, the authors modified the questionnaires to 53 items and proceeded. In round 2, consensus was achieved in all 53 survey questions. The final treatment pathway comprised a standardized and comprehensive care approach for lumbar disc herniations in 4 types of medical institutions.This study identified a core set of evidence- and consensus-based principles that are essential to a comprehensive model of care, incorporating identification, referral, and management of patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Complex Korean Medical Treatment after Embolization for Myelopathy Due to Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: A Case Report

Complex Korean Medical Treatment after Embolization for Myelopathy Due to Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: A Case Report

A Case Report of Dysphagia of Achalasia Patient Treated with Korean Medicine, Including Bunsimgieum-gami and Electroacupuncture

This study presents the case of a 73-year-old Korean male with dysphagia caused by achalasia and aimed to assess the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment. The outpatient was treated with acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine (Bunsimgieum-gami, Gyejigayonggolmolyeo-tang, Bangpungtongsung-san) for about 6 months. We evaluated the patient’s symptoms whenever he visited the clinic. The patient improved significantly after Korean medical treatment. In particular, dysphagia disappeared after herbal medicine treatment.</br>This case report suggests that Korean medical treatment could be effective in treating achalasia. Further studies are needed.

A Review of Recent Korean Medicine Treatment for Chronic Subdural Hematoma Using the CNKI Database

Objectives: This study investigates the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in China.Methods: A CNKI search investigated the last 10 years of clinical studies of Korean medicine treatments in Chinese medical journals for CSDH. The search focused on authors, publication years, types of studies, purposes of studies, methods and duration of treatment, evaluation criteria, and results of treatment.Results: In 19 studies, there were 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 4 case series, and 1 case-control study. In all 19 studies, Korean medical treatment and Western treatment were combined. Herbal medicine was used in 19 studies and acupuncture treatment in 2 studies. The most frequently used prescription was Hyeolbuchukeo-tang-gagambang, and the most frequently used acupoint was PC6. In all 19 studies, the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment performed in parallel with Western treatment was confirmed.Conclusions: In this study, Korean medicine combined with Western treatment for CSDH was effective. More clinical studies and case reports are required to develop a guided treatment for CSDH.

Effects of Korean Medicine in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients - A Retrospective Chart Review

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the clinical features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients who attended a Korean medicine hospital and the treatment effects through retrospective chart reviews.Methods: The medical records of 82 outpatients who had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and visited the Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department of Kyung Hee Korean Medicine Hospital from 8 January 2015 to 8 January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. To assess the treatment outcomes, we used the FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), DLCO (Diffusing capacity of the Lung for CO), 6-minute walk test, and HRCT (High Resolution Computed Tomography).Results: The study group consisted of 28 females and 54 males. The median age of the patients was 67.98±11.44 years. The chief complaints were cough (n=51) and dyspnea (n=49). Other frequent symptoms were general weakness (n=8), weight loss (n=4), and a fever (n=2). A total of 77 (93.90%) patients were prescribed Korean herbal medicine, and 52 (63.41%) patients were treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, ICT, or pharmacopuncture. After treatments, FVC, DLCO, the 6-minute walk test, and HRCT were maintained or worsened slightly.Conclusions: This study presented the characteristics of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients treated by Korean medical therapies, and further studies of Korean medical treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients would be valuable.

Case Report of Korean Medical Treatment for a Patient with New Daily, Persistent Headache

Case Report of Korean Medical Treatment for a Patient with New Daily, Persistent Headache

Case Report of Korean Medical Treatment of Chest Pain After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Case Report of Korean Medical Treatment of Chest Pain After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Preliminary Study for Non-drug Oriental Medical Treatment of Acute Upper Airway Infection in Athletes

Objectives The purpose of this review is to proactively assist the study of non-drug treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections in athletes by investigating the trend of drug-free korean medicine treatment for common colds. Methods We searched 6 web databases and compiled papers with acupoint to investigate research on korean medicine treatment for common colds. Results Since November 8, 2009, 15 papers have been published that meet the conditions I set, and many journals published in Chinese journals by researchers at universities and hospitals in China, who are mostly used self-created criteria rather than international jackson standards, and various drug-free treatments were used for each situation, and all valid results were obtained. Conclusions In this study, the trend of non-drug korean medical common cold treatment was analyzed, and further research is required to verify the objective treatment effect.

A Case Report of Anomic Aphasia after Putaminal Hemorrhage Improved by Korean Medical Treatment Including Head Acupuncture

Aphasia is a language disorder that results from brain damage and typically occurs after a stroke. The purpose of this case report was to describe the effects of Korean medical treatment on anomic aphasia after a putaminal hemorrhage. We used Korean medical treatment, including head acupuncture and herbal medicine (Hyungbangsabaek-san) therapy, on a patient who was admitted to the hospital for 19 days. The clinical symptoms were assessed with the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB), and quality of life was evaluated with Korean version of Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (K-SAQOL-39). After 19 days of treatment, the K-WAB scores were increased from 17 to 19 in the spontaneous speech score, from 7.55 to 9.85 in the comprehension score, from 9 to 9.4 in the speaking score, and from 5.8 to 9.7 in the naming score. The AQ score was increased from 78.7 to 95.9, and the K-SAQOL-3 score was increased from 2.64 to 3.26. In conclusion, the study findings suggested that Korean medical treatment could be an effective option for treating symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with aphasia after stroke. Keywords: aphasia, anomic aphasia, stroke, head acupuncture, Korean medical treatment

A Case Report of Non-cardiac Chest Pain in a Non-erosive Reflux Disease Patient Treated with Beewha-eum

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine (Beewha-eum) on the treatment of non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) in a patient with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Methods: The patient was diagnosed with a spleen-stomach weakness pattern identified by Korean medicine and was treated with herbal medicine (Beewha-eum). The severity of symptoms was assessed with a numerical rating scale (NRS) for chest pain, self-reported dyspepsia degree (%), Korean gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (KGSRS), gastrointestinal symptom score (GIS), and Functional Dyspepsia-Quality of Life(FD-QOL) score. Results: After Beewha-eum treatment, the severity of chest pain was decreased from NRS 8 to NRS 0 and the self-reported dyspepsia degree also decreased from 100% to 65%. The KGSRS score was decreased from 49 to 35, the GIS score was also decreased from 16 to 9, and the FD-QOL score was increased from 20 to 25. Conclusions: The study findings suggested that Korean medical treatment with Beewha-eum could be an effective option for treating NCCP in patients with NERD. Keywords: non-erosive reflux disease, non-cardiac chest pain, spleen-stomach weakness pattern identification, Beewha-eum

A Case Report of a Disorientation and Dizziness with Acute Anterior Circulation Region Cerebral Infraction Improved by Korean Medical Treatment: Focusing on Sunghyuangjunggi-san-gamibang (Xingxiang zhengqi san)

A Case Report of a Disorientation and Dizziness with Acute Anterior Circulation Region Cerebral Infraction Improved by Korean Medical Treatment: Focusing on Sunghyuangjunggi-san-gamibang (Xingxiang zhengqi san)

A Case Report on a Patient with Night Sweats Treated with an External Korean Medical Treatment

A Case Report on a Patient with Night Sweats Treated with an External Korean Medical Treatment

The Effect of Korean Medical Treatments including Shinbaro Pharmacopuncture for Medial Meniscus Tear Patients: Five Cases Report

연구 목적 이 연구는 내측 반월상 연골판 손상으로 인한 무릎 통증을 호소하는 5명의 환자에서 한 의학적 치료, 특히 신바로 약침으로 인한 통증 개선이 있었기에 보고함이다. 연구 방법 무릎 통증으로 본원 입원치료를 받은 환자 중, MRI 영상 검사상 내측 반월상 연골 파열 진단을 받은 환자들의 차트를 분석하였다. 슬관절 통증 호전 및 기능 개선은 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC Index), 슬관절 Range Of Motion(ROM) 및 special tests 측정으로 판단하였다. 연구 결과 5증례에서 NRS는 평균 3.4의 호전, WOMAC Index는 평균 64.4%의 호전을 보였다. 슬관절 ROM 측정에서 환자 모두 입원시보다 증가되었으나, 무릎에 손상에 사용되는 보편적 검사인 Stress valgus, Stress varus, Drawer test, Apley compression test, Mcmurray s test 상 전후비교에서 4명의 환자는 호전되었고, 1명 환자에서는 변화가 없었다. 결과 이 연구는 내측 반월상 연골판 손상에 대한 신바로 약침을 포함한 한의학적 치료 후 단기간 내 통증 및 기능 향상을 보여주었다.

Improvement of Tetraplegia and Respiratory Symptoms with Complex Korean Medicine Treatment After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

This study reports the effectiveness of traditional Korean medicine in treating tetraplegia and respiratory symptoms (including dyspnea) after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury surgery. The patient was treated with complex Korean medical treatment including electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. The manual muscle test (expanded Medical Research Council system) was used to measure the patient’s muscle strength. The Korean version of the modified Barthel index and the functional independent measure were used to evaluate the patient’s independence in performing daily activities. Following 2 hospitalizations and treatments, the patient’s muscle strength improved > 4+ score for all joints, and the Korean version of the modified Barthel index and functional independent measure scores increased from 26 to 79 and 56 to 95, respectively. Symptoms of dyspnea, coughing, and sputum gradually improved and finally disappeared during hospitalization. This study suggests complex Korean medicine treatment may be effective in the rehabilitation of post-surgical cervical spinal cord injury patients.

A Case Report of Digestive Symptoms in Gastric Ulcer Treated with Insamyangwi-tang

Objectives: This study reports on the efficacy of using Korean medical treatment for suspected gastric ulcer. Methods: We treated a patient with suspected gastric ulcer using Korean medical treatments (herbal medicines, acupuncture, and herbal acupuncture therapy). We evaluated the results using a numerical rating scale (NRS) to measure abdominal pain. The degree of gastrointestinal symptoms was also evaluated using the Korean Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (KGSRS). The generic health status was evaluated using the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) scale. Results: The NRS and EQ-5D scale scores were improved after the treatments. The change in the KGSRS scores showed that the patient’s abdominal pain was relieved. Conclusions: The results of this case study suggest that Korean medicine therapies may be effective in the treatment of suspected gastric ulcer. Keywords: gastric ulcer, Korean medical treatment, herbal medicine, acupuncture, case report