• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2016

Objectives This study was performed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and acupuncture with pulsed electromagnetic therapy on upper extremity of healthy people and hemiplegic patients by D.I.T.I.. Methods 20 healthy people and 20 hemiplegic patients caused by stroke were selected. They have been treated three different types of treatment; acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and acupuncture with pulsed electromagnetic therapy. And skin temperature of upper extremity has been measured before and after each treatment by D.I.T.I.. The thermographic data was analyzed by 'Independent T-test' and 'Repeated measures ANOVA test'. Results 1. In healthy group, there was very statistical significant difference (p<0.001) of the amount of thermal change by each treatment, and the amount of change was arranged in descending order; acupuncture with pulsed electromagnetic, acupuncture and electro-acupuncture. 2. In hemiplegic group, the skin temperature of hemiplegic side was $0.97^{\circ}C$ cooler than non-hemiplegic side. 3. Skin temperature of all hemiplegic patients was increased after acupuncture treatment. 4. In hemiplegic group, there was statistical significant difference (p<0.05) of the amount of thermal change by each treatment, and the amount of change was arranged in descending order; acupuncture with pulsed electromagnetic, acupuncture and electro-acupuncture. Conclusions The results indicate that acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and acupuncture with pulsed electromagnetic therapy had good effect on the change of skin temperature by stimulating sympathetic nervous system.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2005

Background: The optimal management of pain using magnetic irradiation modalities continues to attract considerable debate. Therefore, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic therapy for the treatment of chronic lower back pain. Methods: Fifteen-minute sessions of active (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20) electromagnetic therapy were repeated 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Patients were assessed using the 11-point numerical rating scale and the revised Oswestry disability scores for up to 4 weeks after therapy. Results: The active magnetic group showed significantly more pain reduction than the placebo group immediately after therapy and one and four weeks after therapy (P < 0.05). At 4 weeks after therapy percentage changes in NRS from baseline were $22{\pm}24%$ and $38{\pm}11%$ in the placebo and magnetic groups, respectively. The revised Oswestry disability percentage in the active magnetic group was also significantly improved (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Pulsed electromagnetic therapy provided pain relief and ameliorated disability in patients with chronic lower back pain. According to our results, pulsed electromagnetic therapy should be considered an important potential therapeutic tool for the conservative therapy of chronic lower back pain.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2014

The objective of this study is to report the improvement of one patient with physical sequelas induced by spinal epidural abscess surgery. The patient was treated by acupuncture therapy with pulsed electromagnetic therapy and herb medicine. We evaluated the effectiveness by numerical rating scale (NRS). As a result, the patient improved significantly NRS score. And the patient's symptoms were alleviated. We guess that the causes of the patient symptoms are chronic inflammation and fibrosis of dural. We conclude that acupuncture therapy with pulsed electromagnetic therapy is an effective treatment to reduce the residual pain after spinal epidural abscess surgery. But there is a limit on this study due to sufficient number of case. Further studies will be needed.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.349-356
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• 2014

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of the application of pulsed electromagnetic fields on the blood components associated hyperlipidemia, antioxidant enzymes and reactive oxygen. The subjects were divided into three groups: General Diet, High fat Diet, High fat diet and pulsed electromagnetic fields. Pulsed electromagnetic field was applied with pulsed electromagnetic energy therapy equipment. The Glucose, free fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol and insulin was used to measure hyperlipidemia-related blood components, and the GSH, GRD, XO and MDA was used to measure antioxidant enzymes and reactive oxygen. The applied pulsed electromagnetic field has improved the concentrations of blood components and increasing GSH and GRD, that were decreased due to a high-fat diet and by reducing the increased MDA and XO to a level of general diet group. Therefore, the applied pulsed electromagnetic field can be the effective treatment for changes in the blood composition of hyperlipidemic rats, enhancement of antioxidative activity and the inhibition of reactive oxygen.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.75-91
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• 2010

Objectives : Although the controversy surrounding the biomechanics of the sacroiliac joint remains unresolved at this time, the clinical importance of this joint in the cause of back pain has been established since 1930's. Recently, there has been renewed interest in the sacroiliac joint. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of pulsed electromagnetic therapy(PEMT) with acupuncture therapy for patients, who were suffering from sacroiliac joint syndrome, and to conduct more researches in the usage of acupuncture therapy for treating sacroiliac joint syndrome. Methods : 25 patients, who were diagnosed as sacroiliac joint syndrome were selected. They were treated twice a week during 3 weeks. They were measured after all the treatment and firs week and fourth week after termination of treatment by using visual analogue scale(VAS) and Roland Morris disability index(RMDI). The VAS and RMDI patterns were analyzed by using 'pared T-test' and 'Kruskal-Wallis' test. Results : 1. Each times of PEMT with acupuncture therapy, there were statistical significance in improvement of VAS(p<0.05) and each times of therapy except 1st one, there were statistical significance in improvement of RMDI(p<0.05). 2. After 4th therapy, there were most significant improvement of VAS with RMDI(p<0.001), when we compared the change in VAS and RMDI before and after the each therapy. 3. There was no statistical significance in VAS and RMDI by onset, sex and age. Conclusions : The results indicate that pulsed electromagnetic therapy and acupuncture therapy had good effect on sacroiliac joint syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.349-356
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• 2012

Purpose : This study was designed to investigate the effects of pulsed electromagnetic field on functional recovery and expression of GAP-43 after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Methods : To confirm the damage of SCI and effects of pulsed electromagnetic field, 20 Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and divided randomly 2groups (SCI, PEMF). Incomplete SCI was induced by using modified NYU drop model. After operation, functional recovery test, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were measured at 1, 2, 3 weeks. Pulsed electromagnetic field were apply three weeks (one times a day, five days a week and twenty minutes a session). Results : In the this study, applications of pulsed electromagnetic field after incomplete SCI induced the significant improvement in functional recovery and expression of neurotrophic factor. The results were as follows; Foot print test, PEMF were significantly decreased than the SCI (p<.05). Expression of GAP-43, PEMF were significantly increased than the SCI at 2 and 3 weeks (p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, pulsed electromagnetic field were positive effect in functional recovery and expression of GAP-43 after incomplete SCI in rats.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.486-494
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• 2021

The growth of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy and its progress over the years for use in post-operative bone growth has been revolutionary in its effect on bone tissue proliferation and vascular flow. However, further progress in PEMF therapy has been difficult due to lack of more evidence-based understanding of its mechanism of action. Our objective was to review the current understanding of bone growth physiology, the mechanism of PEMF therapy action along with its application in spinal surgery and associated outcomes. The authors of this review examined multiple controlled, comparative, and cohort studies to compare fusion rates of patients undergoing PEMF stimulation. Examining spinal fusion rates, a rounded comparison of post-fusion outcomes with and without bone stimulator was performed. Results showed that postoperative spinal surgery PEMF stimulation had higher rates of fusion than control groups. Though PEMF therapy was proven more effective, multiple factors contributed to difficulty in patient compliance for use. Extended timeframe of treatment and cost of treatment were the main obstacles to full compliance. This review showed that PEMF therapy presented an increased rate of recovery in patients, supporting the use of these devices as an effective post-surgical aid. Given the recent advances in the development of PEMF devices, affordability and access will be much easier suited to the patient population, allowing for more readily available treatment options.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on the expression of neurotrophic factors after spinal cord injury. Sprague-Dawley male rats were given a spinal cord hemisection and randomly divided into 2 groups, the control and experimental groups. The experimental group was administered a fifteen minutes session of pulsed electromagnetic field once a day, five days a week. In order to observe the effect of these pulsed electromagnetic fields, this study observed the BDNF expression in the rat's lumbar spinal cord and the H&E staining in the gastrocnemius at 3, 7, 14, 21 days group after spinal cord hemisection. The results of this showed that the immunoreactivity of the BDNF in the rat's spinal cord gradually increased in each group. At 21 days, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups. The morphological shape of the gastrocnemius was gradually changed from 3days to 21days, and the gastrocnemius at 21 days was significantly degraded. However, the experimental group showed a slightly more organized gastrocnemius than the control group at 21days. The Results of this study suggest that pulsed electromagnetic field application decreases the degeneration of a rat's gastrocnemius morphology, and increases the immunoreactivity of the BDNF in the rat's spinal cord after spinal cord hemisection.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.377-380
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• 2015

Muscle contusion has a negative effect on muscle function. Although several studies showed that pain control and muscle recovery is facilitated by pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF), there has not been much research regarding the specific effects of PEMF on them. The aim of the present study is to investigate effects of PEMF on pain and muscle recovery following extensor digitorum longus (EDL) contusion injury through measuring the expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene and nerve growth factor (NGF). Significantly reduced c-fos expression in the spinal cord was shown in PEMF groups compared with control (CON) groups. There was no significant difference between PEMF1 and CON1, but significantly increased NGF expression was shown in PEMF3 and PEMF5 compared with in CON groups, where the numbers in the group names are the days from contusion. In conclusion, PEMF could be used to not only reduce pain in muscle injuries by down-regulating c-fos expression in the spinal cord, but it could also influence muscle healing through increasing NGF expression in the injured muscle.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.225-228
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• 2012

Muscle contusion usually results from a direct blunt impact and is frequently associated with contact sports. Muscle contusion results from microscopic muscle fiber and capillary disruption causing a microhemorrhage dissecting torn fibers and remaining viable muscle fibers. Recent studies concluded that some physical methods, including pulsed ultrasound (PU) and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment, accelerate and facilitate wound healing, improve scar quality and have beneficial effects on muscle and tendon healing. However, there are few studies on the effects of the early use of physical methods, such as PU and PEMF, on the expression of neurotrophic factors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the early application of PU and PEMF, measured through the expression of BDNF in the muscles (gastrocnemius) and spinal cords of rats after skeletal muscle contusion. In the spinal cords and muscles, there was a significant increase of BDNF expression in the PEMF and PU groups, a greater increase was found in the PEMF group than in the PU group. In conclusion, PEMF is a useful therapeutic method that improves muscle healing after muscle contusion.