• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2002.09a
• /
• pp.352-355
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MRI scanner, functional MR imaging of the whole brain was performed in 12 normal healthy subjects during two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB 34 and sham points. This study investigates the activation of the mortor cortex elicited by a soft and an intensified stimulation of GB 34. Three different paradigms were carried out to detect any possible modulation of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) response in the somatomortor area to motor stimulation through acupuncture. Group analysis from seven individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. The present study shows that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T MRI environment, and acupuncture stimulation in GB34 modulates the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human. The present findings may shed light on the CNS mechanism of motor function by acupuncture and form a basis for future investigations of motor modulation circuits in the stroke patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.57-71
• /
• 2004

Objective : Physiological evidence regarding acupuncture's effect in human patients is not yet well established, despite considerable evidence for its therapeutic efficacy. Besides target or disease specificity of acupuncture, acupuncture analgesia (AA) appears to be another large subclass that poses many questions, such as whether there is point specificity with respect to which acupoint is most effective for a particular condition. Methods : We observed brain activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a set of stimuli that consist of pain, pain following Meridian acupuncture, and pain following Sham acupuncture. Results : Among the new observations, the most interesting fact is that data sets of both Meridian acupuncture and Sham acupuncture show decreased activation of the same brain areas related to the pain processing signals. Present functional MRI study demonstrate two important biological observations that could elucidate AA mechanism in human participants: the effects of acupuncture occur through mediation of the higher brain areas. Sham acupuncture stimulation appears to be almost as effective as traditional Meridian acupoint stimulation, suggesting that acupuncture is not entirely point specific. Decreased activation in the limbic paleo cortical areas appears to be the probable neurological manifestation of AA and strongly implies that acupuncture stimulation inhibits the transmission of ascending pain signals to the higher cortical areas by the previously known descending pain inhibitory circuit. Conclusion : We, therefore, a hypothesized that this pain inhibitory circuit is initiated and mediated via the broad sense Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (BS HPA) axis in conjunction to the "sensory stimulation."

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.90-96
• /
• 2023

The discoid meniscus is an innate modified form of the meniscus, characterized by middle hypertrophy and a larger than the regular diameter, leading to an absence of the characteristic "C" arrangement. Previously, no study has reported the traditional Korean medicine treatment of knee pain mainly due to discoid meniscus. Here, we report two cases of a discoid meniscus of the knee as the cause of knee pain. Patients were diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging for discoid meniscus and received traditional Korean medicine treatments, including pharmacopuncture, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and chuna. The pain was alleviated when assessed by patient-reported pain scale scores, and the general knee condition was improved. Thus, traditional Korean medicine treatments could be effective for patients who had discoid meniscus of the knee joint in this case report.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.78-89
• /
• 2023

This paper presents the clinical outcome of an 82-year-old female who experienced sudden back pain combined with lower limb paresthesia and weakness after epidural steroid injection. The magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracolumbar spine showed a spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) extending from T8 to L4. She was treated non-operatively in the traditional Korean medicine (TKM) hospital. The patient's progress was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIS), Spinal Cord Independence Measure version III (SCIM III), and self-reported symptoms. During the 22-day hospitalization period,the NRS score decreased from 7 to 2 points, the motor score on the ASIS scale increased from 65 to 95 points. The subjective sense of lower extremities was felt by 1 increased to 8. The SCIM III score increased from 32 to 69 points. These results suggest that TKM could effectively reduce pain and aid the rehabilitation of patients with SEH.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.382-388
• /
• 2023

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is crucial for stabilizing the ulnar side of the wrist but can be partially torn due to degenerative changes, falling, or sudden injuries. However, only a few studies have focused on the use of Korean medicine treatments for TFCC-related wrist pain. This case report presents the successful outcomes of integrated Korean medicine treatment in a patient with a partial TFCC tear. The diagnosis was confirmed via magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed the tear. Subsequently, the patient received integrated Korean medicine treatments. The assessment of the pain scale scores revealed a significant reduction in wrist pain and an improvement in daily life activities. Based on the findings of this study, integrated Korean medicine treatments have been proven to be an effective treatment option for patients with a partial TFCC tear. However, further research is needed to determine the potential benefits and mechanisms of these treatments in managing TFCC-related wrist pain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.244-247
• /
• 2018

Multiple vertebral compression fractures are a rare condition and are a serious consequence of postpartum osteoporosis. This report describes the case of a 35-year-old woman who had given birth to her first child 2 months before the onset of pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed compression fractures of 7 vertebrae. The patient was treated with both conventional, and Korean medicine methods including acupuncture and herbal prescriptions. The patient's progress was assessed using self-reported symptoms, scale scores and laboratory test results. Her pain was gradually alleviated and biochemical inflammation marker levels improved, but her functional status remained severely impaired. Clinical practitioners who treat women in the postpartum period must be aware of osteoporosis and potential vertebral fractures and need to consider Korean medicine as an alternative therapy to help such patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.7367-7376
• /
• 2015

This study was investigate the effects of the magnetic field therapy applied to the acupuncture point on dysmenorrhea experienced by high school girls and to verify the possibility to use this therapy as an effective in-home nursing intervention. Data were collected from Feburary to April, 2006. The research procedure was that female students who visited in public health center had to fill in questionnaires with dysmenorrhea Grapic Rating Scale(GRS) and Adjective Labor Pain Rating Scale(ALPRS), the gauge of pain, before participating the experiment. And then each group was tested for 3 hours. Participants before and after applying magnetic treatment filled each questionnaires with dysmenorrhea GRS and ALPRS. The GRS points and ALPRS points in the experimental group, applied by Magnetic Field therapy on acupuncture point is lower than that in the comparison group. The above result has proved that the magnetic field therapy on acupuncture has an effect on the pain alleviation of dysmenorrhea of female students in high school. Therefore, propose this therapy to dysmenorrhea of female students. In this research, ALPRS indicated validity on dysmenorrhea, so for verifying validity, further research is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.175-185
• /
• 2008

Objective : Acupuncture (from the Latin acus, "needle," and pungere, "to prick") is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine needles at specific points on the body. As a placebo acupuncture needle device was developed based on the visual impact of needling, it has been raised that it is useful only when acupuncture points and needling are visible to subjects. To examine the visual factor of the placebo acupuncture, the present study was aimed to compare the blinding index of the verum and placebo acupuncture between masked and unmasked situation. Methods : Thirty-six patients were randomly alloted to be stimulated with a verum or placebo acupuncture in a cross-over design. They were asked to guess a right answer whether they were stimulated with the verum or placebo acupuncture at LI4 in an unmasked or masked situation. The penetrating, pain, and deqi sensations were also measured after the stimulation using modified visual analogue scale. Results : The correct answer rate of the placebo acupuncture was 22.2% and 16.7% in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively (P>0.767). The blinding index of the placebo acupuncture was -0.56 (95%CI -0.84 to -0.27) and -0.67 (95%CI -0.91 to -0.42) in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively. The penetrating and deqi sensation of the verum acupuncture were significantly higher than those of the placebo acupuncture in both unmasked and masked situation. The pain sensation of the verum acupuncture was significantly higher than that of the placebo acupuncture in masked situation, but not in unmasked situation. Conclusion : Blinding of the placebo acupuncture was successful both in the unmasked and masked situation. These finding indicate that visual factor might not play a critical role in blinding of the placebo needle. We suggest that placebo needle would be also useful in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan even when the subject could not see the placebo needle.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.185-189
• /
• 2017

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the change in radiating leg pain after traffic accidents in patients with and without herniated intervertebral disc (HIVD) and improvement of radiating leg pain after traffic accidents. Methods: This was an retrospective study of 188 patients. Patients who had been admitted to the Hospital of Korean Medicine with the complaint of radiating leg pain after traffic accidents, and who had undergone lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging to determine the presence or absence of HIVD were observed from April to June 2016. We analyzed sex, age, length of admission, direction (to a single leg or to both legs) and locations, (medial, anterior, lateral or posterior side of the lower limb) of radiating leg pain, presence or absence of HIVD, and number, grade and position of HIVD. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to evaluate the impact of radiating leg pain on patients. Results: Radiating leg pain NRS score decreased significantly in both the HIVD group (from $6.12{\pm}2.39$ to $4.31{\pm}1.87$, p < 0.001) and the no HIVD group (from $5.76{\pm}1.64$ to $3.85{\pm}1.41$, p < 0.001). ODI score also decreased significantly in both groups (HIVD, from $44.67{\pm}17.38$ to $26.83{\pm}13.18$; no HIVD, from $39.24{\pm}15.58$ to $19.69{\pm}12$.; both p < 0.001). Conclusion: There was no significant change in radiating leg pain after traffic accidents in patients with and without HIVD and improvement of radiating leg pain after traffic accidents.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.1-28
• /
• 2004

Objectives : Human physiological changes in the state of qigong has been measured using EEG(Electroencephalography), functional MRI(functional Magnetic Resonance Image), EAV(Electro-Acupuncture according to Voll) and SQUID(Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) measurements. Methods & Results : EEGs were measured to study the differences between Qigong masters and Qi receiver on the changes of EEG. During Qigong, an alpha waves were increased. The power spectra indicate that the peak frequency of alpha waves increased during Qigong. Qi receiver's EEG signals seemed to affected by the state of himself. Brain activation did not observed when qigong master concentrates the Qi at Laogong(P8). But a localization of fMRI signal in the sensory cortex was observed by electric acupuncture stimulation at Laogong(P8). Five phase deviation of EAV were clearly changed in the both cases of Qigong master and Qi receiver. When a Qigong master concentrates the Qi at Yintang, Laogong(P8), Qihai(CV6) meridian points during Qigong state, the change of magnetic field around acupoints Yintang, Laogong points has been measured using 40-Channel DROS-SQUID apparatus. After smoothing process of the continuously measured magnetic signal around acupoints for a few minutes, we could observe that a series of peaks, magnitude of -1.0~2.5pT appeared. But there was no significant difference in changes of magnetic signal around acupoints. Physical signals of magnetocardiogram has been measured by using 2-Channel DROS SQUID(Magnetocardiogram). Physical signals of magnetocardiogram were clealy changed at the ST segments after S-wave when qigong master concentrates the Qi.