Potential use of polydimethylsiloxane phantom in acupuncture manipulation practice.

Objectives: Sufficient trials of acupuncture manipulations should be practiced to obtain proficiency. However, there is not an adequate quantitative methodology for selecting a tissue-mimicking phantom that effectively reproduces the mechanical behavior that occurs during acupuncture. The objective of this study was to determine the proper mixing ratio of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to obtain tissue phantom that is the most similar to porcine phantoms.

Electroacupuncture for abdominal pain relief in patients with acute pancreatitis: A three-arm randomized controlled trial.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) may reduce the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) and provide additional pain relief in patients with chronic pancreatitis. However, the ability of EA to relieve pain in patients with AP has not been well documented.

Objective: This study was undertaken to compare the pain-relieving effects of EA and conventional treatment in patients with AP.

Temperature Characteristics of Traditional Indirect Moxibustion and Electronic Moxibustion.

Background: Electronic moxibustion (EM) was developed to minimize the side effects of traditional moxibustion, such as burns, and to overcome therapeutic compliances such as smoke or smell.

Objectives: To investigate distributions and thermal stimulation of EM at various depths using silicon phantom and to compare this methodology to traditional indirect moxibustion (TIM).

Methods: A silicon phantom composed of polydimethylsiloxane was heated and immersed in a hot plate containing warm water to set the phantom's temperature to that of biological tissue.

Effectiveness and safety of electric heating moxibustion for perennial allergic rhinitis: A pilot, randomized, assessor-blind trial.

Background: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR), an inflammatory disease, is gradually increasing. Studies have reported that moxibustion is effective for treating AR. Electric heating moxibustion (EM) was developed to offer adaptable heat stimulation without the generation of smoke.

Effectiveness and safety of electrical moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: A multicenter, randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial.

Background: The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is increasing, and it has emerged as a major health issue. Studies have been reported that moxibustion is effective for treating KOA, but conventional moxibustion is difficult to control the intensity of stimulation and causes smoke, harmful gases, or odors. An electrical moxibustion (EM) device was developed to solve these problems, so we conducted this study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EM as a treatment for KOA.

Efficacy of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) for middle-aged and moderate level of chronic fatigue patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Chronic fatigue (CF) is unexplained fatigue lasting more than 6 months. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is known to have higher anti-fatigue substance than white ginseng. However, its efficacy and safety for CF is unknown.

Efficacy and safety of electric heating moxibustion for perennial allergic rhinitis: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated disease that adversely affects quality of life. Many studies report that moxibustion is an effective treatment for perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). However, it is difficult to perform moxibustion on the face because of possible burning of the skin and the noxious effects of smoke.

Can a Traditional Korean Manual Therapy Be a Complementary and Alternative Strategy for Cervicogenic Dizziness? A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cervicogenic dizziness is dizziness triggered by movement or positioning of the cervical spine and is often accompanied by neck pain or stiffness. This is a prospective, pragmatic, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial aimed at testing the efficacy and safety of adjuvant Chuna Manual Therapy (CMT) in patients with cervicogenic dizziness under usual care treatments. Fifty patients with cervicogenic dizziness will be randomly allocated to CMT or usual care (UC) groups in a 1 : 1 ratio.

Electroacupuncture for abdominal pain relief in patients with acute pancreatitis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) reduces the severity of acute pancreatitis. However, the effect of EA for pain relief in patients with acute pancreatitis has not been evaluated yet. The purpose of this study was to prove the efficacy of EA for pain relief in patients with acute pancreatitis compared with conventional treatment.

Characteristics and status of Korean medicine use in whiplash-associated disorder patients.

Background: Patients are free to choose conventional or Korean medicine treatment under the dual medical system in Korea, and the prevalence of patients who choose Korean medicine treatment for whiplash-associated disorders (WADs) is high. This study analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and medical service use in this population to provide healthcare providers with basic usage information of complementary and alternative medicine for WAD.

Methods: A total of 8291 outpatients who registered under automobile insurance coverage and visited the main branch of Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine from April 1, 2014 to August 10, 2016 were included.

Efficacy and safety of electrical moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a significant health issue because it causes pain and functional limitation. Many studies have reported that moxibustion, a treatment in traditional Korean medicine, is effective in treating KOA. However, conventional moxibustion produces smoke, harmful gases, and odors that can adversely affect the eyes, skin, and throat.

Single-dose Toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go Glucose 5% Intravenous Injection in a Rat Model.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the single-dose intravenous toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go glucose 5% pharmacopuncture (GWG5).

Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of five males and five females per group: an intravenous (IV) injection of 1.0 mL of normal saline solution per animal was administered to the control group; IV injections of 0.

Efficacy of pharmacopuncture using root bark of Ulmus davidiana Planch in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to determine whether pharmacopuncture is a clinically effective and safe method for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Patients were recruited between August 2008 and December 2008 at the Ilsan Hospital associated with Dongguk University. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the two groups.