The Effects of Korean Medical Treatment Combined with Embedding Acupuncture on Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain: a Retrospective Study

Seon Wook Kim; Jeong Cheol Shin

doi:10.13045/acupunct.2016025

J Acupunct Res > Volume 33(2); 2016 > Article

Kim and Shin: The Effects of Korean Medical Treatment Combined with Embedding Acupuncture on Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain: a Retrospective Study※

Clinical Research

Acupuncture 2016; 33(2): 165-171.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13045/acupunct.2016025

The Effects of Korean Medical Treatment Combined with Embedding Acupuncture on Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain: a Retrospective Study^※

Seon Wook Kim, Jeong Cheol Shin^*

Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Mokpo Oriental Hospital of Dongshin University

^*Corresponding author: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Mokpo Oriental Hospital of Dongshin University, 313, Baengnyeon-daero, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do, 530-822, Republic of Korea,
Tel: +82-61-280-7903, E-mail: fire-sjc@hanmail.net

Received May 30, 2016 Revised June 07, 2016 Accepted June 09, 2016

Abstract

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of Korean medical treatments combined with Embedding acupuncture on patients with chronic lower back pain.

Methods:

We reviewed the medical records of 40 patients with chronic lowerback pain hospitalized at Dongshin Korean Medicine Hospital from March, 2015 to February, 2016. They were divided into two groups: the embedding acupuncture group (20 patients) and the non-embedding acupuncture group(20 patients).

To evaluate the efficacy of the treatments, the 40 patients were asked to complete a Numerical Rating scale (NRS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) four times during admission.

Results:

The mean NRS of the embedding acupuncture group decreased more significantly than the non-embedding acupuncture group at days three and ten of admission. The ODI change and ODI rate of change of the embedding acupuncture group were significantly greater than the non-embedding acupuncture at days three and ten of admission.

Conclusion:

Korean medical treatment combined with embedding acupuncture might be effective in reducing pain and improving the life quality of patients with chronic lower back pain.

We hope that further studies will be done to produce more clinical data and ensure effective application of these results.

Key Words: Embedding acupuncture; Chronic low back pain; Retrospective Study.

Notes

This research was supported by the Dongshin University research grants

Fig. 1

Flow chart of the research protocol

Table 1

Distribution of Sex and age

		20~29	30~39	40~49	50~59	60~70
NEA	M	0	1	1	0	2	4	20
NEA	F	1	1	1	11	2	16

EA	M	0	3	0	1	0	4	20
EA	F	0	3	1	8	4	16

Table 2

Distribution of during admission

	NEA	EA
15 ~ 19(day)	6	8
20 ~ 25(day)	14	12

sum	20	20

Table 3

Distribution of ODI

	NEA	EA
moderate(21 ~ 40)	2	3
severe(41 ~ 60)	14	13

crippled(61 ~ 70)	4	4

Table 4

NRS comparison between NEA and EA

	3day follow up	10day follow up	discharge
NEA(n=20)	8.85 ± 1.27	5.95 ± 1.96	2.9 ± 2.49
EA(n=20)	7.55 ± 1.47	4.55 ± 1.82	2.35 ± 2.23

p-value	.005^†	.025^*	.466

NEA: No Embedding Acupuncture group.

EA: Embedding Acupuncture group.

All values showed mean ± SD.

p-values were calculated by independent t-test.

^* p<0.05.

^† p<0.01.

^‡ p<0.001.

Table 5

ODI of change comparison between NEA and EA

	3day follow up	10day follow up	discharge
NEA(n = 20)	5.3 ± 4.95	18.8 ± 9.87	32.7 ± 14.97
EA(n = 20)	11.5 ± 5.58	26.1 ± 11.54	35.4 ± 12.55

p-value	.001^†	.038^*	.540

NEA: No Embedding Acupuncture group.

EA: Embedding Acupuncture group.

All values showed mean ± SD.

p-values were calculated by independent t-test.

^* p<0.05.

^† p<0.01.

^‡ p<0.001.

Table 6

ODI rate of change comparison between NEA and EA

	3day follow up	10day follow up	discharge
NEA(n = 20)	10.29 ± 9.85	39.04 ± 20.5	63.59 ± 27.12
EA(n = 20)	23.38 ± 11.64	53.15 ± 18.63	70.99 ± 18.91

p-value	.000^‡	.028^*	.323

NEA: No Embedding Acupuncture group.

EA: Embedding Acupuncture group.

All values showed mean ± SD.

p-values were calculated by independent t-test.

^* p<0.05.

^† p<0.01.

^‡ p<0.001.

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