Purpose. This trial was performed to investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture for the alleviation of lower back pain. Methods. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned to either the laser acupuncture group (n = 28) or the sham laser acupuncture group (n = 28). Participants in both groups received three treatment sessions over the course of one week. Thirteen acupuncture points were selected. The visual analogue scale for pain, pressure pain threshold, Patient Global Impression of Change, and Euro-Quality-of-Life Five Dimensions questionnaire (Korean version) were used to evaluate the effect of laser acupuncture treatment on lower back pain. Results. There were no significant differences in any outcome between the two groups, although the participants in both groups showed a significant improvement in each assessed parameter relative to the baseline values. Conclusion. Although there was no significant difference in outcomes between the two groups, the results suggest that laser acupuncture can provide effective pain alleviation and can be considered an option for relief from lower back pain. Further studies using long-term intervention, a larger sample size, and rigorous methodology are required to clarify the effect of laser acupuncture on lower back pain.

Background: Acupotomy, which involves the addition of a scalpel function to the conventional acupuncture treatment, has recently been applied as a conservative treatment method for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy, compared to manual acupuncture, for the treatment of patients with LDH. Methods: A total of 146 patients diagnosed with LDH were randomly assigned to either the acupotomy group or the manual acupuncture group at a 1:1 ratio. Participants in both groups received four sessions of each intervention over 2 weeks. Outcome assessments based on the visual analog scale (VAS), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Modified-Modified Schober Test (MMST), EuroQol Five Dimensions (EQ-5D), clinically important difference (CID), and patient global impression of change (PGIC) were conducted at baseline and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks post-randomization. Results: The acupotomy group showed significant improvement in VAS and MMST at 2, 4, and 6 weeks than did the manual acupuncture group. RMDQ was significantly different between the two groups at 2 and 6 weeks. In EQ-5D, there was no significant difference between the two groups. The proportion of patients with ≥15 mm decrease on the VAS (minimal CID) was significantly higher in the acupotomy group at weeks 2 and 4. Better improvement in the PGIC at week 4 was also observed in the acupotomy group. Postintervention muscle pain was reported, but there was no serious adverse event related to interventions. Conclusion: In this study, four sessions of acupotomy treatment were found to be effective in improving the pain intensity and range of motion of the lumbar region in patients with LDH. Despite post-treatment muscle pain, acupotomy treatment can be considered a preferred treatment method over manual acupuncture. Trial Registration: This trial has been registered 24 April 2018 in Clinical Research Information Service of South Korea (CRIS-KCT0002824).

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This study analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and case studies investigating Chuna manual therapy and variations of this term, for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. On June 15 th , 2019, 6 online databases were used to retrieve studies. A total of 527 articles were retrieved, and 14 RCTs and 20 case studies were selected for review. Typically, the frequency of Chuna therapy was 1-2 times/week. The most common period of treatment was 12 months in RCTs and 3-6 months in case studies. Cobb's angle was the most frequent evaluation index used (11 RCTs and 20 case studies). In control groups, brace treatment was used in 8 RCTs. In 6 RCTs and 20 case studies, Cobb's angle significantly decreased after Chuna therapy, and in 4 RCTs, Chuna therapy was as effective as brace treatment, with no significant difference between groups. Adverse events were not reported except for minor reactions in only 3 case studies. This review suggested that Chuna therapy for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis was more advantageous than and as effective as brace treatment in most cases, although the risk of bias in 13 RCTs was unclear.

Background: With the increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases, enhancing immunity has become an important challenge. Health functional foods, such as Phellitus linteus (PL), are known to improve immune function. In previous laboratory studies, it has been reported that PL has anticancer activities. In this study, we will evaluate if PL improves immune functions in adults with reduced immunity and identify its effects on immunity factors. Methods: This study will be a single-center, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Study participants will be randomly allocated to 3 experimental groups: those taking PL 1000 mg, PL 2000 mg, or placebo. Total duration of the clinical trial will be 8 to 10 weeks. Study participants will have follow-up visits every 4 weeks and the effect and safety will be assessed at the second and third visits. All participants will be asked to maintain a dosage schedule for this protocol. The primary outcome will be natural killer (NK) cell activity and the secondary outcomes will include peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count; levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-12 to assess autoimmune reactivity; and levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)G1, IgG2, and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) to assess allergic activity. Repeated measure analysis will be used to measure primary efficacy based on full analysis set. Discussion: This study has limited inclusion and exclusion criteria and a well-controlled intervention. It will be the first randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of PL in adults with reduced immunity. This study will provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the immune-stimulating effects of PL and lay the groundwork for further studies.

Case Study of Jung-an Acupuncture on the Sequelae of Peripheral Facial Palsy

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Phaseoli Semen Herbalacupuncture(PS-HA) at KI10 in acute nephritis induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in rat. Methods : The rats were divided into 5 groups, which were control, LPS, PS-HA, NP and saline group. LPS, PS-HA, NP and saline groups were given LPS to induce acute nephritis and control group did not receive LPS. LPS group did not receive any treatment after the onset of acute nephritis. PS-HA, NP and saline group received PS-HA, normal acupuncture, and saline injection at KI10 three times per week, respectively. To evaluate the effect of PS-HA at KI10, the complete blood count, BUN, creatinine, TNF-α, and CINC-1 in serum were measured. To show its effect on renal function, creatinine, and total protein in urine was measured as well as urine output. The level of myeloperoxidase in renal tissue was quantified and complete histology was done in kidney samples obtained from the rats. Results : PS-HA group showed a significant reduction in the proportion of WBC and neutrophil, serum BUN, TNF-a, and CINC-1 compared to LPS group. Furthermore, a significant increase in urine output and a decrease in urinary creatinine level, MPO in renal tissue, and number of neutrophils at glomerulus was observed in PS-HA group compared to LPS group Conclusions : PS-HA at KI10 was shown to have a significantly effect on treating LPS induced acute nephrits. Therefore, future study is needed to further evaluate the clinical usefulness of PS-HA at KI10 in treating acute nephritis.

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