Prior studies exploring the effectiveness of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatment for facial palsy have mainly focused on Bell’s palsy, and there are few studies on the effectiveness of TKM treatments for traumatic facial palsy following mandibular fracture. The patient was a 24-year-old Korean man with left-sided facial paralysis following a left mandibular fracture. Surgery was performed for the fracture and the facial palsy was treated using conventional medicine (CM) treatments for approximately 3 months, but there was no improvement observed in the patient’s condition. Subsequently, the patient underwent an integrative Korean medicine treatment regimen consisting of acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and herbal medication for a duration of 2 months. After 2 months of treatments, the House–Brackmann facial grading scale changed from Ⅴ to II and Yanagihara’s unweighted grading score increased from 9 to 34. This case presentation and previous studies of traumatic facial palsy using TKM treatment show that TKM treatment may be considered a complementary or alternative treatment method to CM treatment in patients with traumatic facial palsy. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023445051.

Seunghyeok Ku, K.M.D., Sunghyun Kim, K.M.D., Hyunwoo Moon, K.M.D., Sangjoon An, K.M.D., Hyunjin Choi, K.M.D., Seungyoon Hwangbo, K.M.D., Hyunsuk Park, K.M.D., Jonghyun Lee, K.M.D.. J Korean Med Rehabi 2023;33:97-108. https://doi.org/10.18325/jkmr.2023.33.1.97

Hyunwoo Moon, K.M.D., Seunghyeok Ku, K.M.D., Sunghyun Kim, K.M.D., Seungyoon Hwangbo, K.M.D., Hyunjin Choi, K.M.D., Sangjoon An, K.M.D., Jonghyun Lee, K.M.D., Hyunsuk Park, K.M.D.. J Korean Med Rehabi 2023;33:87-96. https://doi.org/10.18325/jkmr.2023.33.1.87

Acupuncture is generally safe; however, severe side effects, such as syncope and pneumothorax (PTX), have sometimes been reported. No cases of hemopneumothorax following acupuncture have been reported in Korea. This study reports a case of progression and prognosis of hemopneumothorax after acupuncture in a patient who visited a hospital for digestive disorders and underwent acupuncture treatment at the Huatuo-Jiaji points to control the autonomic nerves. The patient complained of shortness of breath and chest pain after acupuncture. However, neither the patient nor the doctor suspected PTX. Chest radiography, conducted after a day, confirmed hemopneumothorax of the right lung, and the patient was immediately hospitalized. During hospitalization, oxygen therapy and medication were administered, and the patient was discharged 6 days later. However, PTX recurred, and the patient was rehospitalized. The patient was discharged after 4 days, and it was confirmed that he was completely cured, as evident from both radiation findings and patient symptoms on day 20. This study demonstrates that physicians should pay more attention to and be aware of PTX and its symptoms when performing acupuncture on the thoracic chest.

The symptoms of common peroneal nerve (CPN) entrapment are similar to the symptoms of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. We present the successful treatment of CPN entrapment masked by acute lumbar disc herniation. A 49-year-old man presented with low back pain and numbness in his left leg. Following admission, patient history, physical examination, and radiology findings, the patient received integrated Korean medicine (KM) treatment (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture, moxibustion and cupping, herbal medicine, and chuna therapy) for lumbar disc herniation. Outcome measures included the numeric rating scale, the European quality of life five dimensions, and the Oswestry disability index. Symptoms persisted, and CPN compression was consequently suspected. On Day 12 of 23, in addition to KM treatment, an ultrasound-guided Shinbaro2 pharmacopuncture (4 mL) was performed on the CPN entrapment site. Significant symptom relief resulted after CPN treatment on Day 12. Improvement was particularly evident in the lower leg and ankle, areas where the pain had previously been misattributed to symptoms of lumbar disc herniation. His low back pain and radiating pain to the back of the left femur started to improve from Day 20 and were mild at discharge. This case highlights the importance of considering peripheral nerve entrapment in patients presenting with symptoms similar to lumbar disc herniation. It also suggests that combining traditional KM with modern diagnostic techniques such as ultrasonography, may be beneficial in the precise location for pharmacopuncture treatment. Further studies are recommended to validate these findings and explore the broader applicability of this approach.

Introduction: Adenomyosis is a chronic gynecological disorder characterized by the infiltration of ectopic endometrial tissue into the myometrium, affecting approximately 20–35% of women of reproductive age. Although hormonal therapy and surgery are common treatments, their side effects and impact on fertility highlight the need for alternative approaches. Recently, integrative medicine, including traditional Korean medicine, has gained attention. However, well-documented long-term case studies using objective imaging are limited.Methods: A 40-year-old woman with severe adenomyosis symptoms unresponsive to conventional therapies received long-term herbal medicine based on modified Bojungikgi-tang, with regular ultrasound monitoring and clinical assessments over 12 months.Results: After treatment, menstrual pain decreased from a numeric rating scale score of 7–8 to 1–2, hemoglobin normalized, and ultrasonography revealed reduced adenomyosis and improved uterine structure. The patient’s quality of life improved markedly with no adverse effects.Conclusion: This case suggests that herbal medicine may be a safe and effective option for managing adenomyosis, supporting further research into integrative treatment strategies.