Integrative Korean Medicine Treatment Including Ultrasound-Guided Pharmacopuncture for a Patient Complaining of Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Case Report

Abstract

This study aimed to report the effectiveness and safety of integrative Korean Medicine (KM) for a patient who complained of chronic shoulder pain. A 54-year-old female inpatient who suffered from chronic shoulder pain received KM treatment including ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine from July 31 to August 21, 2023. Pain and dysfunction were assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS) and shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI). The patient’s overall health status was analyzed using the EuroQol five-dimensional three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) and EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Adverse events were also assessed for safety evaluation. The NRS score decreased step-by-step from 4 to 1, and the SPADI score decreased from 38 to 12. EQ-5D-3L and EQ-VAS scores also increased. No severe adverse events were observed during treatment. The results indicate that integrative KM treatment may be a viable option for patients with chronic shoulder pain.

Keywords

• case report
• chronic pain
• korean medicine
• pharmacopuncture
• shoulder pain
• ultrasound-guidance