Perspectives on Integrative Medicine

Review Article

The Safety and Effectiveness of Electroacupuncture for Labor Pain Relief: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Hyein Jeong, Jiwon Heo, Hyunsuk Park, Kyeong Han Kim; Perspect Integr Med. 2025;4(1):6-15. Published online February 21, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2025.02.002

491 View
31 Download

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Background
Labor pain is among the most intense forms of pain, significantly impacting physical and psychological well-being. Although epidural anesthesia is effective, it has side effects and limited accessibility. Electroacupuncture (EA) offers a low-risk alternative. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the safety and effectiveness of EA in relieving labor pain and duration.
Methods
Randomized controlled trials comparing EA with standard treatments, including epidural anesthesia, were identified through database searches up to August 2024. The primary outcome was pain reduction (assessed using the visual analog scale), and the secondary outcomes were labor duration (1^st and 2^nd stages), Apgar scores, and adverse effects.
Results
In the analysis there were 10 randomized controlled trials (involving 1,498 women in labor) included in this review. EA statistically significantly improved both the level of pain and reduced labor duration compared with those women who received standard treatments (p < 0.001). Apgar scores were assessed in 3 studies and determined that the physical condition of the delivered babies was not statistically significantly different between EA and standard treatment for labor pain. Study protocol indicated the recording of adverse effects in one of the ten studies. Adverse events in that study recorded mild localized discomfort (1.89%, n = 1).
Conclusion
EA reduced labor pain and duration, and demonstrated its potential as an alternative to the conventional approaches for managing labor pain. The limited data suggest EA is likely safe, but further research is needed to confirm its safety profile.

Case Report

Common Peroneal Nerve Entrapment Masked by Acute Lumbar Disc Herniation: Integrated Korean Medicine Treatment with Ultrasound-Guided Pharmacopuncture: Hyunsuk Park, Jinhyun Kim, Sungjae Yoo, Jung-Min Yun, Kwangchan Song; Perspect Integr Med. 2024;3(3):177-183. Published online October 23, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2024.10.008

1,213 View
34 Download
1 Citations

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.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Differential Gene Expression Analysis in a Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Rat Model via RNA Sequencing: Identification of Key Molecular Pathways and Therapeutic Insights
Jin Young Hong, Wan-Jin Jeon, Hyunseong Kim, Changhwan Yeo, Hyun Kim, Yoon Jae Lee, In-Hyuk Ha
Biomedicines.2025; 13(1): 192. CrossRef

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search