A Case Report on Pregnancy-Related Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Worsened after Birth by Korean Medicine

Abstract

Objectives: This study is to report the effect of Korean medical treatment on a patient suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurred in pregnancy and worsened after birth. Methods: We treated the patient diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome by Korean medical treatment such as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture and herbal medicine at ⃝⃝Hospital of Korean Medicine from July 31th 2015 to August 6th 2015. And we evaluated changes of symptoms by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Tinel sign, Phalen's test, and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (DITI). Results:1. Through Korean medical treatment, postpartum carpal tunnel syndrome was significantly improved. VAS was decreased from 4 to 2, Phalen's test was manifested from 10 seconds to 26 seconds and Tinel sign was changed from positive to negative.2. We compared the gap of temperature between palm and forearm before and after Korean medical treatment through DITI. The temperature on the right side was changed from 0.74℃ to 1.01℃ and the left one from 0.63℃ to 1.01℃.Conclusions: This case report shows that Korean medical treatment is useful to treat pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome worsened after birth.

A Narrative Review of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Using China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database

“…그렇기 때문에 반복되는 수근관 증후군의 재발 및 엄지손가락의 위축, 심한 신경학적 장애가 있지 않은 경우에 우선적으로 보존적인 치료를 고려한다. 양방의 보존적 치료법 중에서 스테로이드 국 소 주사법이 다용되고 있으나 80%의 환자들은 일시적 인 효과를 얻었고 22%의 환자들에게 그 효과가 1년 이 상 지속된다고 발표하여 국소 주사 치료 효과가 일시적 인 경우가 있다는 결과가 보고된 바 있었고, NSAIDs의 복용은 위장관 장애 등의 부작용을 일으킬 수 있다는 단점이 있다는 결과가 보고되었다13,35) . 關節에 凝滯 등이 있으며, 痲木, 浮腫, 疼痛, 腫脹, 屈伸不利와 같은 증상을 유발한다13) .…”