Analgesic Effect of a Traditional Korean Medicine Yang Eui Gongjin-dan on Severe Pain: A Retrospective Study

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effect of Yang Eui Gongjin-dan (YEGJD), a traditional Korean medicine, on severe pain or numbness, including acute and chronic non-cancer pain. Methods: Records of patients visiting the Department of Traditional Korean Internal Medicine, Stroke and Neurological Disorders Center, from March 2011 to January 2015, were searched. Their chief complaint was severe numbness or pain (NRS≥7). We compared the NRS of pain preand post-YEGJD treatment in 34 patients; and analyzed changes in pain severity preand post-YEGJD treatment in 17 chronic non-cancer pain patients. We also investigated other accompanying symptoms, such as insomnia, anorexia, dyspepsia, fatigue, coldness, and excessive sweating, related to the deficiency state (虛症) in traditional Korean medicine. Results: The average pain NRS for the 34 patients significantly decreased from 8.04±1.08 to 3.75±2.54 after YEGJD treatment. The average pain NRS score in chronic non-cancer pain patients also significantly declined from 7.91±0.97 to 3.29±2.29. Conclusions: The traditional Korean medicine Yang Eui Gongjin-dan has an analgesic effect and is useful for treating severe pain or numbness. We recommend a randomized controlled trial using objective assessment scales and a large patient sample to further test the effects of Yang Eui Gongjin-dan.