Skip to main content

Chuna therapy for musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials in Korean literature

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of Chuna for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain as reported in Korean literature.

Methods

We conducted an electronic literature search using seven Korean databases and manually searched six traditional Korean medicine journals. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane criteria.

Results

Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the study. Compared with standard care, three RCTs suggested favorable effects of Chuna on neck pain due to a hypolordotic cervical spine, low back pain caused by traffic accidents, and low back pain. In contrast, compared with standard care, three RCTs failed to show positive effects on temporomandibular joint disorder, mandibular movement, and neck pain caused by traffic accidents.

Conclusions

Currently, the evidence of the effectiveness of Chuna for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain is not convincing. Further rigorously designed trials are warranted to determine its effectiveness.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

References

  1. Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs. An investigation on the actual condition of using traditional Korean medicine. Seoul, Korea: Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs; 2009:16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Park T, Shin B. Curriculum analysis of Chuna manual medicine in Korea. J Kor Chuna Manual Med Spine Nerves 2010;5:157–168.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Shin B, Shin J, Lee J, Lim H, eds. Chuna coordinative and orthopedic manual medicine. Seoul, Korea: Korean Society of Chuna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves; 2006:5–6.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Park J, Shin S, Park J. A comparative study on the concepts of the Chuna. J Kor Soc Orient Med Classics 2008;21:173–191.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Shiatsu SC. Complement Ther Nurs Midwi fery 1997;3(6):168–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Patient survey report. Seoul, Korea: Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs; 2005:104–128.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Patient survey report. Seoul, Korea: Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jin E, Lee J, Kim H, Yeom S, Jeong H, Lim C. The clinical study for the effects of Chuna treatment on patients with temporomandibular disorder. J Orient Rehabil Med 2011;21:125–135.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kim T, Kim C, Lee K, Um T, Jung Y, Kho Y. Comparative clinical study between the acupuncture treatment and the Chuna treatment on temporomandibular disorder. J Kor Chuna Manual Med Spine Nerves 2006;1:55–64.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Park S, Kim J, Ko K, Choi S, Lee Y, Lee Y, et al. The clinical studies for Chuna treatment on patients of neck pain caused by traffic accidents. J Kor Acupunct Moxibust Soc 2007;24(6):55–64.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ryu H, Jeon S, Park D, Lee S. Clinical study for Chuna treatment on neck pain patients with hypolordotic cervical spine. J Kor Chuna Manual Med Spine Nerves 2006;1(2):11–20.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Yoon D, Son J, Choi J, Jung S, Kim S. Effect of Chuna treatment on lumbar sprain caused by traffic accident. J Kor Chuna Manual Med Spine Nerves 2010;5(1):23–30.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Park H. Effects of Chuna therapy on the low back painfocusing on the finger pressure therapy of acupuncture point. J Kor Contents Associ 2009;9:243–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Moore A, McQuay H, eds. Bandolier’s little book of making sense of the medical evidence. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2006:124–125.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lee M, Shin B, Kong J, Ernst E. Effectiveness of acupuncture for Parkinson disease: a systematic review. Movement Disord 2008;23:1505–1515.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ernst E, Lee M. A trial design that generates only “positive” results. J Postgrad Med 2008;54:214–216.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Vickers A, Goyal N, Harland R, Rees R. Do certain countries produce only positive results? A systematic review of controlled trials. Control Clin Trials 1998;19:159–166.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myeong Soo Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moon, TW., Choi, TY., Park, TY. et al. Chuna therapy for musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials in Korean literature. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 19, 228–232 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1238-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1238-0

Keywords

  • Chuna
  • musculoskeletal pain
  • systematic review
  • Korean literature