Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Oct 26, 2023; 11(30): 7424-7431
Published online Oct 26, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i30.7424
Traditional Chinese medicine for foot pain in a patient with complex regional pain syndrome: A case report
Woo-Chul Shin, Hyungsuk Kim, Won-Seok Chung
Woo-Chul Shin, Clinical Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, South Korea
Hyungsuk Kim, Won-Seok Chung, Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, South Korea
Author contributions: Shin WC contributed to conceptualization, formal analysis, visualization, writing of the manuscript, review and editing of the manuscript; Kim H contributed to conceptualization, investigation, verification, review and editing of the manuscript; Chung WS contributed to conceptualization, fund acquisition, project management, supervision, review and editing of the manuscript; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Korea Health Technology R and D Project, No HI20C1405.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Won-Seok Chung, PhD, Professor, Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, No. 23 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, South Korea. omdluke@naver.com
Received: July 10, 2023
Peer-review started: July 10, 2023
First decision: August 30, 2023
Revised: September 14, 2023
Accepted: October 8, 2023
Article in press: October 8, 2023
Published online: October 26, 2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by pain as well as sensory, motor, and sudomotor disorders. Generally, it is classified into two types CRPS-I and CRPS-II. There is no single diagnostic test or treatment approach for CRPS, and a multidisciplinary approach is gaining attention to improve patients’ symptoms and their quality of life.

CASE SUMMARY

A 35-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history sought treatment for CRPS at a hospital of Korean medicine. During her first visit, she was wheelchair-bound due to severe pain in her left lower extremity. She had edema and discoloration of the left foot. She was treated with a combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approaches, including acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, and herbal decoction, for approximately 20 sessions. The foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS) and visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain were evaluated, along with general signs and functions. Her symptoms, signs, FAOS, and VAS scores improved after treatment, with a significant 7-degree decrease in the VAS score and a 62-point increase in the FAOS score. Additionally, the foot swelling and discoloration gradually resolved. During the phone follow-up, 5 mo after the last visit, additional improvements in outcomes were observed.

CONCLUSION

Combined TCM treatment may be a reasonable and safe option for alleviating symptoms and improving function in patients with CRPS.

Keywords: Complex regional pain syndrome, Traditional Chinese medicine, Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Herbal medicine, Case report

Core Tip: A 35-year-old female patient presented with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) characterized by pain, swelling, and discoloration of the left lower extremity, along with difficulty in ambulation. She was treated with combined traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), comprising acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medications along with conventional medicine. This treatment strategy achieved sustained, long-term improvements in the patient’s signs and symptoms. TCM is a promising and safe treatment option for patients with CRPS.