Key Finding
Traditional Korean Medicine treatments resulted in significant pain reduction (mean 2.09 NRS points for axial pain) with improvements in psychosomatic symptoms correlating with pain relief in acute traffic accident patients.
Researchers studied whether Traditional Korean Medicine could help people suffering from neck and back pain after car accidents. Traffic accidents often cause not just physical pain, but also sleep problems, anxiety, and depression. This study looked at 190 patients who were hospitalized and received an integrative treatment approach that included acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, pharmacopuncture (injecting herbal solutions into acupuncture points), and Chuna manual therapy—a Korean form of spinal manipulation.
The results showed significant improvements in pain levels. On average, patients' main pain scores dropped by about 2 points on a 0-10 scale, with neck pain improving by 2.21 points and low back pain by 1.94 points. What's particularly interesting is that patients who came in with worse pain also tended to have more severe insomnia and depression. As their pain improved during treatment, their psychological symptoms—including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep problems—also got better. The researchers found that these mental and emotional improvements may have actually contributed to the pain relief.
No serious side effects were reported, and blood tests remained normal throughout treatment, suggesting this approach is safe. This study suggests that Traditional Korean Medicine, as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, may be effective for acute pain following traffic accidents, especially when addressing both physical and psychological symptoms together. If you're considering acupuncture or Traditional Korean Medicine for accident-related pain, seek care from a licensed acupuncturist or qualified Traditional Korean Medicine practitioner.
This retrospective cohort study (n=190) evaluated semi-standardized Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) protocols for acute axial pain following traffic accidents during inpatient care (September 2018-March 2023). Interventions included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping, herbal medicine, and Chuna manual therapy. Mean improvements in axial pain were 2.09 NRS points, with neck pain decreasing 2.21 points and low back pain 1.94 points (all p<0.05). Baseline axial pain NRS scores positively correlated with Insomnia Severity Index and PHQ-9 scores. Regression analyses controlling for demographic and clinical covariates demonstrated that greater NRS reductions significantly associated with decreased Beck Anxiety Inventory, Fatigue Severity Scale, PHQ-9, and Insomnia Severity Index scores. No serious adverse events occurred; laboratory values remained within normal limits. Clinical implications suggest integrative TKM approaches effectively address acute post-traumatic axial pain, with psychosomatic symptom improvement potentially mediating pain outcomes. This supports comprehensive treatment strategies addressing both somatic and psychological dimensions of acute trauma-related pain.
Browse our directory of verified licensed practitioners near you.
Find a practitioner →📌 Verum acupuncture specifically decreased functional connectivity between the thalamus and anterior cingulate cortex in neck pain patients, with superior pain relief compared to sham acupuncture, mediated by immune-inflammatory and GABAergic inhibitory pathways.
📌 A machine learning model using pre-treatment brain connectivity patterns predicted acupuncture treatment response for neck pain with 85% accuracy, identifying 117 functional connectivity features as potential biomarkers for treatment success.
📌 A pediatric athlete with two years of undiagnosed bilateral ear pain, headaches, tinnitus, and dizziness achieved complete symptom resolution through conservative treatment including acupuncture, physical therapy, and short-term medication after being clinically diagnosed with sternocleidomastoid tendinopathy.