A Case Report on a Patient with Late Complications of COVID-19 Complaining of Dyspnea Treated with Korean Medicine Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Su Won Lee; Tae Hyun Kim; Eun Jung Lee; In Chul Jung; Yang Chun Park; Lee, Su Won; Kim, Tae Hyun; Lee, Eun Jung; Jung, In Chul; Park, Yang Chun

doi:10.13048/jkm.22013

JKM > Volume 43(1); 2022 > Article

Lee, Kim, Lee, Jung, and Park: A Case Report on a Patient with Late Complications of COVID-19 Complaining of Dyspnea Treated with Korean Medicine Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Case Report

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2022; 43(1): 171-179.

Published online: March 01, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.22013

A Case Report on a Patient with Late Complications of COVID-19 Complaining of Dyspnea Treated with Korean Medicine Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Su Won Lee^1,†

, Tae Hyun Kim^1,†

, Eun Jung Lee²

, In Chul Jung³

, Yang Chun Park¹^{, *}

¹Division of Respiratory Medicine, Dep. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea

²Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea

³Department of Neuropsychology, College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea

Correspondence to: Yang-Chun Park, Korean Internal Medicine, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, 75, Daedeok-daero 176-beongil, Seo-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea 35235, Tel: +82-42-470-9126, Fax: +82-42-470-9486

Received February 11, 2022 Accepted February 17, 2022

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of study was to report the clinical improvement of late complications of COVID-19 patient complaining of dyspnea treated with Korean medicine pulmonary rehabilitation.

Methods

To assess the treatment outcomes, we used the modified medical research council scale (mMRC), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ).

Results

After treatments, the patient’s clinical symptoms were improved with mMRC, 6MWD, PEFR, and SGRQ.

Conclusions

The Korean medicine pulmonary rehabilitation was effective in the treatment of late complications of COVID-19 patient. This study suggested the possibility of Korean Medicine pulmonary rehabilitation program in the clinic for late complications of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19, Late complication, Korean medicine, Pulmonary rehabilitation

Fig. 1

(A) Chest X-ray [2021.11.15] (B) Chest X-ray [2021.12.04]

Fig. 2

The changes of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)

Table 1

The Korean Traditional Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program.

Method	Composition	Course description	Objective	Time
Lung-conduction exercise	Breathing technique (Jogigyeol, Taesikbeop)	Sit up comfortably and slowly while inhaling through the nose. After sufficient inhalation, hold breath while counting as high as you can tolerate. Then gently breathe out through the mouth	Respiratory efficiency (Ventilation-perfusion ratio)	Set 3 times (5 min)
	Lung-doyinbeop	While sitting on the ground with both hands curled, inhale, swell your back, and raise your back up	Chest mobilizing	Set 5 times (4 min)
		Hold your fists, bend your arms behind your back and tap your spine to the left and right	Secretion removal	Set 15 times (4 min)
		Hold your breath for a while, close your eyes, hit your teeth several times, and swallow if the saliva is stuck in your mouth	Relaxing	Set 3 times (2 min)
Chuna manual therapy	Fascia Chuna (Diaphragm)	The patient lies down and the operator places the thumb under the xiphoid process (central tendon), the front and rear rib attachment site respectively. Keep it in the inhalation, and press it slightly back in the the exhalation to maintain a tension until it relaxes	Respiratory efficiency (Reducing the use of breathing accessory muscle, Lowering respiratory load)	Set 3–4 (3 min)
Chuna manual therapy	Fascia Chuna (Breathing accessory muscle)	The patient lies down and makes isometric contraction in the inhalation; simultaneously the operator gives the opposite force. After 6–7 seconds, the patient exhales and relaxes the muscles		Set 3–4 (3 min)
Exercise therapy	Strength exercise	Upper limb and lower limbs strengthening training (1 set of 10–15 times of each muscle)	Muscle endurance (performance-enhancing)	Set 2–3 (15min)
Exercise therapy	Cardiovascular exercise	Using an ergometer or by treadmill	Cardiopulmonary function (increasing walking distance)	20min

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