{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T14:30:50Z","timestamp":1782311450215,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]],"date-time":"2025-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753747200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Institute for Korean Medicine Development (NIKOM)","award":["24R433"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24R433"]}]},{"name":"National Institute for Korean Medicine Development (NIKOM)","award":["RS-2023-00261934"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2023-00261934"]}]},{"name":"National Institute for Korean Medicine Development (NIKOM)","award":["RS-2024-00403500"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2024-00403500"]}]},{"name":"Bio &amp; Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF)","award":["24R433"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24R433"]}]},{"name":"Bio &amp; Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF)","award":["RS-2023-00261934"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2023-00261934"]}]},{"name":"Bio &amp; Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF)","award":["RS-2024-00403500"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2024-00403500"]}]},{"name":"Korea Basic Science Institute (National Research Facilities and Equipment Center) grant","award":["24R433"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24R433"]}]},{"name":"Korea Basic Science Institute (National Research Facilities and Equipment Center) grant","award":["RS-2023-00261934"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2023-00261934"]}]},{"name":"Korea Basic Science Institute (National Research Facilities and Equipment Center) grant","award":["RS-2024-00403500"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2024-00403500"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture (UGP) in comparison to non-guided pharmacopuncture (NGP) for the treatment of acute cervical myofascial pain syndrome (C-MPS) in primary care settings. Materials and Methods: This multi-center, prospective observational study included 97 patients diagnosed with acute C-MPS. Participants received a single session of either UGP or NGP at one of seven primary care institutions. Pain intensity was measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and cervical function was assessed through active Range of Motion (ROM) tests conducted before and after treatment. We conducted follow-up interviews within 48 h after treatment to monitor adverse events. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in pain levels and cervical ROM after treatment. The UGP group showed a greater reduction in NRS scores compared to the NGP group (p &lt; 0.001). Notable enhancements in cervical extension and rotation on the affected side were also observed in the UGP group (p &lt; 0.01), whereas changes in flexion and lateral flexion were similar between the two groups. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: UGP has shown superior pain reduction and a greater improvement in specific cervical motions compared to non-guided treatments, indicating enhanced precision and therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, no serious adverse events were reported, suggesting that UGP is a safe and effective non-surgical intervention for acute C-MPS in real-world primary care settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina61081371","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]],"date-time":"2025-07-29T16:16:10Z","timestamp":1753805770000},"page":"1371","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Effectiveness and Safety of Portable Ultrasound-Guided Pharmacopuncture for Cervical Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Prospective Observational Multi-Center Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"61","author":[{"given":"Robin","family":"Kwon","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Gangdong Forest Hospital of Korean Medicine, Seoul 05398, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4561-591X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kwangho","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8657-4950","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Young-Ung","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sanghyuk","family":"Kwon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Korean Medicine, Jinjeop Hanyang Hospital, Namyangju 12067, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juhwan","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seongjun","family":"Park","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Mullae Majubom Korean Medicine Clinic, Seoul 07281, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Junhui","family":"Kwon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Anjung Korean Medicine Clinic, Seoul 04173, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hyeon Joon","family":"Hong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Gwanghwamun Kyung Hee Korean Medicine Clinic, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Youngyun","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Kangnyung Korean Medicine Clinic, Anyang 13939, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3300-5556","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jungtae","family":"Leem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center of Traditional Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Il-won Integrated Medicine, Wonkwang University Korean Medicine Hospital, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0171-0234","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hongmin","family":"Chu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Mapo Hongik Korean Medicine Clinic, Seoul 04173, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Korean Medicine Convergence Research Information Center for Stroke, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Gwangju 61729, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9533-1117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cheol-Hyun","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Academy of Korean Medicine Clinical Anatomy, Seoul 03183, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1007\/s40122-013-0006-y","article-title":"Myofascial pain syndrome: A treatment review","volume":"2","author":"Desai","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pain. 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