Pain Treatment in Primary Care Through Eight Constitution Medicine: A Retrospective Real-World Study from South Korea

Background and Objectives: Musculoskeletal pain is a global public health issue. Eight Constitution Medicine (ECM), a type of East Asian Traditional Medicine, offers personalized, minimally invasive treatment through Eight Constitution Acupuncture (ECA) and Eight Constitution Lifestyle Intervention (ECLI). Despite its clinical use, scientific evidence supporting ECM's effectiveness remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness in treating musculoskeletal pain in primary care settings. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed medical records from three ECM clinics (Gangnam-Shingwang, Yeson, and Yebon) between January 2018 and August 2023. A total of 163 patients were included, with 44 providing follow-up data. Pain intensity, quality of life, and functional outcomes were assessed using validated instruments including the PainDETECT questionnaire, Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT) somatic pain scores, EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). Pre- and post-treatment scores were statistically analyzed. Results: Significant decreases were observed in KCPAT somatic pain scores (11.77 ± 4.77 to 9.77 ± 5.32) and significant improvements in EQ-5D-5L scores (0.74 ± 0.12 to 0.80 ± 0.07). WOMAC and ODI scores also showed significant improvements. However, the changes in the NDI, SPADI, and PainDETECT scores were not statistically significant. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: ECM, through ECA and ECLI, may offer effective personalized treatment for musculoskeletal pain, improving both pain intensity and quality of life. Despite its small sample size and retrospective design, this study offers valuable preliminary evidence for ECM. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.