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INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Sujok therapy for patients with respiratory problems

Other researchers have also studied the use of TCM in improve emotional problems by including twists and
dyspnea, such as herbs, acupuncture, and exercise. One putting seeds. The method used in this study consisted
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respondent with a diagnosis of asthma and COPD received of massages, coloring, and seeds. This method was used
TCM therapy for 4 weeks, which yielded satisfactory in dyspnea patients who were suffering from COVID-19,
results, with the patient no longer experiencing symptoms and this method is called therapy for lung correspondence
of dyspnea. Unfortunately, the case study did not (TKP) and therapy for airway correspondence (TSN). In
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explain the changes in the dyspnea scale with regard to this case study, many symptoms improved except dyspnea,
the intervention period, and the study also did not use and many other targets were treated with different Sujok
oxygen saturation parameters. Therefore, in terms of the protocols. TKP and TSN methods have reportedly
dyspnea and oxygen saturation scales, the results could improved dyspnea in patients from grade 10 (the most
not be compared to this study. In addition, TCM therapy severe) to 0 (no dyspnea) within 27 min. Unfortunately,
requires more time, effort, and complex materials than this study only involved one respondent, and no
Sujok therapy, which was performed for approximately measurement of oxygen saturation (objective data) was
3 min in this study. used to complement the subjective data. Another study
There was another study that investigated the use of reported that TKP and TSN could reduce symptoms in the
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music to reduce dyspnea. Results of this study also reported respiratory tract of COVID-19 patients. A total of four
that music could statistically reduce dyspnea in the IG, male patients with COVID-19 with oxygen saturation of
but the hemodynamic measurements of the respondents <96% and experienced dyspnea displayed restoration of
were not significant. The result was the same as the fan oxygen saturation to normal and improvement of dyspnea
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therapy study, where the subjective results did not correlate symptoms after therapy within the first 5 min after the
with the objective measurements. Similar studies, without first measurement. The findings from these two studies
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objective measurements, reportedly improved dyspneic (i.e., Nurjannah and Nurjannah et al. ) were consistent
symptoms (based on subjective data) with glutathione (i.e., with the results of the present study. These reports further
oral and intravenous) and yoga. 33 validated dyspnea symptom improvement by Sujok
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therapy, with both objective and subjective data.
Notably, an intervention study utilizing hypnosis
therapy has reportedly succeeded in reducing dyspnea, The first step of Sujok therapy involves massages. The
as evidenced by objective (e.g., respiration rate [RR] and stimulation of an affected area will not only relieve the pain
SpO /arterial oxygen saturation) and subjective (e.g., but also address the causes of the pain and stabilize the flow
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Borg Score – Visual Analog Scale) measurements, as well of energy in the affected area. Furthermore, identifying a
as anxiety evaluation (i.e., with STAI-6 questionnaires). particular area for therapy is considered an important step
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However, hypnosis therapy took a longer time (15 min) of therapy. For an effective treatment, the area of therapy
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than Sujok therapy (~3 min). requires proper stimulation, and the massage can be
either anticlockwise or clockwise and should continue until
Several other alternative therapies have been studied, the pain subsides. In this study, the researchers modified
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especially regarding pulmonary rehabilitation in patients the shape and direction of the massage to the outside (from
with COPD, using mind-body therapy (e.g., yoga, tai-chi, the lungs to the nose). This is essential because dyspnea
and Qigong) and acupuncture, which yielded promising patients may have excess sputum production, and inward
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results related to the sensation of shortness of breath. 36 massages (to draw air into the lungs) may accumulate
In this study, Sujok therapy was able to improve oxygen phlegm (and pathogens) in the lower lungs. Likewise,
saturation levels (objective data) and dyspnea (subjective outward massages can expel phlegm (and pathogens) from
data). Sujok is a multimodal therapy on the hands and the respiratory tract.
feet, including meditation (Triorigin Smile Meditation The second part of Sujok therapy is the use of color. Color
[TSM]), massages, applying color, attaching seeds, leaves, is a manifestation of cosmic forces that are responsible for
or other parts of plants, using needles (e.g., acupuncture), life and its healing properties. For example, the color
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twisting, and magnets. Even when a combination is red has a strengthening or tonification effect. 44-46 Other
used, it should not take a long time, as evidenced by the references also mentioned that red is associated with blood
intervention in this study that took only about 3 min to and blood flow and has the property of warmth. If a person
perform. 37 is imbued with the color red, the pituitary gland becomes
One study suggested that the use of a combination active and increases adrenaline in the blood, thereby
of methods for a particular target could have a better stimulating the sensory nerves and increasing the sense of
effect than using only one method 38-41 and could even smell, sight, hearing, taste, and touch. 43

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2024) 7 doi: 10.36922/itps.1418