Objectives
The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze and describe changes in pain intensity, SASD bursa thickness, and treatment-related safety outcomes following ultrasound-guided sweet bee venom(SBV) and Eohyeol pharmacopuncture in...
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze and describe changes in pain intensity, SASD bursa thickness, and treatment-related safety outcomes following ultrasound-guided sweet bee venom(SBV) and Eohyeol pharmacopuncture in patients with subacromial–subdeltoid bursitis.
Methods
This retrospective case series analyzed the medical records and ultrasound images of eight patients diagnosed with SASD bursitis who were treated at a Korean medicine clinic between March and November 2025. All patients met the diagnostic criterion of SASD bursa thickness greater than 2.0 mm on ultrasonography. Four patients received ultrasound-guided SBV pharmacopuncture, and four patients received ultrasound-guided Eohyeol pharmacopuncture. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale(NRS) for pain and changes in SASD bursa thickness measured by ultrasonography. Safety was assessed based on reported adverse events documented in the medical records.
Results
All patients showed a reduction in pain intensity and a decrease in SASD bursa thickness following treatment. Pain reduction tended to occur more rapidly in the SBV pharmacopuncture group during the early treatment phase, whereas both groups demonstrated comparable decreases in SASD bursa thickness over the course of treatment. No serious adverse events were observed. Mild and transient local reactions were reported in some patients in the SBV group, while no clinically significant adverse reactions were documented in the Eohyeol pharmacopuncture group.
Conclusions
In this retrospective case series, reductions in pain and SASD bursa thickness were observed following ultrasound-guided sweet bee venom and Eohyeol pharmacopuncture in patients with subacromial–subdeltoid bursitis. SBV pharmacopuncture tended to show faster initial pain reduction, whereas Eohyeol pharmacopuncture demonstrated favorable tolerability. These findings suggest that ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture may be considered as a potential therapeutic option; however, larger prospective studies are required to confirm these observations.