OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to analyze the diagnostic value of Ryodoraku in Burning Mouth Syndrome(BMS) patients, and correlation between Ryodoraku and 2 pattern identification questionnaires including Yin-deficiency Questionnaire, Qi-stagnation Questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) for the pain of BMS in BMS patients.

METHODS
Thirty BMS patients who visited the Oral Diseases Clinic of Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital were participated in this study from June to November of 2019. Ryodoraku test was conducted and two pattern identification questionnaires were filled up by all patients. The average Ryodoraku score which is called Total Average(TA) and each score on the Ryodoraku points were measured. The degree of Yin-deficiency, Qi-stagnation, and pain were assessed by Yin-deficiency Questionnaire (YDQ), Qi-stagnation Questionnaire (QSQ), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

RESULTS
The average score of TA in BMS patients was 29.90. The scores of LF5 (p=0.013) and RF5 (p=0.016) point were lower than the scores of TA and the scores of RH5 (p=0.020) and RH6 (p=0.006) point were higher than the scores of TA. There was negative correlation between YDQ scores and LH1 (r=-0.366, p=0.046), LH2 (r=-0.507, p=0.004), LH3 (r=-0.374, p=0.042), RH1 (r=-0.361, p=0.050), RH2 (r=-0.403, p=0.027) point. In Qi-stagnation patients, the scores of LF5 (p=0.050) and RF2 (p=0.048) point were lower than the non-Qi-stagnation patients.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the low TA and low Ryodoraku scores on LF5 and RF5 and the high Ryodoraku scores on RH5 and RH6 could possibly be a quantitative indicator to diagnose BMS. Moreover, the scores of LH1, LH2, LH3, RH1, RH2, LF5, and RF2 could be an indicator to diagnose Yin-deficiency and Qi-stagnation in BMS patients. Further studies about Ryodoraku test in BMS patients with the Korean, Western medical and neurological interpretation are required.