Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the knees is very prevalent in today’s society. It is considered a severe degenerative arthritis. According to the American College of Rheumatology, nearly 30 million people are affected. Knee osteoarthritis is characterized by pain, swelling, decreased range of motion and stiffness in the joint itself. This can also sometimes lead to the development of bone spurs.

Many times those who suffer from osteoarthritis also need some nutritional counseling and weight management training. Even five extra pounds can create excess stress on the joints. And as demonstrated in the research study, acupuncture can be an excellent addition for the management of symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis. By making positive changes and including acupuncture treatments, osteoarthritis sufferers can effectively manage this debilitating disease.

What do the studies say?

In a recent study published in the journal, Medicine, looked at if acupuncture could help those with knee OA. The study found that acupuncture has some advantages in helping those with OA including pain relief and functional recovery.

In another study, looking at the same topic. Concluded that patients receiving acupuncture for OA had a success rate of pain relief of 76 percent, while the success rates of the control group that did not receive acupuncture was only 32 percent. As a side note, several patients also reported some secondary complaints seemed to be less bothersome.

Another study, looked at the efficacy and safety of acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture (needling at defined non-acupuncture points) versus conservative therapy in patients with chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis. The found that compared with physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs, addition of either acupuncture or sham acupuncture led to greater improvement in Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score at 26 weeks.

These results are just highlighting a few of many studies showing that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option for those suffering from severe osteoarthritis.