It was shown in a recent study that acupuncture can be an ideal way to help control the symptoms caused by osteoarthritis. When acupuncture was given to osteoarthritis patients, it led to a 40% lessening of their pain and a 40% amelioration in joint function compared to baseline evaluations, the study noted.
Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis Treatment – An Overview
A treatment that involves the sticking of needles into specific parts of the body in order to treat illnesses and improve health, acupuncture is a 3,000 year old healing practice that has its origin in China. This treatment is utilized by over 2 million men and women each year in the United States.
Acupuncture through electrical stimulation or the traditional manual type of acupuncture in which thin sterile, metallic needles are inserted into the skin is the acupuncture technique that has been the most scientifically studied. Recent tests have led to scientific inquiry to help determine whether certain mechanisms of acupuncture’s can aid in the treatment of arthritis and other painful conditions.
Acupuncture Osteoarthritis Treatment – What Clinical Test Reveals
The Annals of Internal Medicine released a study December 2004 that showed how acupuncture can improve joint function and alleviate pain in knee osteoarthritis patients.
Study Specifics
Conducting this multisite study were a team of licensed acupunctures and rheumatologists. A total of 570 people participated in this study. Their ages ranged 50 years old and above and they all were suffering from knee osteoarthritis. The subjects never had acupuncture nor have undergone knee surgery for at least six months before the start of the study. They also did not use any type of steroidal injections prior to the study.
One of three treatments (sham acupuncture, real acupuncture, or participation in a control group that followed the Arthritis Foundation’s self-help course for managing the condition) was randomly assigned to the subjects although they continually received standard medical care from their doctors, including opioid pain relievers, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), COX-2 selective inhibitors, and other forms of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Sham acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of acupuncture needles into acupoints that traditionally do not produce any therapeutic response to a condition being experienced by a person. During the administration of both real and sham acupuncture, a screen was set up to prevent the subjects from knowing what kind of acupuncture treatment they were receiving.
The Outcomes of the Study
The subjects’ knee function and pain were evaluated by standard measurement tools and arthritis research survey instruments. Progress was evaluated after the 4th, 8th, 14th, and 26th week of study. At the end of the 8th week, the subjects being treated with real acupuncture were manifesting a significant improvement in function; and by the end of the 14th were manifesting a significant amelioration of pain, compared to the control and sham acupuncture groups. These outcomes were consistent all through the 26th week. All in all, the group given real acupuncture treatment had a 40% improvement in function and a 40% lessening of pain related to osteoarthritis of the knee compared to baseline evaluations.
Considering Acupuncture Treatment for Osteoarthritis
Acupuncture has been proven to work for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis based on the results of the above-mentioned study. However, the research conductors advised that acupuncture should not replace the standard treatment care advised by doctors for this condition. Moreover, finding a qualified and good acupuncturist in Bellmore is imperative in order to properly deal with the osteoarthritis pain and to prevent any accident, injuries, or infections during an acupuncture procedure.