Knee Pain and Stiffness Seem to Respond to Acupuncture

OSTEOARTHRITIS

THE QUESTION People with chronically aching knees, caused by worn- away cartilage and cushioning, often turn to painkilling drugs to keep themselves moving. But gastrointestinal side effects and heart risks make these medications a difficult option for some. Might acupuncture offer a viable alternative?

THIS STUDY randomly assigned 294 people with osteoarthritis of the knee to 12 acupuncture treatments, to fake acupuncture (with the needles only superficially inserted and not at acupuncture points) or to a waiting list. They could continue taking painkilling nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if needed. About one-third of the participants had been treated previously with acupuncture. After eight weeks, knee pain and stiffness had decreased to half its original level in 52 percent of the acupuncture group, 28 percent of the fake acupuncture group and 3 percent of those on the waiting list. Use of painkillers dropped much more in the two acupuncture groups, compared with the waiting list group. Six months after treatment stopped, the differences in pain and motion had disappeared.

Read more: Knee Pain and Stiffness Seem to Respond to Acupuncture

Does Acupuncture Really Work?

By Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld
Published: July 9, 2006

More than 8 million Americans at one time or another have turned to acupuncture therapy for relief from pain or other distress. Today, thousands of acupuncturists—as well as medical doctors, dentists and other health professionals who have learned this technique—are using it to treat everything from migraines to nausea, menstrual cramps to tennis elbow, asthma to addiction.

In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration approved acupuncture needles for licensed practitioners, with the requirement that the needles be sterile, nontoxic and disposed of after a single use. The needles are hair-thin and introduced under the skin at one or more specific sites. When properly done under sterile conditions, acupuncture is safe and relatively painless. 

Some insurers reimburse for prescribed acupuncture—even though its effectiveness remains controversial and its presumed mechanism of action unclear. In my own practice, it has helped some patients but not others.

According to Chinese practitioners, the body’s vital energy (qi) is carried by two opposing forces—y in and yang—that flow through specific pathways called meridians. Yin reflects qualities that are cold, slow and passive; yang’s qualities are hot, excited and active. When the balance between them is disturbed and the flow of qi is interrupted, symptoms develop. It is believed that acupuncture needles, when placed at the appropriate site, alleviate symptoms by restoring normal flow within the meridians.

Read more: Does Acupuncture Really Work?