Acupuncture can relieve arthritis pain
21 Dec 2004
According to a new study, acupuncture significantly reduces pain and
improves function in those suffering osteoarthritis of the knee.
Acupuncture has received mainstream acceptance, particularly for pain
relief, in recent years and new research suggests the ancient Chinese
needle treatment can reduce pain and boost mobility.
The latest study by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one
of the largest and longest clinical trials to show such conclusive
effects and patients who underwent acupuncture treatment reported a 44
per cent average reduction in pain and a 40 per cent improvement in
mobility.
Researchers enrolled 570 patients aged 50 or older with arthritis of
the knee, who had significant pain in their knee the month before
joining the study. They were randomly assigned to receive one of three
treatments: acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or participation in a
control group that followed the Arthritis Foundation's self-help
course for managing their condition.
Overall, those who received acupuncture had a 40 per cent decrease in
pain and a nearly 40 per cent improvement in function compared to
baseline assessments.
Brian Berman, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine,
Baltimore, said: "We have demonstrated that traditional Chinese
acupuncture is an effective complement to conventional arthritis
treatment and can be successfully employed as part of a
multi-disciplinary approach to treating the symptoms of
osteoarthritis."
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting thin needles into specific
body points to improve health and well-being, a traditional method
originated in China more than 2,000 years ago.
