Acupuncture is Effective in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

February 7, 2018   |   Currents in Integrative Healthcare

Osteoarthritis is a widespread chronic disease seen as a continuum of clinical occurrences within several phases, which go from synovial inflammation and microscopic changes of bone and cartilage to painful destructive changes of all the joint structures. Being the most common joint disease, it is the leading cause of disability in working individuals above 50 years of age. While this case study only included two patients who were treated with acupuncture for one session a week for thirty minutes at 4 local acupoints, results were shown to be positive, with a significant reduction of pain and increased knee joint flexion amplitude and mobility.

The conclusion of this study is that acupuncture is effective as an alternative or complementary treatment of knee osteoarthritis, with high levels of improvement within a modest intervention period.