Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most well known kind of joint pain; it affects 1 in 10 Canadian. The word arthritis is defined as inflammation of the joint. Inflammation is a medical term explaining pain, firmness or stiffness, redness and swelling. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common kind of arthritis and joint pain, affecting more than three million Canadians. It happens when cartilage (the tough elastic material that covers, secures and protects the end bones) starts to wear away. Cartilage is a fundamental piece of the joint; not only does it act as a safeguard and shock absorber, it also allows the joint to move easily. With OA, the Cartilage is wears away, in the long run bringing about pain, stiffness, swelling and bone-on-bone movement in the affected joint.
A vast and astounding amount of research shows acupuncture can diminish osteoarthritis knee pain by a average of 40% and enhance joint function comparatively, far beyond regular consideration with medicines.
Dr. Terry Selfe and Dr. Anne Taylor of the Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies (University of Virginia) reviewed on the research published in English journals. They included randomized, controlled examinations concentrating on the impacts of needle therapy (acupuncture) on knee osteoarthritis. Ten trials speaking to 1456 participants met the consideration criteria and were investigated. They concluded that these studies prove that acupuncture is a successful treatment for pain and physical dysfunctions connected with osteoarthritis of the knee.
References:
Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee; RCT (2004). Berman, B.M. et al. Annals of Intern Med. 141-12; pp 901-11.
Family and Community Health, 2008, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 247-254). The Arthritis society http://www.arthritis.ca/page.aspx?pid=941
