Acupuncture Aids Pain Relief for Knee Arthritis

Acupuncture, used as a complementary therapy to drugs, is a more effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis than medication alone, says a Spanish study in the latest British Medical Journal.

The research team treated 88 knee osteoarthritis patients with diclofenac - a standard anti-inflammatory painkiller.

Half the patients received 12 weekly acupuncture treatments as well, selecting acupuncture points on the basis of traditional treatment methods, while the other half had sham acupuncture that did not penetrate their skin.

At the end of treatment, it was found that those who received real acupuncture had taken less of their pain medication than those who had fake acupuncture.

Yet they had less pain, less stiffness, and better physical function.

British Acupunture Council