More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Acupuncture and Knee Pain
Knee pain and functional disability is a very common syndrome. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 11 million patients visit doctors' offices each year because of a knee or knee-related problem.
Most complaints of knee pain are due to knee arthritis perhaps rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis is a painful condition that occurs when the cartilage at the knee joint, which is meant to provide “cushion” between the bones, wears away, causing pain and stiffness. Other conditions that can lead to knee pain are some form of trauma, such as a torn or ruptured ligament; a broken or fractured kneecap; torn cartilage; or an accident that causes damage to the area or strains the knee beyond its normal range of motion. Being overweight is also quite a common reason for knee pain.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), local pain at the knee normally will be diagnosed as “obstruction” or “bi” syndrome. The obstruction of Qi and or blood will give rise to pain and soreness as the main symptoms. There are internal or external causes for this condition. Overuse, exposure to cold weather, wind, dampness or local trauma can lead to obstruction of Qi or blood.
Internal causes that weaken the function of the spleen and liver can lead to a weakened wei-qi (defensive-Qi) resulting in local obstruction of Qi and blood from external causes. So when an acupuncturist treats knee pain, they not only focus on the knee structure itself, they also must assess and treat any underlying problems giving rise to the knee pain. Acupuncture has been shown to give promising results in the treatment of knee pain.
Studies also have shown acupuncture to be effective in relieving certain types of knee pain, especially arthritic conditions of the knee and knee joint. A 1999 study comparing electroacupuncture to ice massage and transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) for subjects with osteoarthritis found that acupuncture decreased pain and stiffness levels and increased muscle strength and flexion in the knee. Another study published that same year suggested that patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome might benefit from weekly acupuncture treatments. Smaller studies have confirmed that acupuncture is beneficial in reducing knee pain, stiffness and physical disability in patients with knee and knee-related problems. Acupuncture can ease the discomfort some subjects feel while waiting for knee surgery, and in some cases, it may even be considered an alternative to surgery.
