Acupuncture For Arthritis

By Y.C. Chan, OMD, Dipl Ac

Acupuncture Clinic of Maryland

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Acupuncture For Arthritis

Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints. There are over 100 different forms of arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). It is a result of trauma to the joints, infection of the joints, or age. Other arthritic forms are rheumatoid arthritis and related autoimmune disease. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection.

Pain is the primary complaint of arthritis patients, and usually involved many symptoms. Other than pain, patients may have stiffness, swollen joints and extremities, weakness and limited body function. Additionally, some patients have symptom's similar to Lyme disease.

During clinical observation, the articular surface of the joints in patients who suffered from bodily injuries, (caused from a car accident, exercising incorrectly, etc.), did not heal properly. As a result, severe arthritis may occur later in life. Since the early arthritis symptoms can be vague and confusing, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment prior to the condition getting worse.

According to the CDC, Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability in patients in the U.S. There are more than 70 million people who have been diagnosed with arthritis. Although most patients are over the age of 45 before they begin to show the signs of arthritis, one of our arthritis patients was only 4. We believe that genetic factors and immune system abnormalities contribute to some forms of arthritis.

Acupuncture for arthritis is used and recommended by the World Health Organization. One of the great benefits of acupuncture is that it isa drug-free way to minimize pain and discomfort, and the procedure is without risk and side effects.

In a German study 3,500 patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee received 15 acupuncture treatments, combined with their usual medication. The results showed that the patients that received acupuncture had less pain and discomfort, as well as improved joint function. Additionally, patients have better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvement occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture.

In another study, 570 patients were selected for a randomized study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine. That study showed a similar outcome. The study was published in December 2004.