Did you know that acupuncture can help reduce the pain associated with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?

These two types of joint pain have different root causes, but research shows that acupuncture can be helpful for both.

Research supports the use of acupuncture for reducing pain and improving mobility in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In a 2019 randomized controlled trial, acupuncture was found to reduce pain and improve mobility in osteoarthritis of the knee, together with usual care (biomedicine, typically NSAIDs), compared to usual care alone.

In other words, if you’re managing your knee osteoarthritis with your MD, adding acupuncture can help reduce your pain levels even further.

In addition, a systematic review of osteoarthritis of the knee was carried out with similar results. The study “reported the effectiveness of acupuncture on pain relief and functional recovery in patients with [knee osteoarthritis].” 

They also noted that acupuncture had fewer adverse reactions (i.e., side effects) than western medical treatment.

Although a lot of osteoarthritis research has been done specifically on the knee, I also have patients who have found it to be incredibly helpful in managing OA pain in other joints as well. 

For example, osteoarthritis of the hip, vertebrae of the neck or low back, and the hand.

In another recent study, researchers found that acupuncture had a positive effect on pain relief, physical function and health-related quality of life outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Have questions about acupuncture for arthritis? Feel free to reply to this email. Happy to chat with you!

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