Treating Joint Pain With Acupuncture
Did you know that treating joint pain with acupuncture is possible?
Acupuncture is the basis of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been practiced for thousands of years along with other treatments, with the goal of ameliorating a wide variety of disorders.
Scientists are not yet sure how the therapeutic side of this branch of alternative medicine works. Acupuncture is popular in the West nowadays and many people use it to improve their quality of life.
What is acupuncture?
Although we do not know how acupuncture works, various studies support the idea that, following acupuncture treatment, certain physiological changes occur. One of the effects of this type of therapy is to relieve pain, including joint pain.
Acupuncture is based on a series of procedures that stimulate different anatomical points on the body. This treatment involves various techniques, the most famous of which is probably the use of needles. At the same time, the health benefits of acupuncture have been studied in depth. Here’s what it means: Small, thin needles are strategically inserted into the skin to relieve pain caused by certain disorders.
Joint pain
According to a study by the International Osteoarthritis Foundation, over 70% of women over the age of 35 suffer from joint pain. This problem affects the musculoskeletal system and attacks the joints, which are responsible for the mobility of bones in the knee, ankles, hips or wrists. More severe forms of joint pain can prevent patients from engaging in activities such as walking or sitting.
Joint pain begins as a feeling of stiffness and sharp, sharp pain, which limits joint movements due to inflammation in the affected region. This limitation significantly reduces the quality of life, making daily activities more difficult.
Symptoms associated with joint pain include:
- Inflammation and redness of the affected joint, which can be warm to the touch
- Rash or purple spots
- Chest pain and respiratory failure
- Abdominal pain
- Fever, sweating or chills
Osteoarthritis is one of the main types of disabilities that can cause joint pain. This degenerative disease involves damage to the cartilage and leaves the joints unprotected. The bones wear out due to friction, causing intense pain and numbness in the joints.
How effective is it to treat joint pain with acupuncture?
Age, body weight and genetic inheritance are factors that increase the predisposition to joint pain. Changing your lifestyle can lead to a relief of symptoms. In addition, several studies have shown the effectiveness of acupuncture as an alternative treatment for osteoarthritis.
A study in the Cochrane database suggests that acupuncture may slightly reduce joint pain and improve mobility in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis. In this study, subjects were divided into two groups: a group that was treated with acupuncture and a control group that received no treatment. After 8 and 26 weeks, respectively, subjects treated with acupuncture reported less pain and increased mobility compared to the control group.
Is Acupuncture Useful in Treating Joint Pain Caused by Medications?
Joint pain can also be a side effect of certain medications. Aromatase inhibitors, prescribed in the treatment of breast cancer or perimenopause, significantly increase the risk of joint problems. In fact, these pharmaceuticals can cause such intense pain that patients are forced to discontinue treatment.
A recent study by the SWOG scientific research network showed that acupuncture significantly reduces joint pain caused by aromatase inhibitors in patients with early perimenopause or breast cancer.
The 226 subjects who participated in the study came from different medical centers and were divided into three groups:
- The group treated with acupuncture
- The group treated with false acupuncture
- The control group, which did not receive any treatment
After 12 weeks, the first group reported a significant relief of pain, which persisted for several months. Broadly speaking, this proves that acupuncture can be an alternative to opioid drugs, which have various unwanted side effects.
conclusions
Although we need additional studies to better understand how acupuncture works, it seems that this is an effective treatment for joint pain. At the same time, this alternative therapy may be useful in treating fibromyalgia or neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
Therefore, some health professionals offer patients the opportunity to combine acupuncture with other treatments. Depending on where you live, the costs of this therapy may be covered by your health insurance.
