Contrary to previous findings, acupuncture might not benefit people with chronic knee pain.
The practice of acupuncture originated in China 5,000 years ago. Today it is widely used throughout the world and is one of the main pillars of Chinese medicine. Research on the effectiveness of acupuncture has special challenges. These include the diversity of approaches, the practice of individualizing treatment for each patient, differing skill levels between practitioners, and difficulty separating out the effects of acupuncture from placebo effects (i.e., how the patient's beliefs and expectations affect his/her perception of symptoms).
In a new study, researchers randomly assigned 282 people at least 50 years-old with chronic knee pain to receive needle acupuncture, laser acupuncture, sham laser acupuncture, or no acupuncture at all. Various outcome measures, including knee pain and physical function were evaluated.
The researchers found that after 12 weeks of treatment, neither needle nor laser acupuncture improved pain or physical function when compared to people receiving the sham acupuncture treatments. When compared to the people who received no acupuncture at all, needle acupuncture provided small improvements in pain and functioning. However, these improvements did not last throughout the 1 year follow-up period.
The authors concluded that people over the age of 50 who have chronic knee pain might not benefit from needle or laser acupuncture.
For information about acupuncture, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness Database.
The information in this brief report is intended for informational purposes only, and is meant to help users better understand health concerns. This information should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Users should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for specific questions regarding therapies, diagnosis and/or health conditions, prior to making therapeutic decisions. Copyright © 2024 NatMed. Commercial distribution or reproduction prohibited. NatMed is the leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based, clinically-relevant information on natural medicine, dietary supplements, herbs, vitamins, minerals, functional foods, diets, complementary practices, CAM modalities, exercises and medical conditions. Monograph sections include interactions with herbs, drugs, foods and labs, contraindications, depletions, dosing, toxicology, adverse effects, pregnancy and lactation data, synonyms, safety and effectiveness.
