The two year study that was recently completed showed promising results at treating the major symptoms of osteoarthritis. Prior to this discovery common treatments for osteoarthritis included therapy, surgery, and specialized drugs that would relieve pain. This condition is quite common in the elderly and nearly fifty percent of people over the age of 85 will be affected. The new study is pointing towards acupuncture as an effective treatment.
The study focused on subjects with an average age of seventy one years old, who had severe enough osteoarthritis to require surgery as a treatment. Each subject received over sixteen treatments spread out over a one year period. Subjects reported a reduced amount of stiffness and pain after as little as one month of weekly treatments.
These findings are similar to a study that was completed in 2004 on acupuncture. That study focused on acupuncture and drugs as a combined treatment method. Medical experts were surprised at the results and are currently unable to explain why acupuncture reduces pain in osteoarthritis suffers. The majority of subjects in the trial noticed marked differences over the two year period that they were receiving treatments.
The pain of osteoarthritis is caused by the joints wearing out which results in pain and discomfort. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis.
Source: Acupuncture in Medicine, Huffington Post
