Does your knee always ache? Is it difficult for you to bend and flex it? You may struggle with chronic knee pain. Knee pain can be very frustrating, as it affects not only your ability to live an active lifestyle but also your capacity to perform necessary daily activities, like walking around or climbing stairs. One of the most common causes of chronic knee pain is Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the protective cartilage around bones gradually wears away. In short, Osteoarthritis makes it difficult to extend the knee and causes stiffness, pain, and inflammation.
Osteoarthritis is incurable, but it is treatable. However, many doctors today are steering away from prescription pain relief drugs like opioids and looking for safer, more effective treatment options. One such treatment of interest is acupuncture. But is acupuncture effective in treating chronic knee pain?
What Do the Studies Say?
Researchers asking the same question have conducted several studies in recent years which show that acupuncture is indeed effective in treating Osteoarthritis, or chronic knee pain. Several researchers created a systematic review of studies involving nearly 18,000 chronic pain patients and published their findings in the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal. Their goal was to test the effectiveness of acupuncture treatments in relieving four chronic pain conditions: back and neck pain, Osteoarthritis, shoulder pain, and chronic headache. The results of the study concluded that acupuncture treatments were indeed effective in relieving not just chronic knee pain, but all four chronic conditions.
Another systematic review of acupuncture for knee pain found similar conclusions. In this study, researches gathered data from around 2,000 subjects. This study, however, focused solely on chronic knee pain as a condition to be treated with acupuncture. The review of 10 randomized controlled trials found similar positive results to the first study. Compared with placebo acupuncture treatment, no treatment, and usual care, acupuncture treatment provided adequate relief for short-term knee pain. Also, acupuncture treatments are effective in improving both the short and long-term physical functioning of the knee.
Knee Pain Treatments
Are you looking for knee pain treatments in Frisco, TX? The chiropractors at Tieperman Health & Wellness are here for you! Our trained specialists can provide acupuncture in Frisco, TX. Schedule your acupuncture appointment today to begin relieving your knee pain, and get back to living your healthiest life!