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WASHINGTON - The ancient Chinese therapy of acupuncture can help ease pain and improve movement for people with arthritis of the knee, a new study concludes.
"For the first time, a clinical trial with sufficient rigor, size and duration has shown that acupuncture reduces the pain and functional impairment of osteoarthritis of the knee," said Dr. Stephen E. Straus, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
In the largest clinical study of acupuncture reported to date, researchers studied 570 patients age 50 and older with osteoarthritis of the knee.
The multilocation study was led by Dr. Brian M. Berman of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific body points to stimulate the body and improve health and well-being.
The participants were divided into three groups - 190 received acupuncture, 191 underwent sham acupuncture and 189 followed the Arthritis Foundation's self-help course for managing their condition.
The patients also continued to receive standard medical care from their primary physicians, including anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers.
In the sham acupuncture group, needle guides and needles were taped to the skin so the patients would feel some sensation, but the needles were not actually inserted.The researchers said that by week eight patients receiving acupuncture began showing a significant increase in function and by week 14 a significant decrease in pain, compared with the sham and control groups.
Overall, the scientists said, those who received acupuncture had a 40 percent decrease in pain and a nearly 40 percent improvement in function.
The results were reported in Monday's issue of Annals of Internal Medicine .